Indiana Catholic History

Introduction

   Welcome to the Indiana Catholic website! This site is intended to teach, to share, and to advance the memory of those men and women who have gone before us, marked with the sign of faith. In particular, I want to display the early history of the clergy in Indiana. This is not to deny that there is a movement in the Church history world to put forth a history of the people of the Church. This movement is long overdue and reflects the true nature of the church. The Church “IS” the people and the people “ARE” the Church. However, there is also a history of the hierarchy and the clergy which cannot be ignored. This is especially true when we look at the 19th and early 20th centuries. At that time, the clergy presented the “face” of the Church and although the “faithful” — the People of God were just as important, there is something to be said for keeping the history of the clergy alive.
   And so, this web site attempts to do just that. To present a history of the clergy in Indiana, especially the clergy who were here in the earliest days of the Catholic presence, in the earliest days of the Diocese of Vincennes which later became the Diocese (and Archdiocese) of Indianapolis.
   Names such as Simon Bruté, Anthony Deydier, Benjamin Petit, Simon Lalumiere and many others who helped to maintain the faith and to continue to bring the sacraments and all the exterior trappings of Roman Catholicism to the backwoods of Indiana.
   Please look around, click on the links, let us know what you think. We especially recommend the link on the left “Indiana Catholic History Postings” where you can read short stories, news items, anniversary information etc. about some of these special people and events in the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana. There are links to original documents as well. Also check out the other “Sub-Topics” listed on the right side of this page. There are bibliographies, indexes, and more in-depth information about particular people, places and things.
   If you have any comments, criticisms, suggestions, or anything else that you would like to make known to me, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail.