Indiana Catholic History

Here are ALL the postings that have been made to this site since 2006…

The Birth of Simon Brute 1779 - [This is a re-post from 2018 with some corrections and additions] March 20th marks the anniversary of the birth of the Right Rev. Simon Guillaume Gabriel Brute de Remur, known to us as Servant of God Simon Brute, the First Bishop of Vincennes, Indiana. He was born in Rennes, France, March 20, 1779. Brute lived […]
Archivists and Historians - March is a busy month and this year I want to highlight the work of three people who have helped to maintain the information that we rely on. In the case of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, two of those mentioned below were historians first and archivists second. If you are unaware of the difference it […]
Rev. Msgr. Francis Henry Gavisk - So many of our posts deal with the earliest days of the history of the Church in Indiana. It has been said, many times, that after Bishop St. Palais became bishop, the Church began to grow exponentially. It grew even more under the leadership of Bishop Francis Chatard who served from 1878-1918 — 40 years. […]
The Catholic World - Here is an article that appeared in Volume-104, October 1916 of “The Catholic World”. The Catholic World was a periodical founded by Paulist Father Isaac Thomas Hecker in April 1865. It was published by the Paulist Fathers for over a century. Hecker “wanted to create an intellectual journal for a growing Catholic population, and insisted […]
Fr. John Michael Missi – 1833-1889 - The “motto” of this site is “Keeping the memory alive of those who have gone before us…”. With that in mind, I want to pass on a short biography of one Indiana Catholic priest who I am sure, most people would not remember. Obviously there is no one alive who would have known him, but […]
Ritter Installed as Archbishop and Indianapolis elevated to an Archdiocese – December 1944 - [Please note: This is a rather lengthy post, due to the fact that I am quoting all the text from the Newspaper regarding the ceremony. Also, near the end, I have included the remarks of the Apostolic Delegate concerning Bishop Brute, which were given at the dinner, the night before the ceremony, in the hope […]
Herman J. Alerding (1845-1924) - On December 6, 1924, the Feast of St. Nicholas, Bishop Herman J. Alerding, Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, died in a Fort Wayne Hospital. The bishop was involved in an auto accident on Thanksgiving Day. Alerding had become the Bishop of Fort Wayne in 1900. He had previously been pastor […]
Fr. Louis DeSeille-Missionary to the Potawatomi - During the 1930’s, seminarians at St Meinrad published a journal called “St. Meinrad Historical Essays”. This article appeared in Volume-2, Number-3, March 1932. The following article was written by Andrew Ditlinger who was, at the time, a seminarian at St. Meinrad. Fr. Ditlinger was ordained in 1932 for the Diocese of Fort Wayne. His priestly […]
All Saints – All Souls 2023 - Once again, we publish what we have published in the past… but with a few additions and a bit of lamentation for the loss of memory of what this feast (as well as the Feast of All Souls) is about. Regardless of the commercialization, as people put up all sort of decorations, featuring goblins, spiders, […]
Saint Mary of the Knobs – 200 Years - This weekend – October 14-15, 2023, the Parish of Saint Mary of the Knobs, celebrates their 200 year anniversary. The Parish Website has details. St. Mary of the Knobs is the oldest active parish in the Archdiocese, having been founded in 1823, with the erection of the first church, Eleven years before the establishment of […]
Descriptions of the Early Church in Northern Indiana 1836 - Researching the early Church in Indiana is much like researching one’s genealogy. When you go to the sources, you sometimes find information that you weren’t looking for. We were recently searching for information on Fr. Simon Petit Lalumiere the “First Priest” of Bishop Brute, we ran across an article in the “Catholic Telegraph” of Cincinnati, […]
Another St. Francis Xavier Church-Raywick Kentucky - [This is a re-post from August 21, 2020] One of the little known people who helped to bring the Catholic Faith to Indiana was a Jesuit named Louis Nicholas Petit. We mention him today becasue today is the anniversary of the founding of one of Fr. Petit’s churches, Saint Francis Xavier, in Raywick Kentucky. The […]
Dedication of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral (1841) - [This is a re-post from August 2017] On August 8, 1841, the second Bishop of Vincennes, Celestine de la Hailandiere formally consecrated the Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier. The Vincennes Gazette documented the ceremonies in two articles which appeared on August 14 and August 28, 1841. Here is a transcript of those two articles. The […]
Catholics and the KKK - Most of the posts that you see here are generally dealing with the history of the Church in the 19th century. Most of them involve the area that now comprises the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. It, of course, does not mean that there is no history of the other parts of the State of Indiana, it […]
Catholics in Indiana in 1840 - A friend of this website, Brian Lankford who is studying the history of the Church in Evansville and especially the history of the parish of the Assumption, now gone, founded by one of our favorite historical figures, the Reverend Anthony Deydier. Brian sent us a copy of the Cincinnati Catholic Telegraph from August 22, 1840 […]
Dr. James Divita (1938-2023) - It is with sadness that we pass along the obituary of Dr. James Divita, the premier historian of Indiana Catholic History. Here is his obituary: James John Divita, 85, passed away peacefully in Indianapolis on April 15, 2023, while surrounded by family. A longtime history professor at Marian College (now Marian University), he was considered […]
Auguste Martin, The Vatican and Slavery - Back in 2018 I posted an article about the Church and Slavery It was a little bit out of our usual “Indiana” Catholic History, but it dealt with Bishop Auguste Martin, a Frenchman who came to Indiana and the Diocese of Vincennes as a missionary priest about 1839, after the death of Servant of God, […]
Christmas 2022 - “Saddled Donkey” by Aleksander LaurÃ©us Christmas Blessings 2022 The Work of Christmas “When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flock, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the […]
ALL Saints 2022 - Every year we seem to get further and further away from the true meaning of the Feast of All Saints and All Souls. People put up all sort of decorations, featuring goblins, spiders, ghosts etc. “All Hallows Eve” has become a commercial enterprise. Yet, the Church continues to recognize the Feast Day for what it […]
Ordinations 1837 - On October 14, 1837, Bishop Brute ordained two men. Benjamin Petit and John Plunkett. Both men would go on to do great things in service to the Church in Indiana. Both would die outside of the state and within three years of their ordination. John Plunkett, an Irishman, did heroic work on the canals in […]
The Birth of Simon Petit Lalumiere - Today, September 18th marks the anniversary of the birth of Simon Petit Lalumiere, the “First Priest of Bishop Brute”. That is, the first priest who was truly assigned, if you will, to the newly created Diocese of Vincennes. During the Centennial of he Diocese, in 1934, Saint Meinrad Historical Essays published an article by Joseph […]
1985 Fire Kills 3 Priests in Starlight Parish - On this day, August 31, 1985, a tragic fire destroyed the rectory at St. John Parish in Starlight, killing three priests of the Archdiocese — the pastor of the parish, Fr. Richard Smith and two visiting classmates, Fr. Richard Fisher and Fr. Kenneth Smith. The fire apparently started after and electrical short in an office […]
Chatard – A Bishop of Vincennes in Indianapolis - This is a mash-up of some previous posts regarding the naming of Francis Silas Marean Chatard as Bishop of Vincennes, but who lived in Indianapolis. It is lengthly, but I hope it will enlighten the subject. I wrote about this, originally, in 2011, 2012 and 2014. Things get lost in the 500+ posts we’ve written […]
Fr. Robert Gorman - In many of our posts, we refer to and quote the writings of Fr. Robert Gorman, former Archivist of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Fr. Gorman was born in Evansville on the 6th of February 1906. He studied at St. Meinrad and was ordained to the priesthood on June 10, 1930. In 1935 he was sent […]
Bishop Hailandiere Resigns – 1847 - For as long as I can remember, the Second Bishop of Vincennes’ name always came up as the “black eye” on the history of the Church in Indiana. July 16th, is the day that this ‘black eye‘ — the guy everyone loved to hate, resigned … On this day in 1847, Celestine de la Hailandiere […]
Francis Chatard Ordained - On June 14, 1862, in the midst of the U.S. Civil War, which was raging in the United States, Francis Silas Marean Chatard was ordained a priest in Rome. The painting, shown here, hangs in the North American College in Rome where he was vice-rector and later rector. Born in Baltimore on December 13, 1834, […]
Finishing the Month of March - Certain months seem to have a lot of activity with regard to Indiana Catholic History. March is one of those busy months, perhaps because of the end of winter, and the end of Lent, and the beginning of spring, and the arrival of Easter. So, as we complete this month we find the following: 1) […]
Monsignor John J. Doyle, 1898-1985 - I repeat, with pride and admiration for the subject, earlier posts that I wrote for Monsignor John J. Doyle. It is hard to believe that so many years have passed since his death. In addition to the previous posts below, I also include the text of an article that taken from The 1967 Marian College […]
Baptismal Records for Simon Brute and Antoine Deydier - Anyone who has done genealogy knows that when you find an actual record for someone that you have been searching for, it feels like you’ve struck gold. This is what we are sharing in this post. Brian Lankford, a friend of this ‘blog’ and a resident of Evansville has given us the baptismal records, including […]
A Few Days in February - Here we are in mid-winter, waiting for Spring. Taking a look at the calendar shows us that this is an important week in the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana. First,we look at February 10th. This is the day, in 1839, that Father Benjamin Marie Petit, the apostle to the Pottawatomie, died in Saint […]
The Diocese of Fort Wayne Established in 1857 - On this day in 1857, Pope Pius IX decreed that the Diocese of Vincennes, which then covered the entire state of Indiana, would be separated into two dioceses — Vincennes and the new Diocese of Fort Wayne. It would be another year before a new bishop would be consecrated. Since the establishment of the Diocese […]
Father Alessandro Gavazzi and the “Know Nothings” - Here in 21st century America, we still hear about anti-Catholic predjudices, as well as any number of “anti” predjudices. However there was a time in the history of this country, in our little corner — the Catholic Church in Indiana where anti-Catholic predjudices were in full display. This period, particularly the mid to late 1800’s […]
November 5, 1834 - On this day in 1834, at 5:00 P.M., newly consecrated Bishop Simon Gabriel Brute took possession of his Cathedral in Vincennes. He celebrated pontifically for the first time on the following Sunday, November 9, 1834. ((Cauthorn – History of the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, p. 228)) This was the end of a long journey […]
Praise for Bishop Brute – the “Priestly” priest in 1967 - I ran across this article, written by Msgr. John Davis, for “The Advocate”, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Newark (which ceased publication in October 2020). The article was written for the Society of the Propagation of the Faith column of the archdiocese. The Church, in 1967, was finding its way after the changes that […]
Feast of All Saints – 2021 - Happy “All Hallows Eve”, “All Saints” and “All Souls” November 1st is the Feast of “ALL Saints”. It is a day that reminds us of the “community” of which we are a part of. Within my narrow focus on that community, namely the Church in Indiana, the label of Saint points to a number of […]
Overlooked Scholarship on Brute - In May 2020, the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism published an interview with a scholar named Mitchell Oxford who had received a Research Travel Grant in 2019 from the Cushwa Center for his dissertation project,”The French Revolution and the Making of an American Catholicism, 1789″“1870.” The article was an interview performed by […]
The Feast of St. Ignatius - Today is the feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. What do the Jesuits have to do with the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana? Well, just about everything! The Jesuits were the first, according to existing records, to bring the Church to these parts. Monsignor John Doyle, in his […]
