By John Rohlf
The Message assistant editor
Father Donald Dilger was honored Aug. 4 with a Mass celebrating his 65 years as a priest in the Diocese of Evansville.
Father Dilger, 93, celebrated the Mass at Mary, Help of Christians Church in Mariah Hill, which is part of St. Francis of Assisi Parish. A senior priest of the Diocese of Evansville, Father Dilger was ordained to the priesthood in March of 1959.
Bishop Joseph M. Siegel attended Mass. Concelebrants for the Mass were Father Dilger, fellow senior priests Father Lowell Will and Father James Koressel; Father Paul Nord, monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey; and Father Tyler Underhill, parochial vicar at St. Benedict Cathedral. One of three priests ordained this summer, Father Underhill is the youngest priest in the diocese.
Deacon Robert Mattingly was deacon for the Mass. Seminarian Jack Martin was the master of ceremony.
Father Dilger noted shortly after his celebration on the 60th anniversary of his priesthood five years ago, he had “a massive heart attack” and “became an invalid and a cripple for months.”
“Bishop Siegel pulled me through and God did,” Father Dilger said. “So that’s why you can have this long homily today. Thank God for that.”
Father Dilger focused his homily on the Bread of Life Discourse that is found in John Chapter 6. The gospel readings were taken from John Chapter 6 starting on the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time July 28. The readings are taken from Chapter 6 of the Gospel of John until Aug. 25.
Father Dilger noted the Bread of Life discourse is a long sermon composed by John, who is the author presenting the teachings of Jesus with John’s interpretation.
“In my opinion, this chapter is the heart of the gospel of John,” Father Dilger said. “And I spend more time on this chapter than any other part of the New or Old Testament.”
Father Dilger composed a 74-page commentary on this chapter, he said.
Father Dilger said from the earliest interpretations of John’s Gospel, the Catholic Church held the words proclaimed during the Bread of Life Discourse do not express mere symbolism but a genuine reality, which we call the Eucharist.
“Our most public profession of this our faith was just demonstrated before the world at the Eucharistic Congress held recently in Indianapolis,” Father Dilger said. “Our Bishop was there. Many of our clergy. Our seminarians. There, Catholic Christians gathered from all over our nation, far beyond, to honor this teaching of our faith.”
At the end of Mass, Bishop Siegel congratulated Father Dilger on his 65th anniversary of his priesthood ordination. Over the past 6.5 years as the Bishop of the diocese, Bishop Siegel said he has been blessed to know Father Dilger and know more about him more personally. He said it was wonderful to have Father Dilger celebrate Mass for his 65th anniversary.
Bishop Siegel said for the past 65 years, God blessed the Diocese of Evansville with a good priest in Father Dilger. Bishop Siegel said Father Dilger is a man of the sacraments, a man of the faith and is a good scripture scholar. Bishop Siegel said Father Dilger continues to be a presence in the parishes in the diocese.
In November 2023, Father Dilger wrote his final Sunday Scripture column for The Message after writing it for 36 years and 12 liturgical cycles.