Archbishop Tobin to celebrate Mass in each deanery

Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin processes into St. Anthony Church in Indianapolis on Dec. 12 to celebrate a Mass in Spanish marking the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Behind him is Ford Cox, executive assistant to the archbishop and liaison for episcopal affairs. (File photo by Sean Gallagher)

Criterion staff report

In an October interview with The Criterion, newly appointed Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin was asked what he would do to learn about the archdiocese and if he planned to visit any parishes.

“I want to be patient,” Archbishop Tobin said. “I’m not going to learn [about] 39 counties overnight or in six months.”

To help learn more about the archdiocese, Archbishop Tobin expressed a desire to celebrate Mass in each of its 11 deaneries.

“… I find that really life-giving, too,” he said of visiting parishes. “It always strikes me in [St.] Paul’s letters how often … he thanks the people for their faith. … I expect that I’ll more and more grow in gratitude for the faith that’s already here.”

The archdiocese has released a schedule of deanery Masses in January and February where Archbishop Tobin will be the principal celebrant. Unless noted, each Mass will be held at 7 p.m., followed by a reception open to all. The first Mass was held in the Indianapolis South Deanery at St. Jude Church in Indianapolis on Jan. 16.

The remaining schedule is as follows:

• Jan. 21, Tell City Deanery, St. Paul Church, 824 Jefferson St., Tell City.
• Jan. 24, Seymour Deanery, St. Bartholomew Church, 1306 27th St., Columbus.
• Jan. 29, New Albany Deanery, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs Church, 3033 Martin Road, Floyd County.
• Jan. 31, Bloomington Deanery, St. John the Apostle Church, 4067 W. State Road 46, Bloomington.
• Feb. 5, Indianapolis East Deanery, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower) Church, 4720 E. 13th St., Indianapolis.
• Feb. 6, Terre Haute Deanery, St. Patrick Church, 1807 Poplar St. Terre Haute.
• Feb. 10, Connersville Deanery, at 5 p.m., St. Andrew Church, 235 S. 5th St., Richmond.
• Feb. 11, Indianapolis North Deanery, St. Joan of Arc Church, 4217 Central Ave., Indianapolis.
• Feb. 12, Indianapolis West Deanery, St. Malachy Church, 9833 E. County Road 750 N., Brownsburg.
• Feb. 19, Batesville Deanery, 13 St. Louis Place, Batesville.