Dearborn County – What Goes Around, Comes Around - On July 7th, all of the parishes located in Dearborn County will come under the care of two priests. This arrangement made possible by the Church’s Code of Canon Law in Canon 517 Â§1, which reads as follows: “œWhen circumstances require it, the pastoral care of a parish or of different parishes together can be […]
Establishment of the Diocese of Vincennes-1834 and Simon Brute - May 6, 1834 was the day that the Papal Bulls were officially promulgated establishing the Diocese of Vincennes. It began almost a year earlier when the bishops of the United States discussed the establishment of a new diocese. The approval for this came on April 12, 1834 and the official bulls were issued on May […]
Cornerstone of St. Francis Xavier - On March 30, 1826, Rev. John B. Champomier laid the cornerstone of the present St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Vincnennes. It was a Thursday of Easter Week. Here is a clipping from the Western Sun & General Advertiser on 4 March 1826, announcing the upcoming ceremony. Click the link to view the clipping. (( Western […]
Sister Ann Kathleen Brawley - Just a short post to remember Sister Ann Kathleen Brawley S.P. who died on this day in 2010. Sr. Ann Kathleen was, for many years, archivist of the Sisters of Providence as well as, for a short time, acting archivist for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. She was an extraordinary woman, gentle, patient. She was, for […]
Anthony Deydier – Indiana Saint - Yesterday we posted a tribute to Fr. Benjamin Petit, hero of the “Trail of Death”. Today, February 11th marks the anniversary of the death of yet another Indiana Saint, Father Anthony Deydier, in 1864. Unlike Fr. Petit, there are no known images of Fr. Deydier, yet he was, and remains, one of the unsung heroes […]
Benjamin Petit – Indiana Saint - Many times I feel the need to repeat information from previous posts. This one is no different since I can never say enough about this hero of the faith. This would be Father Benjamin Petit, (1811-1839). This site attempts to “Remember those who have gone before us”. To remember those who have faded from our […]
January Calendar - There is always a lot going on in the January Indiana Catholic History calendar. January 4th is the Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton. If you follow us on Twitter, you saw a link to an older post about how St. Elizabeth Ann has many connections to Indiana. January 8 – This day marks the establishment […]
Deacons and Sub Deacons - This week, in 1836, ordinations to the Sub-Diaconate and Diaconate took place in the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, in Vincennes. Those ordained to the Sub-Diaconate, which was the highest “minor order” were, Benjamin Petit, whom many consider a Martyr of Charity, Charles Dumerle (( Charles Dumerle was apparently released after his ordination to the […]
Louisiana Saints - This website is dedicated to the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana. So, why am I talking about Louisiana? I read an article about five French priests who now have a “cause” for sainthood. They are: Fr. Jean Pierre Fr. Isidore A. Quemerais. Fr. Jean-Marie Biler Fr. Louis Gergaud Fr. Francois LeVezouet All of […]
Bishop Week-December 6-13 - This week, December 6-13 includes the death or birth of three bishops — two from Indianapolis / Vincennes and one from Fort Wayne. December 6, the Feast of St. Nicholas, marks the anniversary of the death of Herman Joseph Alerding in 1924. He died after suffering injuries in an automobile accident. You can read more […]
The Feasts of All Saints and All Souls-2020 - Happy “All Hallows Eve”, “All Saints” and “All Souls” These are, for me, some of the most important feasts of the year. November 1st is the Feast of “ALL Saints”. It is a day that reminds us of the “community” of which we are a part of. Within my narrow focus on that community, namely […]
Suppression of the Jesuits 1763 - As we prepare for the Feast of All Saints / All Souls, there is another important historical event that took place in Indiana. November marks the anniversary of an item that I have not found too many references to. It was in November of 1763, the same year that the British and French ended the […]
Another Saint Francis Xavier Church - One of the little known people who helped to bring the Catholic Faith to Indiana was a Jesuit named Louis Nicholas Petit. We mention him today becasue today is the anniversary of the founding of one of Fr. Petit’s churches, Saint Francis Xavier, in Raywick Kentucky. The parish which was founded by Fr. Petit was […]
The Resignation and Departure of Bishop Hailandiere - In 1847, Bishop Celestine de la Hailandiere had finally been granted his request to resign as Bishop of Vincennes. Getting to this point was a difficult road, not only for the bishop, who had been waiting on word of his offer to resign, but also because his successor, Jean Stephen Bazin had already received his […]
More Forgotten Missionaries-Fr. JHB Seepe - In July of last year I posted about what I termed ““Forgotten Missionaires”. That was a post about Fr. John Claude Francois and it followed a post about Fr. Stanislaus Buteaux. In this post I want to continue to introduce many of those forgotten missionaries — some from the earliest days of the diocese and […]
Rev. Anthony (Antoine) Deydier - March 25th marks the anniversary of the ordination of another Indiana Saint, Father Antoine (Anthony) Deydier. His story is somewhat unknown. I’ve never been able to find a picture or painting of him. I want very much to put some information about him out into the world, but I don’t have a lot of it […]
The Birth of Simon Gabriel Brute - March 20th marks the anniversary of the birth of the Right Rev. Simon Guillaume Gabriel Brute de Remur, known to us as Servant of God Simon Brute, the First Bishop of Vincennes, Indiana. He was born in Rennes, France, March 20, 1779. Brute lived through the French Revolution and all that it meant to the […]
Dedication of Sts. Peter and Paul – December 21, 1906 - The Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Indianapolis has a long history. On December 21, 1906 the building was formally dedicated by Bishop Chatard. However, becasue there was still work to be done on the building, the first dedication took place “privately”, at least without a great deal of fanfare. According to Dr. James […]
Herman Joseph Alerding-1845-1907 - On this Feast of Saint Nicholas, in 1924, Bishop Herman Joseph Alerding, Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, died of injuries he received in an automobile accident on Thanksgiving Day. Alerding’s “History of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Vincennes“, written in 1883, stands, to date, as the only history of the diocese […]
The Feasts of All Saints & All Souls - Happy “All Hallows Eve”, “All Saints” and “All Souls” These are, for me, some of the most important feasts of the year. November 1st is the Feast of “ALL Saints”. It is a day that reminds us of the “community” of which we are a part of. Within my narrow focus on that community, namely […]
Bishop Brute Visits New Alsace 1836 - The following account of Bishop Simon Brutés visit to St. Paul Parish in New Alsace Indiana was found in Sister Mary Godecker’s “Simon BruteÌ de ReÌmur, first bishop of Vincennes” ((Godecker, Mary Salesia. 1931. Simon BruteÌ de ReÌmur, first bishop of Vincennes. St. Meinrad, Ind: St. Meinrad historical essays. p.291))It is attributed to a parish […]
Band of Missionaries – Part-2 – John Corbe - I know, from the start, that my treatment of Fr. John Corbe will leave something to be desired. That is because his ministry was, for many years, chaplain to the Sisters of Providence which means that he is a well documented figure in Indiana Church History. However, let’s look at some aspects of his life. […]
Simon Petit Lalumiere – 1804-1857 - Today, September 18th marks the anniversary of the birth of Simon Petit Lalumiere, the “First Priest of Bishop Brute”. That is, the first priest who was truly assigned, if you will, to the newly created Diocese of Vincennes. [This posting adds additional resources to the original, posted in 2017.] During the Centennial of he Diocese, […]
Band of Missionaries — Part-1 – Vincent Bacquelin - I want to begin to highlight what I call the “Band of Missionaries“, those people that Servant of God, Simon Brute brought back to Indiana after his trip to Europe in 1835-36. The arrival of these men was a defining moment in the history of the Catholic Church in the state of Indiana as well […]
Bishop Brutés Pastoral Letter – August 1835 - In the summer of 1835, barely a year after his consecration as the First Bishop of Vincennes, Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute prepared to go to Europe and seek the help of anyone — in his quest to serve the new Diocese. Brute was looking for money, prayers, supplies and manpower. At this point […]
The Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola - Today is the feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. What do the Jesuits have to do with the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana? Well, just about everything! The Jesuits were the first, according to existing records, to bring the Church to these parts. Monsignor John Doyle, in his […]
More Forgotten Missionaries - In my last post I spoke of the story of Fr. Stanislaus Buteaux. I termed him a “Forgotten Missionary”. By that I mean that these were people who had the desire to serve the Church in Indiana, but for one reason or another they did not stay. With Buteaux it appears that he ran into […]
Stanislaus Buteux - More forgotten missionaries: There are so many forgotten people, men and women, who either lived in Indiana or came here from other places, who served the Church and the People of God and helped to build the Church here. Some will never be remembered, partly because we don’t know who they were and partly because […]
The “other” Chatards - When the name “Chatard” comes up we usually think of the fifth Bishop of Vincennes and the first Bishop of Indianapolis. If we don’t have a great sense of Indiana Church history, we may think of the Indianapolis High School bearing the name, but there is more to “Chatard” than a bishop or a school. […]
Hailandiere named Coadjutor – May 17, 1839 - In the Fall of 1838, Father Celestine de la HailanaiderÃ©, Vicar General of the Diocese of Vincennes, left for France, seeking more priests and religious for the infant diocese. He was sent by Bishop Brute who was fully aware that his days were numbered. Bishop Brute had been seeking a coadjutor to help him with […]
Establishment of the Diocese of Vincennes-May 6, 1834 - May 6, 1834 was the day that the Papal Bulls were issued establishing the Diocese of Vincennes. Obviously a very important day in the life of the Church in Indiana! “A Brief creating’ the see of Vincennes and appointing Brute the first bishop was dispatched on April 12, 1834. The Apostolic Bull, Maximas inter gravissimasque […]
Easter Sunday 1848 - As we celebrate Easter this Sunday, it is good to look back at the Church in Indiana – Easter Sunday in the year 1848. In that year, Easter Sunday fell on April 23rd. It was a sad day, rather that a joyous one because it was on that day that Bishop Bazin died. Bishop Jean […]
The Establishment of the Diocese of Bardstown (1808) - In 1808, the whole of the United States, what little there was then, came under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Baltimore. On April 8, 1808, the Church established Baltimore as an ARCHdiocese with four suffragan sees. They were Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Bardstown Kentucky. The first three would be considered shoe-ins, but Bardstown? […]
Matthew Felix Ruff - On April 4th, in the year 1835, Bishop Simon Brute had his first ‘ordination’ as Bishop of Vincennes. It was not an ordination to priesthood, but rather to the Sub-Diaconate. The ordinand was Matthias Ruff. He was from the Alsace region and therefore he spoke French as well as German. Here is what Herman Alerding, […]
March Calendar - March is a very busy month in Indiana Catholic History. The most important event was on the 20th — the celebration of the birth of Simon Gabriel Brute. With that in mind, there are a number of additional items that I wanted to post from the calendar that are also very important to our collective […]
History Snippets… - At the time the Diocese of Vincennes was formed, in 1834, Catholics were spread all over, but they obviously tended to settle (like everyone else) near the main centers, namely Cincinnati and Saint Louis. The earliest settlements appeared in a number of areas, but Dearborn County Indiana was one of the earliest. All Saints parish […]
Diocese of Fort Wayne Established-January 8, 1857 - Today marks the 156th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, now known as the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. Since the establishment of the Diocese of Vincennes in 1834, which included the entire State of Indiana and the eastern half of Illinois, the area has been successively divided into smaller areas. […]
The Diocese of Fort Wayne but almost the Diocese of Lafayette or Indianapolis - When the Diocese of Vincennes was split, yet again, in 1857, the new Diocese of Fort Wayne was established. This effectively cut the state in half with the Diocese of Fort Wayne in the north and the Diocese of Vincennes in the south. Later on, of course, the state was carved up even more so […]
