By John Rohlf, The Message assistant editor
Rev. Henry Kuykendall was a pioneer priest in the Diocese of Evansville, Father John Boeglin said at the June 21 Mass of Christian Burial for Father Henry.
Bishop Joseph M. Siegel celebrated Father Kuykendall’s Mass of Christian Burial June 21 at St. John the Baptist Parish in Newburgh. Over 30 diocesan priests concelebrated the Mass, including several senior priests of the diocese.
Father Kuykendall, 85, died June 16 in Evansville. Father Henry was ordained a priest June 6, 1986, at St. Mary Parish in Evansville. He served the diocese in many ways before retiring from active ministry Dec. 31, 2014.
During his homily, Father Boeglin, senior priest of the diocese, noted Father Henry was on dialysis for 7.5 years. Father Boeglin thinks the community at St. John the Baptist in Newburgh helped give Father Henry purpose and meaning to go on living.
Father Boeglin said he will most remember Father Henry’s perseverance and positive spirit.
“He was at peace with his decision going to hospice,” Father Boeglin said. “He really was. But again, any time we met these last years as a priest support group, he would always talk about his faith community. And how it nourished him and kept him going.”
During his homily, Father Boeglin noted Father Kuykendall promoted Hispanic Ministry at Nativity Parish, when he served as pastor at the parish.
“He introduced (the) Spanish Mass,” Father Boegin said. “This was before we had any native Spanish speaking priests in our diocese.”
Father Boeglin said Father Henry served as Coordinator of Catholic Ministry for the deaf in the diocese. Right after Father Henry was ordained, he was sent by Bishop Francis R. Shea to become more fluent in sign language.
Father Boeglin said Father Henry wanted to serve those often forgotten at the end of the social ladder.
“That was a big deal for him,” Father Boeglin said. “He was a challenge for us as priests because of that. He pushed parishes to do this program called Catholics Returning Home, which brought many Catholics back to the Catholic Church.”
Father Boeglin noted the gospel read at Father Henry’s Mass of Christian Burial was from Matthew 25:14-30, which details the parable of the talents. Father Boeglin said the moral of the parable is the faithful use of one’s gifts will lead to participation in the fullness of the kingdom. However, lazy inactivity leads to exclusion from it, Father Boeglin said.
“Father Henry used his talents as a pioneer in developing these ministries in our diocese,” Father Boeglin said. “He challenged his flock as a good shepherd to be the best version of themselves, serving the kingdom of God.”
Father Boeglin said the second reading Father Henry chose came from Acts 10. In that reading, Peter preaches that God came to all peoples of the world, Father Boeglin said. He added Jesus commissioned us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God, the judge of the living and the dead.
“Father Henry modeled this so well in public ministry by his welcoming, warm personality,” Father Boeglin said.
At the end of the Mass of Christian burial, Bishop Siegel expressed his deepest condolences to Father Henry’s family, support group, friends and former parishioners. He said as they gathered to pray for Father Henry, it was also a day to give thanks for how God worked through Father Henry throughout his priestly ministry.
Bishop Siegel then offered a final blessing over Father Kuykendall.
Entombment followed the Mass at St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville.
