Published: November 24, 2009 10:11 pm      

COMING HOME: Bishop-elect Etienne returns to OLPH for special Mass

The Most Rev. Paul Etienne will become bishop of the Diocese of Cheyenne, Wyo., on Dec. 9. But no matter how far he advances in the Catholic Church or where he winds up, he will never forget the time he spent at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church.

For nine years Etienne served as priest at OLPH. Tuesday, he returned to his former parish for a special Mass, community dinner and celebration as he prepares to leave for Wyoming Monday.

“It’s great to come back and visit,” Etienne said Tuesday afternoon as he prepared to visit OLPH school. “There was something unique during the time I spent here. This is where I learned to be a pastor; this was my first assignment.”

More than 700 local Catholics attended the Mass and dinner at OLPH Tuesday night. Several area priests also joined in on the celebration.

“It’s an honor to have him back to celebrate Mass, and give him our blessing and best wishes,” said Rev. Eric Augenstein, OLPH pastor.

Like Etienne, OLPH is Augenstein’s first assignment as pastor.

“It’s a good parish to come to for a first assignment,” he said.

Etienne has held many positions in the church since being ordained in 1992. Prior to coming to OLPH, he was vocation director for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. He also served as vice-rector of Bishop Simon Brute College Seminary in Indianapolis, and was pastor of St. Simon and St. John the Evangelist in Indianapolis.

As bishop for the Diocese of Cheyenne, he will be the spiritual leader for more than 53,000 Catholics, 36 parishes and 36 missions.

Etienne was named bishop in October and said he is beginning to get used to being called “Bishop Etienne.”

“It’s certainly a phone call you don’t plan on getting,” Etienne said of being told he was named bishop. “The bishop receives the fullness of the priesthood. It’s another level of being a priest and teacher of the faith.”

Etienne was the first person Augenstein spoke to when he first considered the priesthood. He later followed the bishop-elect’s footsteps at OLPH.

“I’ve kind of come full circle with him,” he said. “I followed him to this parish.”

Augenstein said Etienne’s experience working and being a spiritual director at a seminary will help him as bishop.

“A bishop fosters the atmosphere and works with young men who want to be priests and works with them in formation,” he said. “I think he will be very spiritual and will be a great leader.”

Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger, of the Evansville Archdiocese, was the last priest from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis to be named a bishop. He was elevated to his current post in 1989.

While Etienne is looking forward to his next assignment, the Tell City native said he will always cherish his time at OLPH. And from Tuesday’s turnout, church members obviously will always cherish their former pastor.

“The people here were very open and responsive to my leadership,” Etienne said. “I was very blessed during my nine years here.”