All Saints 2018 - Happy “All Hallows Eve”… I post this, or at least a version of it, every year. These feast days (ALL Saints and ALL Souls) are, for me, some of the most important feasts of the year. November 1st is the Feast of “ALL Saints”. It is a day that reminds us of the “community” of […]
Consecration of Simon Brute- 1834 - Today, October 28th is the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. It was on this day that Simon Gabriel Brute was consecrated in St. Louis, as the First Bishop of Vincennes. The year was 1834. The “new” cathedral in Saint Louis had just been completed and it was Brutés wish as well as the other […]
Early Saint John’s in Indianapolis - I ran across an article from the blog of the Indiana State Library. It showed how the staff there had digitized one of the earliest maps of Indianapolis. The map was from 1852, some 18 years after the establishment of the Diocese of Vincennes and very early in the establishment of the Church in […]
Patrick Rattigan - Who? Patrick Rattigan? Or, was it Ratigan? The name doesn’t ring many bells in Indiana Church history, but there is still a story to tell. According to the “official” record, that is, the “Liber Ordinationum“, It shows the first ordination was that of Matthias Ruff on April 4, 1835. Ruff was ordained to the Sub-Diaconate. […]
Simon Petit Lalumiere – First Priest of Bishop Brute - Today, September 18th marks the anniversary of the birth of Simon Petit Lalumiere, the “First Priest of Bishop Brute”. That is, the first priest who was truly assigned, if you will, to the newly created Diocese of Vincennes. During the Centennial of he Diocese, in 1934, Saint Meinrad Historical Essays published an article by Joseph […]
The “Trail of Death” 1838 - There is another forgotten chapter in our collective history. On this day, September 4, 1838, a shameful chapter in our American history took place in northern Indiana. This is the day that the U.S. government began the forced removal of the Potawatomi Indians from Indiana to Kansas, known as The Trail of Death The connection […]
The Death of Vincent Bacquelin - Once again, I am reposting this, with some additions, originally from 2014. Sunday, September 2, is the anniversary of the death of Vincent Baquelin, but it still bears repeating because of Fr. Vincent’s impact on the history of the Church in Indiana, especially Indianapolis and central Indiana. The early missionaries to Indiana had to deal […]
The Early American Church and Slavery - Last December I posted an entry that discussed what I termed the “Faithful Departed” ((https://indianacatholic.mwweb.org/?p=3986)) There were a number of priests who, for a number of reasons, left the Diocese of Vincennes and Indiana in the early days. Because so many of these departures came under the episcopate of Celestine de la Hailandiere, it is […]
The Death of Simon Brute - June 26th, this year, is the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, but one day it could be the Feast Day of “Saint Simon Gabriel Brute”! June 26th is the anniversary of the death of Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute de Remur . It was on this day that he breathed his last. After suffering […]
The “Congregation of the White River” - On June 22, 1830, Father Simon Petit Lalumiere wrote in the Sacramental Record that he carried with him: Simon P. Lalumiere CP entered congregation of White River on the 22 of June 1830-Sent by the Rt Rev Bishop Flaget Thus began the parish, now known as Saint Peter’s, or Black Oak Ridge Indiana Fr. Robert […]
Ordination of Simon Brute - This is the time of year for ordinations to the priesthood. 210 years ago this weekend there was an ordination celebrated in Paris which had a lasting effect on the Catholic Church in Indiana. On June 10, 1808 Simon William Gabriel Brute de RÃ©mur was ordained to the priesthood. Or… was it June 11th? There […]
Death of Cardinal Ritter - On June 10, 1967, Cardinal Joseph Elmer Ritter died in Saint Louis. His biography is, hopefully, not new to us. The Archdiocesan Directory lists his biography: Born in New Albany, IN, July 20, 1892. Ordained priest at Saint Meinrad, May 30, 1917. Named rector of the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul,Indianapolis, in 1924. Appointed […]
Diocese of Fort Wayne becomes Fort Wayne-South Bend - Fifty eight years ago today, the Diocese of Fort Wayne, which had been formed from the Diocese of Vincennes, in 1854, was officially renamed to the Diocese of Fort Wayne South Bend. The diocese, which is made up of 14 counties in the northern and northeast parts of the State of Indiana, originally held the […]
Mother Theodore - Once again, I am simply repeating, for the most part, what I have posted in past years because I feel that Mother Theodore’s simplicity and humility speak volumes about her. Mother Theodore, Anne-ThÃ©rÃ¨se GuÃ©rin, Saint Theodora GuÃ©rin died on on this day, May 14, 1856. The official website of the Sisters of Providence . has […]
The Death and Birth of Hailandiere - I wrote this post a few years ago, and over time, I’ve gained a new understanding of Bishop Hailandiere, who died on this date, May 1st, 1882. He is the bishop we either call crazy, or the one we love to not love… So, call me crazy, but over the years, I’ve learned to respect […]
Early Failures-Difficult Conditions - Father Robert Gorman, in his unpublished history of the diocese said: One reason for the manifest zeal and accomplishment of the pastors whom Brute located was the fact that he chose his clerics carefully and the concept of his mission administration would lack completeness without a brief notice of the men he rejected or censured. […]
March Calendar - March is a very busy month in Indiana Catholic History. With that in mind, there are a number of items that I wanted to post from the calendar that are very important to our collective history. March 22nd is the anniversary of the death of Monsignor John J. Doyle. Msgr. Doyle was born in Indianapolis […]
The Birth of Simon Gabriel Brute - March 20th marks the anniversary of the birth of the Right Rev. Simon Guillaume Gabriel Brute de Remur, known to us as Servant of God Simon Brute, the First Bishop of Vincennes, Indiana. He was born in Rennes, France, March 20, 1779. Brute lived through the French Revolution and all that it meant to the […]
Fr. John Plunket (1798-1840) - On this day, March 14, in the year 1840, Father John Plunket, a priest of the Diocese of Vincennes, ordained less than 2 years, died in a tragic accident. His death occurred by all accounts on the 14th, however, the Catholic Telegraph of Cincinnati, published a short obituary which was, in turn, taken from a […]
Simon Brute ““ An “˜American’ Saint - Immigration is in the news today, but in 1835 it was different. The Naturalization Act of 1802 “directed the clerk of the court to record the entry of all aliens into the United States. The clerk collected information including the applicant’s name, birthplace, age, nation of allegiance, country of emigration, and place of intended settlement, […]
Petit and Deydier - This weekend we celebrate the lives of two early priests of the Diocese of Vincennes. February 10th marks the 179th anniversary of the death of Fr. Benjamin Petit, the apostle to the Potawatomi, in 1839, and February 11 marks the 154th anniversary of the death of Fr. Antoine (Anthony) Deydier in 1864. I’ve written before […]
The first winter in Vincennes-Bishop Brutés letter to the world - In the winter of 1834, Bishop Simon Brute had made a few trips to visit his expansive new Diocese of Vincennes. In the short time he had been bishop there was no way he could have visited everywhere, but he felt the need to tell the world–through the Catholic press–that he had arrived and that […]
A Glimpse of the Indiana Missions in 1833 - Before the erection of the Diocese of Vincennes, when Simon Brute was still a professor at Mount Saint Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Maryland, Indiana was mission territory within the Diocese of Bardstown. Andrew Jackson was President of the United States and an unknown priest, Simon Petit Lalumiere, a native of Vincennes lived and worked in southern […]
This Week in Indiana Catholic History - It is a busy week of Indiana Catholic history events… Today, January 8th marks the 161st anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Fort Wayne (now known as the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend): By decree of Pope Pius IX, January 8, 1857, the northern half of the state became the Diocese of Fort […]
Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton - Today, January 4th, is the Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first native born American to be canonized a saint. She was canonized in 1975, one year before the Bi-Centennial. Although she never visited Indiana, the history of the Catholic Church in this State has very close ties to her. And, if it is possible […]
Christmas 1834 - As we celebrate Christmas this day, we remember the early Church in Indiana. Times were a lot tougher and so were the conditions back then. On Christmas, 1834, Simon Brute and Simon Lalumiere were the only two priests that officially belonged to the new Diocese of Vincennes. Here is an excerpt from the book, After […]
Faithful Departed - The title of this post may be misleading, since we’re not talking about our beloved dead, but rather, those who, in the early days of the Diocese of Vincennes (Indianapolis) found it necessary to leave the diocese because they could no longer tolerate the conditions that they were placed under. In the early days of […]
Death of Bishop Chartrand - On this Feast of the Immaculate Conception in 1933, Joseph Chartrand, the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Indianapolis, died in Indianapolis. He was only 63 years of age. Bishop Chartrand had a very high regard for education and the Blessed Sacrament. In this press release from the NCCW in Washington, Bishop Chartrand was highly […]
Bishop Hailandiere returns to Vincennes - Here are some interesting news articles from 1882 concerning the return of the body of Celestine Guynemer de la Hailandiere, that is, Bishop de la Hailandiere, the second Bishop of Vincennes, to the United States following his death on May 1, 1882. The Bishop had always wanted to be buried in Vincennes. After his resignation […]
November 5, 1834 - On this day in 1834, at 5:00 P.M., newly consecrated Bishop Simon Gabriel Brute took possession of his Cathedral in Vincennes. He celebrated pontifically for the first time on the following Sunday, November 9, 1834. ((Cauthorn – History of the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, p. 228)) This was the end of a long journey […]
All Saints 2017 - Happy “All Hallows Eve”… I post this, or at least a version of it, every year. This feast day is, for me, one of the most important feasts of the year. Tomorrow (November 1st) is the Feast of “ALL Saints”. It is a day that reminds us of the “community” of which we are a […]
Consecration of Simon Brute - Today, October 28th is the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. It was on this date that Simon Gabriel Brute was consecrated in St. Louis, as the First Bishop of Vincennes. The year was 1834. The “new” cathedral in Saint Louis had just been completed and it was Brutés wish as well as the other […]
Ordinations 1837 - On October 14, 1837, Bishop Brute ordained two men. Benjamin Petit and John Plunkett. Both men would go on to do great things in service to the Church in Indiana. Both would die outside of the state and within three years of their ordination. John Plunkett, an Irishman, did heroic work on the canals in […]
Saint Mother Theodore - October 3rd, is the Feast of Saint Mother Theodore GuÃ©rin, Foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary of the Woods. An INDIANA Saint! For the most part I am just repeating earlier posts. There was a lot of good information in there and I wanted to share it again. It is also a […]
Archangel Valley - There have always been parishes in what is now the “Archdiocese of Indianapolis” named after saints who were, for lack of a better term, “spiritual beings”. In other words, “angels”. Some unnamed, as in Holy Angels and others after the only three named angels, or archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. We all know who Michael […]
The Birth of Simon Petit Lalumiere - September 18th marks the anniversary of the birth of Simon Petit Lalumiere in 1804, the “First Priest of Bishop Brute”. That is, the first priest who was assigned, if you will, to the newly created Diocese of Vincennes. During the Centennial of the Diocese, in 1934, Saint Meinrad Historical Essays published an article by Joseph […]
The Cause of Simon Brute - On this day in 2005 Archbishop Daniel Buechlein officially opened the cause for the canonization of the First Bishop of Vincennes, Simon BrutÃ¨. Here is the text from the September 16, 2005 edition of the ‘Criterion’, announcing the “Cause” The Cause of Canonization of Bishop Simon Brute is opened Founder of diocese now may be […]
The Trail of Death - On this day, September 4, 1838 a shameful chapter in American history took place in northern Indiana. This is the day that the U.S. government began the forced removal of the Potawatomi Indians from Indiana to Kansas. The connection to Indiana Catholic Church history is the fact that a young priest, Benjamin Marie Petit was […]
