June 12, 2008

Director of Associated Catholic Charities to Retire

Most Rev. J. Terry Steib has accepted the retirement of Eileen Hivner, Executive Director of Associated Catholic Charities, effective June 30. Hivner is retiring in order to spend more time with her family.

Hivner has served the Diocese of Memphis in various positions since 1979. She has served in the ministry of religious education at both the parish and diocesan level. She has also held the position of the Director of Pastoral Services, Christian Formation and Ministry, and Shared Ministries. Before taking on her current assignment, Hivner was the Secretary for Evangelization and Pastoral Services.

She was appointed by Bishop Steib as Executive Director of Associated Catholic Charities in 2003. While at the agency Hivner was deeply involved in the efforts to resettle the survivors of Hurricane Katrina which ravaged New Orleans and much of the coast of Louisiana. She also worked tirelessly in deepening fiscal responsibility at the agency, and acted as supervisor of the renovation of the Diocesan building which houses Associated Catholic Charities as well as other Diocesan departments on Jefferson Avenue in mid-town Memphis.

"Eileen has been a force for good for many years in our diocese and has served each bishop with a strong sense of dedication and commitment to ministry," said Bishop Steib. "I have experienced her wonderful gifts with people and was particularly touched by her efforts on behalf of the people for whom she worked so hard during and after Hurricane Katrina. While she will not be working for us in a professional capacity when she retires, I know that I will be able to count on her to continue her dedication to the Church at Memphis in the months and years that lie ahead. There is a person in Scripture whose name was Tabatha. The Acts of the Apostles says of her, "She was a woman disciple…who never tired of doing good or giving in charity." Eileen Hivner is that same kind of woman disciple," he added.