The Message -- for Catholics of Southwestern Indiana
3
Mass: Remembering heroism of Thomas More
LEINGANG
editor
judges, public of-
from several
oas were chal-
the life of St.
as "a particu-
e for the
on the eve
came from
executive
ent of Scripps
g, at the
s" cele-
May 5.
Catholic layman
to his
and his home
the featured
A. Gettelfin-
Mass, held
Retired
R. Shea concel-
parish pas-
zer Stephen
priests
Z Several denomi-
ed Bishop Get-
a blessing to
and other public
officials in attendance.
In the prepared text of his
speech, Burleigh said he could
think of no better model for ex-
amining the heritage of Law
Day than Thomas More, the
church's patron of lawyers. He
quoted Robert Bolt, author of
the play, "A Man for All Sea-
sons," in describing More as "a
pivot of English life at a time
when England was negotiating
the sharpest corner in her spir-
itual history."
More was martyred in 1535
after disagreeing with King
Henry VIII. He was "the King's
good servant, but God's first."
Burleigh said More "struggled
to maintain his personal in-
tegrity while at the same time
acting as his king's loyal legal
officer."
Burleigh said More "stands
etched as a figure attracting us
at a time when we, too, are ne-
gotiating watershed turns in
our own spiritual history."
Burleigh compared More's
times to the present, stating
that "All around us we are con-
fronted with ambiguity. All
around us we face a culture
saturated with a relativist
view of life, where those who
dare to enunciate principle are
cast as moralizing busybodies
seeking to inflict their beliefs
on the different and the op-
pressed."
He said if More were here
today, he would notice the
clear erosion of a public ethic.
"From White House to state-
house, right and wrong ap-
pears too often defined as what
you can get away with."
Burleigh said More would
"doubtless be struck by the
clear erosion in respect for life,
from womb to grave." He said
human life is too frequently
seen as an inconvenience. "It is
more than a little ironic that
the law is evolving not in its
protection of innocent life but
in its defense of those who
would destroy it."
More would also recognize a
clear erosion in what we un-
derstand as family, Burleigh
said. He asked his the congre-
gation "to look around at the
soaring incidence of children
born out of wedlock, of the un-
speakable abuse of children, of
runaway fathers, of teen vio-
lence and ask, honestly, where
William Burleigh addresses the congregation at St. Mary
Church, Evansville, at the conclusion bf the fourth annual
"Red Mass," celebrated May 5.
-- Message photo by Paul R. Leingang
the discontinuity leads."
Burleigh said More "could
not fail to see the clear fault
line running between the
haves and have-nots in our re-
public." He said the common
community values were van-
ishing, and that racial, eco-
nomic and sexual inequities
were defined by ideology and
not principle.
He concluded with an invita-
tion to "all of us, but especially
you, the sworn members of the
bar, to lives of faith and learn-
ing, to unflinching protection
of our precious legal heritage
and, finally, to the principled
heroism that led Thomas More
to a martyr's death."
Burleigh's comments were
greeted with sustained ap-
plause by the members of the
congregation.
2
Semi-
Texas; St.
St. Louis,
Theological
first ap-
as associate
Church,
to administer
the Newman
y of
associate
Church,
1977; as-
of St. Anthony
in August
of St.
arg h, January
St. John
Church, Evansville, in 1988.
In July 1991, Father Ne-
mergut was named pastor in
solidum (co-pastor) of St. John
Church, Evansville, and mem-
ber of the Urban Ministry
Team.
He has also been involved in
jail and correctional ministries
in Evansville; he served as
spiritual director of the
Evansville Council of the St.
Vincent de Paul Society.
His new position in Vin-
cennes is effective Wednesday,
June 1, 1994.
Father John Sehipp, 55, is
a native of Ferdinand. He was
born Oct. 12, 1938, the son of
Herbert and Mary Anne Lew
Schipp. St. Ferdinand Church
is his home parish.
After studies at St. Meinrad
Seminary, Father Schipp was
ordained by Bishop Henry J.
Grimmelsman on May 23,
1964. His first fissignment was
assistant pastor, St. Joseph
Church, Jasper.
Father Schipp was ap-
pointed associate pastor of
Holy Redeemer Church,
Evansville in June 1970, and
as co-pastor of Holy Redeemer
in June 1971. At the time, he
was also working in the dioce-
san tribunal.
Father Schipp was ap-
pointed pastor of Holy Cross
Church, Fort Branch, in July
1980. He has served as pastor
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14
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Seminary, Sai Meinrad, IN 47577 or call (800} 682-0988.
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of Holy Family Church since
July 1986.
Father Schipp has also
served the diocese as a mem-
ber of the Priests' Senate, the
Council of Priests, and as a
diocesan consultor.
Father Schipp is known for
his interest in area history. His
appointment to the historic
parish of Old Cathedral in Vin-
cennes is effective Wednesday,
July 20.
Father Edward Sehnur,
ordained three years ago, will
be the new pastor of St.
Bernard Church, RockporL His
appointment is effective
Wednesday, June 1.
Father Schnur, 40, is a na-
Ed. L. Lee
Mortuary
101 North Meridian Street
Washington, iN 254-3612
i
tive of Evansville. He was bern
July 10, 1953, the son of
Harold and Margaret
Schultheis Schnur. He was
baptized at St. Joseph Church,
Evansville, and confirmed at
Good Shepherd Church, also in
Evansville. "
ARer studies" at St. Meinrad
Seninary, Father Schnur was
ordained by Bishop Gerald A.
Gettelfinger, June 1, 1991. His
fn, st assignment was as associ-
ate to the Catholic Community
of Washington with residence
at St. Simon Church. From
January to June of 1993, dur-
ing the pastor's sabbatical, Fa-
ther Schnur served as tempo-
rary pastoral administrator of
St. Simon Church.
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