The Death of Vincent Bacquelin - This post, originally from 2014, comes a day late after the anniversary of the death of Vincent Baquelin, but it still bears repeating becasue of Fr. Vincent’s impact on the history of the Church in Indiana, especially Indianapolis and central Indiana. The early missionaries to Indiana had to deal with many hardships. Cities and towns […]
Dedication of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral 1841 - On August 8, 1841, the second Bishop of Vincennes, Celestine de la Hailandiere formally consecrated the Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier. The Vincennes Gazette documented the ceremonies in two articles which appeared on August 14 and August 28, 1841. Here is a transcript of those two articles. The original page is not a very clear […]
Indiana “Saints” - I’m not a Canon Lawyer and I have never played one on TV… However, to quote the website Crux: Pope Francis declared a new category of Christian life suitable for consideration of beatification called”offering of life” – in which a person has died prematurely through an offering of their life for love of God and […]
The Death of Bishop St. Palais - Today, June 28th, is the anniversary of the death of Bishop St. Palais (Jacques-Maurice des Landes d’Aussac De Saint Palais) in 1877. Bishop St. Palais is overlooked in many ways. Bishop Brute, of course, is remembered as that “saintly” bishop, the man who began the long and proud tradition of the Catholic Church in Indiana. […]
The Death of Simon Brute - June 26th is merely a weekday in “Ordinary Time”, but one day it could be the Feast Day of “Saint Simon Brute”! June 26th is the 178th anniversary of the death of Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute de Remur . It was on this day that he breathed his last. After suffering the effects […]
A Tale of Two Bishops - This week marks the remembrance of two of the most important figures in Indiana Catholic Church History. The first is, of course, Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute whose ordination anniversary takes place on June 11th. At least that is what I believe. June 11 (or perhaps June 10th) is an important day in the […]
Mother Theodore GuÃ©rin - I am simply repeating, for the most part, what I have posted in past years because I feel that Mother Theodore’s simplicity and humility speak volumes about her. Mother Theodore, Anne-ThÃ©rÃ¨se GuÃ©rin, Saint Theodora GuÃ©rin died on May 14, 1856 – 161 years ago. The official website of the Sisters of Providence . has the […]
The Death Father Michael Shawe - If you are from Madison Indiana, you know the name Shawe. You may not know who Shawe was, but you would know the name. If you are not from Madison, you may have never heard the name. This all refers to one of the early priests in the Diocese of Vincennes and the only English […]
Death of Bishop Bazin - Perhaps, the short term of Bishop John Stephen Bazin is one of the most overlooked periods in Indiana Catholic History. Then again, if you were a member of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary of the Woods, maybe not! During his time as bishop, from October of 1847 until April of 1848, the young […]
Sacramental Records at Vincennes - April 21st, marks the anniversary, in 1749, of the first official entry in the Sacramental Record at Saint Francis Xavier, Vincennes. In this day and age, when genealogy is still a very popular pastime, the existence of early Church records makes a genealogist’s pulse increase. Although I am sure that many baptisms, marriages etc. were […]
March Calendar - Time has slipped away and it is almost April. With that in mind, I wanted to post a few items from the calendar that are very important to the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana. This is a lengthy post. March 22nd is the anniversary of the death of Monsignor John J. Doyle. Msgr. […]
The Birth of Simon Gabriel Brute - Today marks the 238th anniversary of the birth of the Right Rev. Simon Guillaume Gabriel Brute de Remur, known to us as Servant of God Simon Brute, the First Bishop of Vincennes, Indiana. He was born in Rennes, France, March 20, 1779. Brute lived through the French Revolution and all that it meant to the […]
John Francis Plunkett (1798-1840) - March brings a lot of Indiana Catholic history. This month marks Bishop Simon Brutés American citizenship and this week, we remember one of the earliest Irish clergy who labored in the Diocese of Vincennes, which originally included the entire state of Indiana and the eastern half of Illinois. John Francis Plunkett was born in Dublin, […]
Simon Brute – An “American” Saint - Immigration is in the news, but it was different in 1835. March 7th marked a significant event in the life of Servant of God, Simon Brute. On that day after 25 years already spent in the United States, Brute officially became a citizen of the United States of America. Prior to this event there is […]
Two Indiana Saints - Many times I feel the need to repeat (with some updates) previous posts. This one is no different since I can never say enough about these two heroes of the faith. This would be Father Anthony Deydier (1788-1864), and Father Benjamin Petit, (1811-1839). “Remembering those who have gone before us” is an attempt to remember […]
Nicholas Petit S.J. - On this first day of February, we mark 162 years since the death of Nicholas Louis Petit S.J. It probably means very little to most people, but being serious about”Keeping the memory alive of those who have gone before us” for me, also means”keeping track” of them as well. I’ve written previously about Father Petit […]
This Week In Indiana Catholic History - It is a busy week of Indiana Catholic history events… Today, January 8th marks the 160th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Fort Wayne (now known as the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend): By decree of Pope Pius IX, January 8, 1857, the northern half of the state became the Diocese of Fort […]
The Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton - Today, January 4th, is the Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first native born American to be canonized a saint. She was canonized in 1975, one year before the Bi-Centennial. Although she never visited Indiana, the history of the Catholic Church in this State has very close ties to her. And, if it is possible […]
Establishment of the ARCHdiocese of Indianapolis-1944 - This week marks a very special time in the history of Catholicism in Indiana. Toward the end of World War-II, just before Christmas, Europe was still enveloped in war. The “Battle of the Bulge” was almost over and Nazi Germany would fold in less than six months. The Church continued to function and in Indiana […]
Benjamin Petit – Minor Orders 1836 - I’ve posted many times about the story of Father Benjamin Marie Petit, the young Frenchman who followed Servant of God, Simon Brute to America in order to serve among the missions and, in particular, to serve among the Native Americans in the northern part of the State of Indiana, particularly the Potawatomi Indians. There is […]
Chartrand and Chatard - Two very important items from the calendar”¦ The first item occurs on December 8th “” the death of Bishop Joseph Chartrand. He was born in St. Louis, on May 11, 1870. While attending St. Meinrad Seminary, he incardinated into the Diocese of Indianapolis. He was ordained a priest at Indianapolis on September 24, 1892 by […]
Herman Joseph Alerding - On this Feast of Saint Nicholas, in 1924, Bishop Herman Joseph Alerding, Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, died of injuries he received in an automobile accident on Thanksgiving Day. Alerding’s “History of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Vincennes“, written in 1883, stands, to date, as the only history of the diocese […]
Chicago… - When the Diocese of Vincennes was established, the village of Chicago was just one destination among many for Bishop Brute. The rapid growth of Chicago was evident when nine short years later Chicago became a diocese on its own. On November 28, 1843 the Diocese of Chicago was founded. The Catholic Encyclopedia describes the history […]
Brute Takes Possession of his Cathedral - On this day, November 5, 1834, at 5:00 P.M., newly consecrated Bishop Simon Gabriel Brute took possession of his Cathedral in Vincennes. He celebrated pontifically for the first time on the following Sunday, November 9, 1834. ((Cauthorn – History of the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, p. 228)) This was the end of a long […]
All Saints 2016 - Happy “All Hallows Eve”… I post this, or at least a version of it, every year. This feast day is, for me, one of the most important feasts of the year. Tomorrow (November 1st) is the Feast of “ALL Saints”. It is a day that reminds us of the “community” of which we are a […]
Bishop Brute Issues his first Pastoral Letter – 1834 - On the day after his consecration, in Saint Louis, Bishop Simon Brute issues his first pastoral letter. Addressed to “All the faithful of our Diocess” he wrote on October 29, 1834: SIMON GABRIEL, by the Grace of God and the appointment of the Holy See, Bishop of Vincennes. To all the Faithful of our Diocese, […]
Bishop Brute Consecrated 1834 - Today, October 28th is the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. It was on this date the Simon Gabriel Brute was consecrated in St. Louis, as the First Bishop of Vincennes. The year was 1834. The “new” cathedral in Saint Louis had just been completed and it was Brutés wish as well as the other […]
Indianapolis becomes an ARCHdiocese - On this day in 1944, in the midst of World War-II. Pope Pius XII created the “Archdiocese” of Indianapolis. It would take another two months to implement it. An apostolic decree of His Holiness Pope Pius XII, creating the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, was issued October 21, 1944. On December 19, 1944, by executorial decree of […]
Archbishop George Joseph Biskup - We remember… A little bit of “recent history”… On this day, October 17, 1979, Archbishop George Biskup died in Indianapolis. He had resigned due to ill health, on March 20, 1979. He had been the Archbishop for about nine years, although he served as Co-Adjutor to Archbishop Paul Schulte for about three years. Archbishop Biskup […]
Ordinations… 1837 - On October 14, 1837, Bishop Brute ordained two men. Benjamin Petit and John Plunkett. Both men would go on to do great things in service to the Church in Indiana. Both would die outside of the state and within three years of their ordination. John Plunkett, an Irishman, did heroic work on the canals in […]
The Feast of Saint Mother Theodore - Monday, October 3rd, is the official feast day of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, canonized on October 15, 2006. This important Indiana Saint seems to pop up in the news more and more. From the renaming of a school, to the erection of a new statue, she has graced the media more often, obviously because of […]
Fr. Julian Benoit - In 1836, Bishop Brute brought with him, from France, 19 men who were destined to be the pillars of the Catholic Church in Indiana. These men included two of his successors as bishop, Celestine de la Hailandiere and Maurice de St. Palais. It included many of the heroes of the early Church; Benjamin Petit, Vincent […]
The Fire of 1842 - As we approach the Feast Day of Mother Theodore GuÃ©rin on October 3rd, it is good to look back and see just how difficult life was for the Sisters who had arrived at Saint Mary of the Woods in 1840. In October of 1842, the Sisters of Providence were looking forward to only their second […]
The Cause of Simon Brute - On this day in 2005 Archbishop Daniel Buechlein officially opened the cause for the canonization of the First Bishop of Vincennes, Simon BrutÃ¨. Here is the text from the September 16, 2005 edition of the ‘Criterion’, announcing the “Cause” The Cause of Canonization of Bishop Simon Brute is opened Founder of diocese now may be […]
Death of Brute (In the News) - We are a few days away from the 11th anniversary of the beginning of the Cause of Simon Gabriel Brute, first Bishop of Vincennes. Preparing for that anniversary, one needs to realize that a “Cause” isn’t just started. There has to be some sort of “atmosphere” surrounding a holy person–something that gives rise to the […]
Death of Bishop Chatard - On this day in history – September 7, 1918, Bishop Francis Silas Marean Chatard died in Indianapolis. Like his predecessor, Bishop St. Palais, Chatard oversaw a great deal of growth and upheaval in the Church in Indiana. From the relocation of the Episcopal See from Vincennes to Indianapolis, to the growth in parishes, schools and […]
The Trail of Death - On this day, September 4, 1838 a shameful chapter in American history took place in northern Indiana. This is the day that the U.S. government began the forced removal of the Potawatomi Indians from Indiana to Kansas. The connection to Indiana Catholic Church history is the fact that a young priest, Benjamin Marie Petit was […]
Father Vincent Bacquelin - The early missionaries to Indiana had to deal with many hardships. Cities and towns that are now small in comparison to the big cities, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Lafayette etc. were the backbone of the early diocese of Vincennes. We have seen that the early bishops wanted to move their see to a number of different […]
Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral, Vincennes - Today, August 8, marks the 175th anniversary of the formal dedication of the Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier in Vincennes. Even though the church was built much earlier, what we now call the “Old Cathedral” was finally dedicated on this day by Bishop HailandiÃ©re. On March 30, 1826 the Vincennes Sun reported: The cornerstone of […]
Laying the Cornerstone of the first Assumption Church in Evansville - On August 5, 1840, the cornerstone of the first church in Evansville, Assumption Church was laid by “Charles-Auguste-Marie-Joseph, Count of Forbin-Janson, C.P.M. (3 November 1785 ““ 12 July 1844). He was a French aristocrat and prelate who was a founder of the Fathers of Mercy, established in an effort to re-evangelize the French people. He […]
Bishop Hailandiere’ Resigns - For as long as I can remember, the Second Bishop of Vincennes’ name always came up as the “black eye” on the history of the Church in Indiana. Tomorrow, July 16th, is the day that this ‘black eye‘ — the guy everyone loved to hate, resigned … On this day in 1847, Celestine de la […]
The Death of Simon Brute - This previous post bears repeating… Today marks the 177th anniversary of the death of Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute de Remur . It was on this day, June 26, 1839, that he breathed his last. After suffering the effects of Tuberculosis, the “Saintly Bishop” (as he was always referred to), died at about 1:30 […]
The Ordination of Simon Gabriel Brute - I am repeating this posting from last year. Today is an important day in the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana. On this day in 1808 Simon William Gabriel Brute de RÃ©mur was ordained to the priesthood (or was it June 10th?) There is a debate, albeit among only a few, about the day […]
Bishop Brutés Consecration - Even though we don’t celebrate the “consecration” of Bishop Brute until the end of October, I ran across this article in “The Jesuit or Catholic Sentinel”, the forerunner of the present day Boston Pilot, the official newspaper of the Boston Archdiocese. The title of this publication had really nothing to do with the Jesuits. It […]
Bishop Brute at work… - In the late 19th century there were a number of publishers putting out what I would call “snippets” of Catholic History. One of these was American Catholic Historical Researches, published in Philadelphia by Martin I.J. Griffin, a Catholic Historian. American Catholic Historical Researches, or ACHR was published from 1887-1912. Here are a few of those […]
Holy Cross and its Beginnings - With the closing of the building of the Church of the Holy Cross at the corner of Ohio and Oriental Streets, it is interesting to look back at the beginnings of the parish, 120 years ago. The parish was formed from what was then Saint Joseph and Saint Patrick parishes. More and more Irish were […]
The Death of Saint Mother Theodore GuÃ©rin - I am simply repeating what I have posted in past years becasue I feel that Mother Theodore’s simplicity and humility speak volumes about her. Mother Theodore GuÃ©rin died on this day (May 14) in 1856… Mother Theodore, Anne-ThÃ©rÃ¨se GuÃ©rin, Saint Theodora GuÃ©rin died on May 14, 1856 – 160 years ago. The official website of […]
This week… - Remembering those who have gone before us. This week in the Indiana Catholic Calendar. May 10 — The 163rd anniversary of the death of Fr. Michael Edgar Shawe, one of the first generation of priests in Indiana. Recruited by Bishop Brute. (More here) May 11 — The 146th anniversary of the birth of Bishop Joseph […]
The Diocese of Vincennes - 182 years ago today (May 6)… not a rounded number, but significant nonetheless. The establishment of the newly created Diocese of Vincennes was approved on April 12, 1834 and the official bulls were issued on this day, May 6, 1834. The Diocese of Vincennes, now the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, was established by Pope Gregory XVI. […]
Bishop HailanderÃ© dies in France 1882 - This post is a “repeat”, but I feel the need to, once again, make a case for the man that no one seemed to like. Over time, I’ve gained a new respect for Bishop Hailandiere, who died on this date, May 1st, 1882. He is the bishop we either call crazy, or the one we […]
Sacramental Records at Vincennes - April 21st, marks the 267th anniversary of the first official entry in the Sacramental Record at Saint Francis Xavier, Vincennes. In this day and age, when genealogy is still a very popular pastime, the existence of early Church records makes a genealogist’s pulse increase. Although I am sure that many baptisms, marriages etc. were performed […]
Matthew Felix Ruff - On April 4th, in the year 1835, Bishop Simon Brute had his first ‘ordination’ as Bishop of Vincennes. It was not an ordination to priesthood, but rather to the Sub-Diaconate. The ordinand was Matthias Ruff. He was from the Alsace region and therefore he spoke French as well as German. Here is what Herman Alerding, […]
Simon Brute - 237 years ago this coming Sunday, March 20th, Simon Guillaume Gabriel Brute de RÃ©mur was born in the town of Rennes, France. To us he is known as Servant of God, Bishop Simon Brute, first Bishop of the Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana, now the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. In 2005, then Archbishop Daniel Beuchlein, began the […]
Fr. John Plunkett (1798-1840) and Miscellanea - On March 14, 1840, Father John Plunkett, a priest of the Diocese of Vincennes, ordained less than 2 years, died in a tragic accident. The following article was taken from the history pages for St. Dennis Church, Joliet Illinois. During the fever days in late summer of 1838 along the Illinois and Michigan Canal, a […]
August Bessonies – Pioneer Priest - February 22, is the anniversary of the death of Msgr. August Bessonies in 1901 There were many heroes of the “early” days of the Catholic Church in Indiana. Men and women who came here to proclaim the Gospel and who put up with terrible conditions. Many of those heroes died young. Saint Mother Theodore, Anthony […]
Petit and Deydier - Every year, about this time, I repeat this posting. “Remembering those who have gone before us” is an attempt to remember those who would normally go by the wayside, and yet, their contribution to the Church in Indiana should never be forgotten. This week on the Indiana Catholic History calendar we honor two French priests […]
Ritter named Auxiliary Bishop 1933 - On this day (February 3), 1933, Elmer Joseph Ritter, who was to be known at “Joseph Elmer”, (just like Francis Silas Chatard switched his first and middle name) was named as Auxiliary Bishop to Bishop Joseph Chartrand. Chartrand probably had some indication of failing health and he obviously desired that Father Ritter, who was then […]
This Week… - It is a busy weekend of Indiana Catholic history events… Friday, January 8th marks the 159th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Fort Wayne (now known as the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend): By decree of Pope Pius IX, January 8, 1857, the northern half of the state became the Diocese of Fort […]
January 4, 2016 – Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton - As is the custom on this site for the first post of 2014 we remember Elizabeth Ann Seton on this, her feast day. In a round-about way we also celebrate Simon Gabriel Brute. What does Elizabeth Seton have to do with the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana? She never visited Indiana, but her […]
Establishment of the Archdiocese – 1944 - This weekend marks a very special time in the history of Catholicism in Indiana. Toward the end of World War-II, just before Christmas, Europe was still enveloped in war. The “Battle of the Bulge” was almost over and Nazi Germany would fold in less than six months. The Church continued to function and in Indiana […]
Benjamin Petit – 1836 - I’ve posted many times about the story of Father Benjamin Marie Petit, the young Frenchman who followed Servant of God, Simon Brute to America in order to serve among the missions and, in particular, to serve among the Native Americans in the northern part of the State of Indiana, particularly the Potawatomi Indians. There is […]
Joseph Chartrand – 1870-1933 - On this Feast of the Immaculate Conception in 1933, Joseph Chartrand, the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Indianapolis, died in Indianapolis. Bishop Chartrand had a very high regard for education and the Blessed Sacrament. He was born in Saint Louis, studied at St. Meinrad and joined the Diocese of Vincennes. He was noticed by […]
Bishop Alerding – 1845-1924 - On this Feast of Saint Nicholas, in 1924, Bishop Herman Joseph Alerding, Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, died of injuries he received in an automobile accident on Thanksgiving Day. Alerding’s “History of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Vincennes“, written in 1883, stands, to date, as the only history of the diocese […]
Chicago on its own… - We are always hearing about changing demographics. After every census we read about congressional redistricting, gerrymandering, etc. In the history of the Church in Indiana this whole idea of changing demographics also holds true. Vincennes was mostly made up of French settlers. Our first four bishops were all born in France. Then the Germans and […]
Anthony Foucher - Sins of Omission… Over the years that this site has been in existence, I have only occasionally mentioned the earliest years of the Catholic Church in Indiana. Most of this content has dealt with the time after the establishment of the Diocese of Bardstown, Kentucky in 1808. However, I have, for the most part, failed […]
Brute takes possession of his Cathedral - On this day, November 5, 1834, at 5:00 P.M., newly consecrated Bishop Simon Gabriel Brute took possession of his Cathedral in Vincennes. He celebrated pontifically for the first time on the following Sunday, November 9, 1834. ((Cauthorn – History of the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, p. 228)) This was the end of a long […]
All Saints 2015 - Happy “All Hallows Eve”… Tomorrow (November 1st) is the Feast of “ALL Saints”. It is a day that reminds us of the “community” of which we are a part of. Within my narrow focus on that community, namely the Church in Indiana, the label of Saint points to a number of people in our collective […]
Bishop Brute Consecrated 1834 - Today, October 28th is the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. It was on this date the Simon Gabriel Brute was consecrated in St. Louis, as the First Bishop of Vincennes. The year was 1834. The “new” cathedral in Saint Louis had just been completed and it was Brutés wish as well as the other […]
Indianapolis becomes an Archdiocese - On this day in 1944, in the midst of World War-II. Pope Pius XII created the “Archdiocese” of Indianapolis. It would take another two months to implement it. An apostolic decree of His Holiness Pope Pius XII, creating the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, was issued October 21, 1944. On December 19, 1944, by executorial decree of […]
October Events - I’ve said this before… October is a “busy” month for Indiana Catholic history! It is already the middle of the month and here are some of the items from the calendar: On October 14, 1837, Bishop Brute ordained two men. Benjamin Petit and John Plunkett. Both men would go on to do great things in […]
Saint Mother Theodore - Saturday, October 3rd, is the official feast day of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, canonized on October 15, 2006. This important Indiana Saint seems to pop up in the news more and more. From the renaming of a school, to the erection of a new statue, she has graced the media more often, obviously because of […]
Archbishop Ritter and Integration - With the visit this past week of Pope Francis, the news media have focused on many aspects of the Church in the United States. One story had to do with African Americans in the Church. NPR had a story wich featured Cecilia Moore who is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of […]
The Cause of Simon Brute - On this day in 2005 Archbishop Daniel Buechlein officially opened the cause for the canonization of the First Bishop of Vincennes, Simon BrutÃ¨. Here is the text from the September 16, 2005 edition of the ‘Criterion’, announcing the “Cause” The Cause of Canonization of Bishop Simon Brute is opened Founder of diocese now may be […]
Bishop Chatard Dies… - On this day in history – September 7, 1918, Bishop Francis Silas Marean Chatard died in Indianapolis. Like his predecessor, Bishop St. Palais, Chatard oversaw a great deal of growth and upheaval in the Church in Indiana. From the relocation of the Episcopal See from Vincennes to Indianapolis, to the growth in parishes, schools and […]
Father Vincent Bacquelin - This Wednesday, September 2nd, marks the 169th anniversary of the death of Father Vincent Bacquelin, a priest of the Diocese of Vincennes. A true “Pioneer” priest in Indiana, he was born on December 1, 1811 at Clermont-Ferrand, France. He was part of the group that came with Bishop Brute from France to Indiana in 1836. […]
