After a year of discussion and planning St. Ferdinand and St Henry Parishes located in the south and southwest portions of Dubois County earlier this month officially consolidated and became Christ the King parish.
Father Jack Durcholz has been pastor at St. Ferdinand for the last eight years. He now oversees both congregations says with the change while still new has given the combined parishes the opportunity to share their successes with each other and build community as the two merge…
Father Damien Smeltz served as pastor at St. Henry before being forced to step down a couple of years ago due to health issues.
Bishop Charles Thompson of the Evansville Diocese as a result assigned Father Durcholz to over see both parishes which will see continuous use for weddings, funerals as well as weekend liturgies.
Father Durcholz expressed that the Church has seen this as a example of growing and inspiring as the new parish celebrated with a kick off dinner to mark the occasion…
With the combining of St. Ferdinand and St. Henry to create the new Christ the King Parish, services are still being held a both locations.
St. Henry hosts mass on Sunday mornings at 7:30 am.
Services at Ferdinand are Saturday evenings at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 10 am.
Christ The King is third consolidation of catholic parishes to take place in the last several years.
Other include St. Raphael’s church of Dubois and St. Celestine who combined to form St. Isidore parish. Also Sacred Heart of Jesus in Schnellville St and St. Anthony Catholic churches joined forces and became a new cluster parish known as Devine Mercy.
