February—2020
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NEWSLETTER OF ST. JOSEPH PARISH 62o2 W. St. Joseph road Evansville, in 47720 Celebrating our 179th year February—2020 WHAT ARE YOU LIVING FOR? Fr. Gene Schroeder PASTOR Thomas Merton, the famous Trappist monk For the past several months, we’ve been working at estab- from Gethsemane Abbey in Kentucky, has lishing a data base for the all the gradu- been quoted as saying, "If you want to identify ates of St. Joseph School. So far we me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to have been able to identify all those who eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I either graduated from St. Joseph School am living for." That’s a pretty daunting ques- or spent part of their grade school years tion. Maybe it’s the time I have spent recuperating from my at our school from the mid 1930’s to the broken knee cap, or maybe it’s been completing twenty years present. Now we need to find current of service here in our parish, or maybe it’s turning 67 this addresses and, for those who were mar- year. Whatever the reason, I’ve been thinking about that this ried, their current last name. We’ve been able to tap into the question recently. To what do I want to give my life energy? data base of graduates of Mater Dei High School which will be a When I was much younger, my life would have been fo- big help in updating our data base. But we need your help. cused on doing things and making my mark as a young priest. We have names and addresses of the folks who graduated Life was about doing, and doing things the right way and being from Mater Dei. But they are in one data base and we need to responsible for all manner of things. I learned those habits put that in our data base. We have both our school data base very early in life and they are still a part of me. As Yogi Berra, and the data base of Mater Dei graduates. So what we need are the great New York Yankee catcher famously said, “wherever six or seven people who would be willing to take a ten-year pe- you go, there you are.” riod of information from Mater Dei graduates and try to match While I can’t deny that these forces are still at work in that up with the graduates from our school. Once we get this me, it seems that now my life is more about “allowing” and information then we can input it into our data base. less about “doing.” It’s seems that there is more peace in life Not everyone who graduated from our school went on to when I spend my energy “allowing” things to be the way they Mater Dei, so we will still have to find addresses for these people are rather than forc- to made our alumni data base complete. But this will be a big ing them to go the start. If you are interested in help, contact the parish office way I think they (812-963-3273) and we’ll get your started. should. I keep thinking of a com- perhaps it does mean not getting so invested in what I do. I think ment I heard some Fr. Henri Nouwen said it best when he said: “More important years ago: “When I than ever is to be very faithful to my vocation to do well the begin to realize that few things I am called to do and hold on to the joy and peace other people do not they bring me.” have to do what I want them to, to behave the way I think How do you do this? It means showing up everyday and being they have to behave and to believe the way I think they ought willing to offer my piece of the wisdom and then trusting that to believe, then my walk through life will be surprisingly eas- God will use it however it is supposed to be used even if I never ier.” know exactly how that will happen. INSIDE THIS ISSUE As I think about trying to do All this sounds good and right and I believe it is the pathway —Introducing our High this, what comes to mind is how to peace. But I know that, as life happens, there will be things School Seniors…….. p. 2 important it is to learn how to that trigger the old beliefs that things have to go the way I think forgive myself and other people they should and —School Bathrooms for being very inconsistent and that people Facelift………………. p. 4 forgiving life for not going the way need to do I think it should go. Along with things the right —Altar Society Gives New forgiving people, it also means way. I’d like to Sanctuary Chairs….. p. 4 forgiving institutions, like the say that I won’t church, for being they way they be trapped by —Mid– Year Financial are. them, but it Report…………….. p. 7 Now that is a big challenge. It will probably means avoiding them temptation happen. And that’s when I will need to step back and get things —Opportunities to to be paralyzed by feelings of in the right focus again. Jesus did that all the time. So often, in Serve Others………. p. 8 impotence and giving in to feel- the gospels we read that Jesus, left all the activity, and went up ings of despair. on the mountain to pray. —Fish Frys Coming Trying to have this kind of pres- So now, it’s just a matter of doing what I say I want to do. So in March……...……..p. 12 ence doesn’t mean doing less, but simple and yet so challenging! The Carpenter—February, 2020 Page 2 “I know that my mom is concerned that I get a job that can Eve Bilderbach provide the money I need to take care of things in life. I know “I’m a theater kid. I’ve been this is important, but my heart is often leading me in a different part of the theater program at Ma- direction. It feels like I am a little out of step with others, but I ter Dei since my sophomore year keep thinking that it is important to find out what makes me and it’s the best thing that has hap- happy and do that and then I think everything in the end will be pened to me.” Eve lives with her ok.” mom, Lena (Ruminer) and Justin Eve attended grade school at Corpus Christi. She remembers Greubel and her step-sister, Audrey having some great teachers there, but, not surprisingly, she was who is in Pre-School at St. Joe and most drawn toward the ones who taught music and art. As she step-brother Anthony. moved to Mater Dei High School, it’s no surprise that she reso- “Being part of the theater has nated most with the teachers in the arts field. But she also given me the chance to explore my speaks highly of Mrs. Grabbert with whom she took an Advanced creative side. I’ve been a part of Placement English Class. We did a lot of writing in her class and the different musicals the past two years, but this year I am she definitely made me a better writer and I think a better per- playing one of the lead roles in the Wind and the Willows.” son. She helped me develop an interest in reading as well. Right She is playing the role of the arch villain Chief Weasel. You’ll now I am reading the novel Anthem. It’s set in the future and is find her dressed in a bright red suit. She’ll be the mischie- about a time when no one has a name but everyone has a num- vous character! The show is playing from March 18-20 at the ber. The word “I” is banned from being spoken and everyone is Mater Dei Auditorium, so come and check it out. part of the collective group.” Eve has played a number of different characters and Next year Eve plans on attending Western Kentucky Univer- worked in various capacities for the Mater Dei Theater Produc- sity where she hopes to explore a major in the field of the arts. tions the past two years. “What I have learned from the “I’m looking forward to living on campus and exploring a new theater productions I have been in, is that every character is world. My best friend also plans on attending Western Kentucky important. Really every person, from the stage crew to the so we may get a chance to room together.” lead characters is an important element. Without any of When Eve isn’t busy with theater productions and school, them, the show just won’t be the same. you’ll find her working at Showplace Cinema. She’s also worked I think I a lot of my creative energy comes from my dad’s at Target as a seasonal employee, but working at Showplace has side of the family. My Aunt Kathy is a member of a band and been the best experience. “I’ve had the chance to meet people they have done a number of music videos. That’s got me in- I would never have run into and then, of course, I get to watch terested in producing my own musical videos.” Thanks to all all the latest the modern technology platforms available to her, she has movies.