Bishop de la Hailandiere Consecrated - On this day, August 18, 1839, Celestine de la Hailandiere was consecrated as the Second Bishop of Vincennes. He was on a recruitment trip in France for the Diocese. He already received word of his appointment as Coadjutor with right of succession, at the end of May, 1839, but he was not aware of the […]
Father Alerding speaks - Father (later Bishop of Fort Wayne), Herman Joseph Alerding was born in 1845. He came to the United States as an infant and settled in Newport Kentucky. When he made the decision to study for the priesthood, his bishop could not accept him becasue there were no funds to pay for his seminary training. Bishop […]
Work Progressing on Servant of God - The Message is the official newspaper for the Diocese of Evansville. In their online edition they recently published an update to the “Cause” for Servant of God, Bishop Simon Brute: Work Progressing On Servant Of God By Tim Lilley The Message Editor updated 8:00 AM EDT, Thu July 16, 2015 Work continues on the initial […]
Hailandiere Resigns (1847) - Today is the day that the guy everyone loved to hate, resigned … On this day in 1847, Celestine de la Hailandiere resigned as the second Bishop of Vincennes. Through the years he has been vilified, sometimes appropriately, sometimes not. It seems to me that the further we get from the events of that time […]
July is a month for Bishops - The month of July is somewhat slow with regard to the history of the Church in Indiana. However, the end of June and the entire month of July are filled with events surounding our early Bishops. My last post was dedicated to the death of Bishop Brute, and I waited until now to include the […]
The Death of Simon Brute - Today marks the 176th anniversary of the death of Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute de Remur . It was on this day, June 26, 1839, that he breathed his last. After suffering the effects of Tuberculosis, the “Saintly Bishop” (as he was always referred to), died at about 1:30 A.M. The bishop had written […]
Brutés Papers - Part of the process of canonization involves combing through thousands of writing, articles, letters, etc. etc. of the candidate. Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute, is no exception. Since 2005 a process has been going on that has included the collection of Brutés writings, their translation, and study. Any shred of evidence, pro and con […]
Bishop Brute and the Potawatomi - The history of the Catholic Church in Indiana includes far more than the Catholics who came and settled in the State. It also includes those who were already here. This site has included many posts and articles about Fr. Benjamin Petit, the heroic French priest who accompanied the Potawatomi on the infamous Trail of Death. […]
Servant of God, Simon Brute Ordained - On this day in 1808 Simon William Gabriel Brute de RÃ©mur was ordained to the priesthood (or was it June 10th?) There is a debate, albeit among only a few, about the day that Brute was actually ordained. It was ‘probably’ June 11th, but some sources say he was ordained on the 10th of June. […]
Bishop Chatard moved and Cardinal Ritter dies - Bishop Francis Silas Chatard died in September of 1918 and was buried in the crypt of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. In 1976, perhaps in a move to bring more interest to the mausoleum at Calvary Cemetery, Bishop Chatard’s body was moved on June 8th. Bishop Joseph Chartrand was the only other bishop […]
Archangel Valley - There have always been parishes in what is now the “Archdiocese of Indianapolis” named after saints who were, for lack of a better term, “spiritual beings”. In other words, “angels”. Some unnamed, as in Holy Angels and others after the only three named angels, or archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. We all know who Michael […]
181 Years Ago… - The establishment of the newly created Diocese of Vincennes was approved on April 12, 1834 and the official bulls were issued on this day, May 6, 1834. The Diocese of Vincennes, now the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, was established by Pope Gregory XVI. The territory then comprised the entire state of Indiana and the eastern third […]
Simon Brute – Saint by Association? - I don’t know if it is possible to be a “Saint by association”, but certainly one can look at the life of our first American born saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton, and see that her holiness and sanctity had to be due, in part, becasue of her association with Simon Brute who was her spiritual director. […]
Bishop Brute – Letter to Mother Rose at Emmitsburg - In the 19th century, there were a number of publications investigating the history of the Catholic Church in the United States. One of them was called American Catholic Historical Researches, published in Philadelphia by a man named Martin I.J. Griffin. He would publish original material, attempting to preserve it for future use. The following is […]
March History - Time has slipped away and it is almost April. With that in mind, I wanted to post a few items from the calendar that are very important to the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana. March 22nd is the anniversary of the death of Monsignor John J. Doyle. Msgr. Doyle was born in Indianapolis […]
The Birth of Simon Brute - Today marks the 236th anniversary of the birth of the Right Rev. Simon Guillaume Gabriel Brute de Remur, known to us as Servant of God Simon Brute. He was born in Rennes, France, March 20, 1779. Brute lived through the French Revolution and all that it meant to the Church. Michael Pasquier, in his book, […]
Vincennes - I think that sometimes, especially in this technologically advanced age, we forget how far back our history goes, and the important part that Indiana, and the Indiana Territory, played in the formation of this nation. Sometimes people are surprised when they find out that, for example, the baptismal records at St. Francis Xavier go back […]
The Last Days of February - On February 22, 1901, August Bessonies, one of the early recruits from France, passed away at age 86. Here is an article that appeared in the New York Times on that day: Mgr. August Bessonies INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 22. The Right Rev. Mgr. August Bessonies died to-day at the residence of Bishop Chatard of the Catholic […]
Benjamin Petit and Anthony Deydier – True Indiana Saints - This week on the Indiana Catholic History calendar we honor two French priests who are truly (although not “officially”) Saints! February 10th and 11th mark the deaths of Father Benjamin Marie Petit (1811-1839) and Father Anthony Deydier (1788-1864), both of whom were recruited by Bishop Brute. I must say that these two men are among […]
Bishops (Past, Present, Future) - It has always seemed a bit ironic that many of the mileposts in Indiana Catholic History always seem to happen at nearly the same time. This is true again with this past and coming week being a time for Bishops… January 10th was the 23rd anniversary of the death of Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara. Born […]
December 19, 1944 - Today is a very special day in the history of Catholicism in Indiana. I am repeating the post that I made on this day last year. Toward the end of World War-II, just before Christmas, Europe was still enveloped in war. The “Battle of the Bulge” was almost over and Nazi Germany would fold in […]
December Calendar - This month celebrates a number of people who made a difference to the Church in Indiana. First, Father Joseph Kundek, born August 24, 1810 in Croatia. Father Kunkek is known for many things. Perhaps he is best known as the founder of the town of Jasper and was the man who motivated the Benedictine monks […]
Hailandiere’s Journey Back - Indiana has been blessed with the canonization of Mother Theodore Guerin, (and now the possibility of our beloved Bishop Brute someday being canonized), however, that recognition for Mother Theodore’s example of holiness brought some national attention to the journey that Mother Theodore took to become Indiana’s first saint. Specifically the relationship between Mother Theodore and […]
All Saints-2014 - Happy “All Hallows Eve”… My friend and I were lamenting how much the celebration of “Halloween” has grown — not because it is the vigil of All Saints, but because of the commercialism that the celebration brings. Not only that, there is, in our mind at least, a definite bent toward the whole notion of […]
Bishop Brute Consecrated 1834 - Today, October 28th is the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. It was on this date the Simon Gabriel Brute was consecrated in St. Louis, as the First Bishop of Vincennes. The year was 1834. The “new” cathedral in Saint Louis had just been completed and it was Brutés wish as well as the other […]
October Calendar - Keeping up with the busy October Indiana Catholic Calendar… On October 14, 1837, Bishop Brute ordained two men. Benjamin Petit and John Plunkett. Both men would go on to do great things in service to the Church in Indiana. Both would die outside of the state and within three years of their ordination. John Plunkett, […]
Mother Theodore Guerin - Friday, October 3rd, is the official feast day of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, canonized on October 15, 2006. This important Indiana Saint seems to pop up in the news more and more. From the renaming of a school, to the erection of a new statue, she has graced the media more often, obviously because of […]
Father Vincenet Bacquelin - The early missionaries to Indiana had to deal with many hardships. Cities and towns that are now small in comparison to the big cities, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Lafayette etc. were the backbone of the early diocese of Vincennes. We saw in the last post that the early bishops nearly moved their see to a number […]
Moving the Bishop’s Chair… - In the last post, which was a re-run from 2012, we talked about how Bishop Francis Silas Chatard came to Vincennes to be consecrated in the Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier, but then, within days, he moved to Indianapolis. He remained the Bishop of Vincennes for 20 years more, but he lived and worked in […]
Chatard Makes a stop in Vincennes - I am repeating this post, originally from 2012, regarding Bishop Francis Silas Marean Chatard’s installation (it was called ‘consecration’ in those days) as Bishop of Vincennes in 1878. It is similar in many ways to the trauma that many Indiana Catholics are experiencing now because of the closing and or consolidation of many parishes. I […]
Dedication of the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier – 1841 - This coming September 22nd, Archbishop Jospeh Tobin, the successor of Servant of God, Simon Brute, will make a pilgrimage to Vincennes. This was reported last week in the Criterion. The Archbishop will be observing the 180th anniversary of the founding of the Diocese of Vincennes. This week, August 8th to be exact, marks the 173rd […]
Diocesan Map 1845 - Here is what the Church looked like in 1845. (Click on the image to enlarge)
Hailandiere Resigns - I am posting this late in the day, and it is a ‘reprint’ of a 2012 post, but I thought it important to get this out, once again. Today is the day that the guy everyone loved to hate, resigned … On this day in 1847, Celestine de la Hailandiere resigned as the second Bishop […]
Servant of God Simon Brute – 1779-1839 - Today marks the 175th anniversary of the death of Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute de Remur . It was on this day, June 26, 1839, that he breathed his last. After suffering the effects of Tuberculosis, the “Saintly Bishop” (as he was always referred to), died at about 1:30 A.M. The bishop had written […]
Novena… - The anniversary of the death of Bishop Simon Brute is next week, June 26th. He died in Vincennes and was buried in the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier on June 28. When he died, Elihu Stout, the Protestant editor of the local newspaper, eulogized Brute with the following words: The news of his death produced […]
Simon’s Month - June is always a busy month on the Indiana Catholic History calendar, especially in terms of Bishop Simon Gabriel Brute. June 11, is the anniversary of his ordination. There is a debate, albeit among only a few, about the day that Brute was actually ordained. Regardless of what day it was, we celebrate and give […]
180 Years Ago… - The establishment of the newly created Diocese of Vincennes was approved on April 12, 1834 and the official bulls were issued on this day, May 6, 1834. The Diocese of Vincennes, now the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, was established by Pope Gregory XVI. The territory then comprised the entire state of Indiana and the eastern third […]
The Death of Bishop de la HailiandierÃ© - This post is a repeat. I wrote this post a few years ago, and over time, I’ve gained a new respect for Bishop Hailandiere, who died on this date, May 1st, 1882. He is the bishop we either call crazy, or the one we love to not love… So, call me crazy, but over the […]
