Andy Day will address ‘missionary discipleship’ as living vocation By Elizabeth Wong Barnstead, The Western Kentucky Catholic Andy Day “seriously considered” a call to the priesthood in his early twenties. Though he later discerned that this he was called instead to the lay vocation, Day says that no matter where God calls us, “living as…

more: Owensboro native to speak at third annual VOCARE

‘Admonishing the sinner’ done in light of God’s love By Elizabeth Wong Barnstead, The Western Kentucky Catholic It’s no secret that “admonish the sinner” – a spiritual work of mercy ranked with the 14 other corporal and spiritual works of mercy – is one of the tougher works to correctly grasp. Nevertheless, Msgr. Bernard Powers,…

more: Mercy Always

By Elizabeth Wong Barnstead | WKC Brenda Thomson knows that her job is often a thankless one – but fortunately she’s not in it for the thanks. As co-director of Opportunities for Life, a statewide program initiated by the Kentucky bishops to provide a 24/7 hotline for those with crisis pregnancies, Thomson and her volunteers…

more: Compassion in crisis: Pregnancy hotline counsels the doubtful, fearful

Open to All High School Students in Diocese Brescia University, the only Catholic university in the Diocese of Owensboro, is pleased to bring a youth theology institute for high school students to the diocese. This institute, “Living and Leading with Love” (L3), is made possible through a grant from the Lilly Endowment.

Governor Matt Bevin announced today the creation of the Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council, a 23-member panel, which includes Bishop William F. Medley.

The Diocese of Owensboro is pleased to announce it has received a matching gift donation for VOCARE 2016. The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, has agreed to donate $50,000 if the Diocese of Owensboro raises $50,000 in support of VOCARE 2016, the event of the year for the Diocese. This means any donation made…

more: VOCARE: Anonymous Matching Gift

Two weeks after her high school graduation, Mary Margaret Drury began a career with the Diocese of Owensboro, Ky., that has spanned 50 years and counting.  As the oldest of 12 children from West Louisville, Ky., Drury attended Mount Saint Joseph Academy and graduated on May 27, 1966.  The moments leading up to her gaining…

more: Celebrating 50 Years of Immense Dedication

Note: This story originally ran in the May 2016 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.  By Elizabeth Wong Barnstead | WKC On Holy Thursday, March 24, 2016, Bishop William F. Medley and diocesan chancellor Kevin Kauffeld signed a decree establishing St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Todd County, Kentucky. This parish was formed through the merging of…

more: Rebirth from ashes: Todd County parishes become one

By Elizabeth Wong Barnstead | WKC Whether through National Evangelization Teams – also known as NET – or Fellowship of Catholic University Students – also known as FOCUS – younger generations from the Diocese of Owensboro are seeking to evangelize their peers in new, fresh ways. Andy Day believes peer-to-peer evangelization is igniting because “young…

more: Peer-to-peer evangelization: NET, FOCUS going beyond ‘instructing the ignorant’

By Elizabeth Wong Barnstead | WKC It was one very late Saturday night in West California when Andrew Comiskey discovered the Christian revival. “I just ran in,” said Comiskey, remembering that to him it was just “another kind of a gathering.” He had wanted to get away from the friends he’d originally gone out with,…

more: Something ‘more real’: Courage speakers come to Diocese of Owensboro

This story originally ran in the August 2015 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.  By Elizabeth Wong Barnstead | WKC Owensboro seminarian James “Jamie” Dennis is known by friends and family for his love of trains. But there’s no doubt that the Caneyville native credits his faith community for keeping him on the right track.…

more: Grace kept seminarian on the right tracks

NOTE: This story originally ran on the Diocese of Owensboro website on April 29, 2015.  By Elizabeth Wong Barnstead | WKC Owensboro – As a little boy, the future Deacon Basilio Az Cuc viewed priests as the holiest, wisest and most generous people in the whole world. But growing up in a rural village in…

more: New transitional deacon ‘just a Southern neighbor’ for Diocese of Owensboro

Fresh, ‘responsive design’ will better serve unique needs of western Kentucky faithful The Diocese of Owensboro recently launched a new website and smartphone app to better serve the Catholics of western Kentucky and reach out to those who wish to renew their faith or have an interest in the Catholic Church.

The winners of the third annual Bishop John J. McRaith Providing Help, Creating Hope Award this year include 16 individuals and four organizations. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Owensboro established the award in 2013 to recognize individuals or groups in the diocese who abundantly show the virtue of charity in their work and deeds, aligned…

more: Winners of 2016 ‘Providing Help, Creating Hope’ award announced

Fr. William David Willett, a priest of the Diocese of Owensboro, passed away on April 20, 2016 at the age of 69. Fr. Willett spent many years serving as a dedicated military chaplain – a vocation that took him across the ocean and far from his close-knit Fancy Farm community, and far from the diocese…

more: Son of Fancy Farm, Fr. W. David Willett ‘a beautiful soul’ who served military personnel

“Everything is going to be OK,” is exactly what you do not say to a friend or loved one undergoing a divorce, says Rose Sweet, a Catholic author and speaker who has been through the pain of divorce herself.