By John Rohlf, The Message assistant editor
Starting in September, the Diocese of Evansville began offering a Professional Development Workshop series, which is designed to serve parish staff across the diocese.
The workshops are new quarterly offerings from the Office of Stewardship in partnership with the Catholic Foundation of Southwestern Indiana. The workshops are designed to provide practical, mission-driven tools to strengthen parish staffs’ ministries and leadership.
Dean Happe, Diocese of Evansville Chancellor and COO, said the diocese is pleased to launch the Professional Development Workshops, which were developed out of the diocese’s most recent annual Diocesan Objectives Process and their Pastoral Priorities discussions. He said they bring together two key priorities for the diocese, which are investing in the leadership development of clergy and staff and easing administrative burdens so they can focus more fully on ministry.
“Through these quarterly sessions, we look to provide a forum for clergy and lay leaders from across our parishes to have the opportunity to sharpen practical skills, share best practices and learn from one another,” Happe said. “Our goal is to equip those who serve in our diocese with tools that help them lead others to Jesus Christ. Everything we do is rooted in discipleship and the salvation of souls, which remains the heart of our mission.”
The first workshop was Sept. 11 and focused on the Catholic Ministries Appeal, providing tools, insight and renewed inspiration to help parishes during the appeal season. Speakers for the September workshop were Dr. Trent Engbers, Professor and Director of the Master of Public Administration Program at the University of Southern Indiana; and Denise Seibert Townsend, Director of Catholic Charities Diocese of Evansville. Mater Dei President Deacon Dan Niemeier, Benedictine Sister Jane Michele McClure and Seibert Townsend served on the panel during the panel discussion.
The Dec. 3 workshop was centered around communication, which was one of the most requested topics. Father Alex Zenthoefer, diocesan Vicar General and rector of St. Benedict Cathedral, was the keynote speaker for the December workshop. Speakers for breakout sessions were Scott Evernham, whose topic was effective meeting practices; Glen Muehlbauer; whose topic was communication etiquette; and Lindsey Nix, whose topic was having difficult conversations.
Muehlbauer said he is grateful for the invitation from Diocesan Director of Stewardship Joe Paul Hayden to support the Professional Development Workshop.
“When there’s an opportunity to develop team members who are doing meaningful work across the diocese, it’s worth helping,” Muehlbauer said. “Investing in their growth ultimately strengthens our parishes and the families they serve.”
During Muehlbauer’s presentation, they talked about the various communications channels and factors to consider when choosing the appropriate communications channel. He hopes the team members left with ideas to consider when developing communication strategies and with practical tools they can use right away to improve communication within their teams.
“In general, I hope that attendees walked away feeling more prepared, more supported and more connected to the mission,” Muehlbauer said. “Then the day was a success.”
Nix’s presentation guided participants through a practical framework to approaching difficult conversations. During the presentation, participants were able to observe, practice and reflect on how conversations can be handled more constructively, she said.
Nix hopes the experience gave attendees greater confidence and simple tools they can bring back to their parishes to strengthen communication and relationships.
“I hope attendees left feeling less anxious about difficult conversations and more equipped to handle them thoughtfully,” Nix said. “More than anything, I hope they walked away knowing that these conversations don’t have to be avoided or feared. They can be handled with grace and preparation.”
Nix said the day as a whole reinforced that investing in our people and how we communicate is essential to serving the church well.
She said she is grateful to the Catholic Foundation of Southwestern Indiana for their support of the event and for the diocesan staff for their work in organizing the event and for their investment in the people who serve our parishes.
“Opportunities like this are a gift,” Nix said. “And I would encourage priests and parish staff to take full advantage of them.”
There are two more scheduled workshops for the 2025-2026 cycle. They are March 11 and June 10. They will be at the Diocese of Evansville Catholic Center, 4200 N. Kentucky Ave., Evansville, IN 47711.