Why Make Saints? - As we celebrate the canonization of Saint John XXIII and Saint John Paull II, it is good to remember that Indiana Catholics seek the canonization of our beloved Bishop Simon Brute. That day is far off, but if it is God’s will, it will happen. Father James Martin S.J., Editor at Large for American Magazine […]
Matthew Felix Ruff - On April 4th, in the year 1835, Bishop Simon Brute had his first ‘ordination’ as Bishop of Vincennes. It was not an ordination to priesthood, but rather to the Sub-Diaconate. The ordinand was Matthias Ruff. He was from the Alsace region and therefore he spoke French as well as German. Here is what Herman Alerding, […]
Moving to Indianapolis – Succession of Bishops – Cornerstones - On March 28, 1898, the Diocese of Vincennes, officially became the Diocese of Indianapolis. For all intents and purposes that move took place about 20 years previously, in 1878, when Bishop Francis Silas Chatard became the fifth bishop of Vincennes. (He was, of course, also the FIRST Bishop of Indianapolis). By apostolic brief dated March […]
Fr. Senat, Fr. Deydier and 101 years - This is one of those almost “ancient” events that are “related” to the history of the Church in Indiana. On this date, which was Palm Sunday in 1736, Fr. Antoninus Senat S.J. was burned at the stake by Indians. He was pastor of St. Francis Xavier, in Vincennes, according to Cauthorn’s “nine epochs in the […]
Happy Birthday, Bishop Brute - As I post this, the day is almost over, however, I did not want the sun to set without mentioning that today, March 20th marks the 25th anniversary of the birth of Servant of God, Simon Guillaume Brute, first Bishop of Vincennes, spiritual director to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, scholar, theologian and “Hoosier”… Well, perhaps […]
Citizen Brute - Servant of God, Simon Brute arrived in the United State in 1810. As far as we know he made no effort to become a citizen of this country, that is, until he became a bishop and he was required to buy land. I am not familiar with the law concerning the purchase of property, but […]
Vincennes - I think that sometimes, especially in this technologically advanced age, we forget how far back our history goes, and the important part that Indiana, and the Indiana Territory, played in the formation of this nation. Sometimes people are surprised when they find out that, for example, the baptismal records at St. Francis Xavier go back […]
August Bessonies – February 22nd - On February 22, 1901, Msgr. August Bessonies died… Here is an article that appeared in the New York Times on that day: Mgr. August Bessonies INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 22. The Right Rev. Mgr. August Bessonies died to-day at the residence of Bishop Chatard of the Catholic diocese of Indiana, where he had made his home for […]
Archbishop Schulte – February 17 - On this day in 1984, Archbishop Paul C. Schulte died. Here is the Archdiocesan biography: Born in Fredericktown, MO, March 18, 1890. Ordained priest at Kenrick Seminary, St. Louis, MO, June 11, 1915. Appointed bishop of Leavenworth, May 29, 1937. Consecrated in the new cathedral at Saint Louis, September 21, 1937, by Archbishop John J. […]
Father Petit and Father Deydier - February 10th and 11th mark the deaths of two men who, although not officially canonized, are truly saints — Indiana saints.! I am speaking of Father Benjamin Marie Petit (1811-1839) and Father Anthony Deydier (1788-1864), both of whom were recruited by Bishop Brute. I must say that these two men are among my ‘favorites’. Monday, […]
The Cost of Sainthood - The Catholic News Service had an article recently about the costs of getting someone canonized. The article pointed out, and rightfully so, that “the church isn’t selling halos; it’s compensating professionals doing serious research”. Our beloved Bishop Brute, whose cause was begun in 2005 is a good example of this. Brute left a lot of […]
Bishop, Bishop Archbishop - It has always seemed a bit ironic that many of the mileposts in Indiana Catholic History always seem to happen at nearly the same time. This is true again with this past and coming week being a time for Bishops… Last Friday, January 10th was the 22nd anniversary of the death of Archbishop Edward T. […]
January 8 – The Diocese of Fort Wayne Established - When Bishop Brute came to Indiana in 1834 there were two priests assigned full time to the Diocese of Vincennes, which comprised the entire Syate of Indiana and the eastern half of Illinois. These were Bishop Brute himself and Father Simon Lalumiere. Within nine years, in 1843, the Diocese of Chicago was established. The growth […]
January 4th – The Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton - As is the custom on this site for the first post of 2014 we remember Elizabeth Ann Seton on this, her feast day. In a round-about way we also celebrate Simon Gabriel Brute. What does Elizabeth Seton she have to do with the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana? She never visited Indiana, but […]
December 19, 1944 - Today is a very special day in the history of Catholicism in Indiana. I am repeating the post that I made on this day last year. Toward the end of World War-II, just before Christmas, Europe was still enveloped in war. The “Battle of the Bulge” was almost over and Nazi Germany would fold in […]
Saint Joseph’s Revisited - Back in September I wrote about Old Saint Joseph Church located at the corner of College Avenue and North Street. I mentioned how sad it was to see the building, which has not been a Catholic Church since 1949, deteriorate. Since I had many family members, married, buried or baptized at Old St. Joseph’s, it’s […]
December 2013 - December is passing quickly and I wanted to include some items from the calendar for this month. On this Feast of Saint Nicholas, in 1924, Bishop Herman Joseph Alerding, Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, died of injuries he received in an automobile accident on Thanksgiving Day. Alerding’s “History of the Catholic Church in […]
ALL Saints – 2013 - Happy “All Hallows Eve”… My friend and I were lamenting how much the celebration of “Halloween” has grown — not because it is the vigil of All Saints, but because of the commercialism that the celebration brings. Not only that, there is, in our mind at least, a definite bent toward the whole notion of […]
Bishop Brute Consecrated 1834 - Today, October 28th is the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. It was on this date the Simon Gabriel Brute was consecrated in St. Louis, as the First Bishop of Vincennes. The year was 1834. The “new” cathedral in Saint Louis had just been completed and it was Brutés wish as well as the other […]
October Events… - Keeping up with the busy October Indiana Catholic Calendar… On October 14, 1837, Bishop Brute ordained two men. Benjamin Petit and John Plunkett. Both men would go on to do great things in service to the Church in Indiana. Both would die outside of the state and within three years of their ordination. John Plunkett, […]
Anne Therese Guerin (Mother Theodore) - Today is the official feast day of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, canonized on October 15, 2006. This important Indiana Saint seems to pop up in the news more and more. From the renaming of a school, to the erection of a new statue, she has graced the media more often, obviously because of her recognition […]
Saint Joseph Church - You may have driven up College Avenue, just north of the “gentrified” area of Lockerbie Square. This area was once a working class neighborhood filled mostly with Irish immigrants who came to the United States and Indianapolis in the mid 1800’s. Originally, most Catholics attended the mother church in Indianapolis, Saint John the Evangelist. In […]
The Week in Indiana Catholic-Part-2 - On August 11, 1878, Francis Silas Marean Chatard was installed as the fifth Bishop of Vincennes. Within days, he had moved his episcopal residence to Indianapolis, but it would be another 20 years before the name of the diocese and its official location would change. One has to wonder. Obviously Chatard had secured permission to […]
This (Past) Week in Indiana Catholic History - This is a long post, but only because I am a bit behind and the items I want to mention are important, so four posts coming in two… The first item is the dedication of the present St. Francis Xavier Church in Vincennes. On August 8, 1841 Bishop Celestine de la Hailandiere officially dedicated this […]
Father John Villars – Stories of faith and miracles – Fact or Fantasy??? - Usually my focus is on the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana in a mostly academic and (hopefully) scholarly way. There are, however, stories, fables and legends that accompany the history of the Church in Indiana. I’ve written about these in the past. For example, there is the story about how Simon Brutés Ghost […]
The “Cause” of Simon Brute - The Cause for the canonization of Bishop Simon Brute seems to have slowed to a snail’s pace. This is not totally unexpected because with the volumes of writings that have to be painstakingly researched, these things take time. I would like to point out, however, that the official organ of the Archdiocese, the Criterion has […]
The Death of Bishop St. Palais - Today, June 28th, is the anniversary of the death of Bishop St. Palais (Jacques-Maurice des Landes d’Aussac De Saint Palais) in 1877. Bishop St. Palais is overlooked in many ways. Bishop Brute, of course, is remembered as that “saintly” bishop, the man who began the long and proud tradition of the Catholic Church in Indiana. […]
The Death of Bishop Brute - We are a day late, but Yesterday, June 26th was the 174th anniversary of the death of Servant of God, Simon Brute. Perhaps one day, this date will be his feast day! He died in Vincennes and was buried on June 28th, in the crypt of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. Elihu Stout, the Protestant editor […]
Simon Brute Ordained - Today, June 11, is the anniversary of the ordination of Simon Gabriel Brute, first Bishop of Vincennes. There is a debate, albeit among only a few, about the day that Brute was actually ordained. Regardless of what day it was, we celebrate and give thanks to God for Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute, and […]
Cardinal Ritter Dies - On this day, June 10, 1967, Cardinal Joseph Elmer Ritter died in Saint Louis. The Archdiocesan Directory gives a brief description of his Church life. Born in New Albany, IN, July 20, 1892. Ordained priest at Saint Meinrad, May 30, 1917. Named rector of the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul,Indianapolis, in 1924. Appointed titular […]
The Death of Saint Mother Theodore GuÃ©rin - I am simply repeating what I posted last year becasue I feel that Mother Theodore’s simplicity and humility speak volumes about her. Mother Theodore GuÃ©rin died on this day (May 14) in 1856… Mother Theodore, Anne-ThÃ©rÃ¨se GuÃ©rin, Saint Theodora GuÃ©rin died on May 14, 1856 – 151 years ago. The official website of the Sisters […]
Bishop de la Hailandiere’s Death - I wrote this post a few years ago, and over time, I’ve gained a new respect for Bishop Hailandiere, who died on this date, May 1st, 1882. He is the bishop we either call crazy, or the one we love to not love… So, call me crazy, but over the years, I’ve learned to respect […]
Records at Saint Francis Xavier in Vincennes - In this day and age, when genealogy is still a very popular pastime, the existence of early Church records makes a genealogist’s pulse increase. Although I am sure that many baptisms, marriages etc. were performed in the early history of Indiana, many priests carried their sacramental records with them, mainly because there was no church […]
Matthew Felix Ruff - On April 4th, in the year 1835, Bishop Simon Brute celebrated his first ‘ordination’ as Bishop of Vincennes. It was not an ordination to priesthood, but rather to the Sub-Diaconate. The ordinand was Matthias Ruff. He was from the Alsace region and therefore he spoke French as well as German. Here is what Herman Alerding, […]
Easter 2013 - Easter 2013 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into […]
The Road from Vincennes to Indianapolis - On this day, March 28, 1898, the Diocese of Vincennes, officially became the Diocese of Indianapolis. For all intents and purposes that move took place about 20 years previously, in 1878, when Bishop Francis Silas Chatard became the fifth bishop of Vincennes. (He was, of course, also the FIRST Bishop of Indianapolis). By apostolic brief […]
Old Bishops Never Die… - I just wanted to take the time to post something a little bit on the “far side”… Today, March 26th, is the anniversary of the naming of Francis Silas Chatard as the fifth Bishop of Vincnennes. Chatard was in the United States on a fund raising tour for the North American College, of which he […]
Birth of Simon Brute - Today, March 20th marks the 234th anniversary of the birth of Servant of God, Simon Guillaume Brute, first Bishop of Vincennes, spiritual director to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, scholar, theologian and “Hoosier”… Well, perhaps the last part is a stretch, mostly because that term wasn’t in use in 1834. However, Bishop Brute did become a […]
Simon Brute – an “American” Saint - Today marks a significant event in the life of Servant of God, Simon Brute. On March 7, 1835, Simon Brute officially became a citizen of the United States. This is significant in that Brute arrived in the United States nearly 25 years earlier. Writing in his 2005 dissertation, Fr. Albert Ledoux, said: “Brute formally embraced […]
The Surender of Vincennes in 1779 - Church history is part of all history and certainly the city of Vincennes is tied inextricably to the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana. That is why February 24th and February 25th are important dates in the history of the Church as it relates to the history of Indiana and the United States. On […]
Msgr. August Bessonies – February 22, 2013 - On this day, February 22, 1901, Msgr. August Bessonies died… Here is an article that appeared in the New York Times on that day: Mgr. August Bessonies INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 22.?The Right Rev. Mgr. August Bessonies died to-day at the residence of Bishop Chatard of the Catholic diocese of Indiana, where he had made his home […]
Archbishop Schulte Dies – February 17, 1984 - A bit of “recent” history. On this day in 1984, Archbishop Paul C. Schulte died. Here is the Archdiocesan biography: Born in Fredericktown, MO, March 18, 1890. Ordained priest at Kenrick Seminary, St. Louis, MO, June 11, 1915. Appointed bishop of Leavenworth, May 29, 1937. Consecrated in the new cathedral at Saint Louis, September 21, […]
Indiana Saints - Next week we celebrate the lives of two men who were truly, “Indiana Saints” ! I am speaking of Father Benjamin Marie Petit (1811-1839) and Father Anthony Deydier (1788-1864), both of whom were recruited by Bishop Brute. These are two of my favorites. Sunday, February 10th is the 174th anniversary of the death of Fr. […]
Ritter Named Auxiliary – February 3, 1933 - On this day (February 3), 1933, Elmer Joseph Ritter, who was to be known at “Joseph Elmer”, (just like Francis Silas Chatard switched his first and middle name) was named as Auxiliary Bishop to Bishop Joseph Chartrand. Chartrand probably had some indication of failing health and he obviously desired that Father Ritter, who was then […]
The Fate of Bishop Brutés Papers - As the “Cause” of Bishop Brute continues to move forward, now with the support of the new Archbishop of Indianapolis, Joseph Tobin, one wonders how it is that the cause of a saintly person is determined. Obviously, the writings, papers and documents that either belonged to, or make reference to, Bishop Brute would be included. […]
January 8 — The Diocese of Fort Wayne - Today marks the 156th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, now known as the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. Since the establishment of the Diocese of Vincennes in 1834, which included the entire State of Indiana and the eastern half of Illinois, the area has been successively divided into smaller areas. […]
January 4, 2013 – Elizabeth Ann Seton - In this first post of 2013 we remember Elizabeth Ann Seton on this, her feast day. What does Elizabeth Seton she have to do with the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana? She never visited Indiana, but her spirit is here in many ways. One way in which she is present is through her […]
(Charles) Laurence Picot - With the close of 2012 I want to focus on an individual that some may want to forget about. Along with all the “Indiana Saints” mentioned on this site, there are always going to be some who don’t quite shine as brightly as the others. At the same time, we know that the circumstances in […]
December 19, 1944 - Toward the end of World War-II, just before Christmas, Europe was still enveloped in war. The “Battle of the Bulge” was almost over and Nazi Germany would fold in less than six months. The Church continued to function and in Indiana there was celebration because the Holy Father, Pope Pius XII had proclaimed in October […]
December Calendar - December is passing quickly and I wanted to include some items from the calendar for this month. Today, December 8th, marks the anniversary of the death of Bishop Joseph Chartrand. He was born in Saint Louis, studied at St. Meinrad and joined the Diocese of Vincennes. He was noticed by Bishop Chatard and moved through […]
Herman Joseph Alerding – December 6th - On this Feast of Saint Nicholas, in 1924, Bishop Herman Joseph Alerding, Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, died of injuries he received in an automobile accident on Thanksgiving Day. Alerding’s “History of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Vincennes“, written in 1883, stands, to date, as the only history of the diocese […]
Archbishop Tobin Installed as 6th Archbishop of Indianapolis - December 3, 2012 — On this, the Feast of St. Francis Xavier, patron of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin was installed as the 12th Bishop and 6th Archbishop of Indianapolis, formerly the Diocese of Vincennes. Archbishop Tobin, in his homily, said that he brought along three friends. St. Paul, St. Francis Xavier […]
Hailandiere Returns to Indiana - Indiana has been blessed with the canonization of Mother Theodore Guerin, however, that recognition brought some national attention to the journey that Mother Theodore took to become Indiana’s first saint. Specifically the relationship between Mother Theodore and then Bishop of Vincennes, Celestine de la Hailandiere. I’ve written here, numerous times, that all the bad things […]
Brute takes possession of his Cathedral - November 5 — On this day, in 1834, at 5:00 P.M., newly consecrated Bishop Simon Gabriel Brute took possession of his Cathedral in Vincennes. He celebrated pontifically for the first time on the following Sunday, November 9, 1834. ((Cauthorn – History of the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, p. 228)) This was the end of […]
November 1, 2012 – All Saints - Happy Feast of All Saints!! First, this month marks the 249th anniversary of an item that I have not found too many references to. It was in November of 1763, the same year that the British and French ended the French-Indian wars, that the kidnapping, in the nighttime, of Fr. Julien Devernier SJ, (Devernai, Duvernay), […]
The Feast of ALL Saints-2012 - Happy “All Hallows Eve”… Tomorrow (November 1st) is the Feast of “ALL Saints”. It is a day that reminds us of the “community” of which we are a part of. Within my narrow focus on that community, namely the Church in Indiana, the label of Saint points to a number of people in our collective […]
Consecration of Simon Brute - Today, October 28th is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, however, if it were a day, other than a Sunday, it would be the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. It was on this date the Simon Gabriel Brute was consecrated in St. Louis, as the First Bishop of Vincennes. The year was 1834. The […]
New Archbishop Named - Tuesday night, the well known blog Whispers In The Loggia announced that Pope Benedict has named Archbishop Joseph Tobin as the new Archbishop of Indianapolis: Following up the most conservative major appointment he’s made on these shores, the Pope is set to”tack left” with a splash for his next big Stateside pick, naming Archbishop Joseph […]
Keeping up with the calendar… - Keeping up with the busy October Indiana Catholic Calendar… On October 14, 1837, Bishop Brute ordained two men. Benjamin Petit and John Plunkett. Both men would go on to do great things in service to the Church in Indiana. Both would die outside of the state and within three years of their ordination. John Plunkett, […]
A Special Feast Day … - Today is the official feast day of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, canonized on October 15, 2006. This important Indiana Saint seems to pop up in the news more and more. From the renaming of a school, to the erection of a new statue, she has graced the media more often, obviously because of her recognition […]
Indiana’s Own: (Elmer) Joseph Cardinal Ritter - There is an excellent article on the America Magazine website about the “First Turning Point of Vatican II”. The article written by Fr.Robert J. Nogosek, C.S.C. who now lives at Notre Dame. What does this have to do with the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana? As it happens, one of the turning points […]
Calendar - September has been a busy month and I haven’t been able to post some of the items from the calendar, so here we go: September 2 – On this day we celebrate the death of Father Vincent Bacquelin in 1846. Father Bacquelin, one of the “original” members of the 1836 voyage from France to Vincennes […]
Hailandiere Consecrated - On this day, August 18, 1839, Celestine de la Hailandiere was consecrated as the Second Bishop of Vincennes. He was on a recruitment trip in France for the Diocese when word came of the death of Bishop Brute. Father Gorman writes: “Toward the end of July, however, de la Hailandiere received the information which changed […]
John Carroll - On this day in 1790, John Carroll, a Jesuit (albeit suppressed) was consecrated as the first bishop of the United States, the first Bishop of Baltimore. What is extraordinary about this fact is that John Carroll was “elected” by the priests of the Maryland. There was much trouble in the American Church. Trusteeism in New […]
Chatard to Vincennes “I’ll just be staying the night…” - On August 11, 1878, Francis Silas Marean Chatard was installed as the fifth Bishop of Vincennes. Within days, he had moved his episcopal residence to Indianapolis, but it would be another 20 years before the name of the diocese and its official location would change. One has to wonder. Obviously Chatard had secured permission to […]
Fighting Irish or French? - What happened 171 years ago today certainly had a huge impact not only on the Catholic Church in Indiana, but on the State of Indiana and the American Church and country! 171 years ago today a band of Religious men left the shores of their native France headed for the wilds of Indiana. Their final […]
The Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola - Today is the feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. What do the Jesuits have to do with the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana? Well, just about everything! The Jesuits were the first, according to existing records, to bring the Church to these parts. Monsignor John Doyle, in his […]
Hailandiere Resigns - Today is the day that the guy everyone loved to hate, resigned … On this day in 1847, Celestine de la Hailandiere resigned as the second Bishop of Vincennes. Through the years he has been vilified, sometimes appropriately, sometimes not. It seems to me that the further we get from the events of that time […]
Death of St. Palais - On this day, June 28, 1877, the Right Rev. Jacques M. Maurice Landes d’Aussac de Saint-Palais, know simply as Bishop St. Palais, died at Saint Mary of the Woods. St. Palais was born at LaSalvetat, France on November 15, 1811 and ordained at Paris on May 28, 1836. He was part of the group of […]
Simon Gabriel Brute – 1779-1839 - On June 26, 1839, Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute de Remur breathed his last. After suffering the effects of Tuberculosis, the “Saintly Bishop” (as he was always referred to), died at about 1:30 A.M. The bishop had written a letter on June 18th, knowing that he was going to die soon. This letter was […]
June 2012 - June is always a busy time in the church calendar, and in our individual calendars as well. It used to be that Summer was synonymous with leisure, but that doesn’t seem to be true anymore. We take the time, however, to remember some important events in the Indiana Catholic Church History calendar: On June 8, […]
On This Day-May 17th - On this day there are two items to pass along. The first was in 1839, when Celestine de la Hailandiere was named Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Vincennes. Hailandiere was in France at the time, seeking assistance for the young diocese. By the time word got to Bishop Brute of Hailandiere’s appointment, he was […]
The Death of Mother Theodore… - Mother Theodore GuÃ©rin died on this day in 1856… Mother Theodore, Anne-ThÃ©rÃ¨se GuÃ©rin, Saint Theodora GuÃ©rin died on May 14, 1856 – 151 years ago. The official website of the Sisters of Providence have the following posted. (see: SP’s Official Website) The”Catholic Telegraph and Advocate” in Cincinnati, Ohio, published the following notice about Mother Theodore’s […]
Sacramental Records at Vincennes - In this day and age, when genealogy is still a very popular pastime, the existence of early Church records makes a genealogist’s pulse increase. Although I am sure that many baptisms, marriages etc. were performed in the early history of Indiana, many priests carried their sacramental records with them, mainly because there was no church […]
Matthias Ruff and Benjamin Petit - On April 4th, in the year 1835, Bishop Simon Brute had his first ‘ordination’ as Bishop of Vincennes. It was not an ordination to priesthood, but rather to the Sub-Diaconate. The ordinand was Matthias Ruff. He was from the Alsace region and therefore he spoke French as well as German. Here is what Herman Alerding, […]
More Items from the Calendar - On March 28, 1933, Joseph Elmer Ritter was ordained (in those days they were ‘consecrated’) auxiliary bishop of Indianapolis at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul. Ritter had been appointed titular bishop of Hippo and auxiliary to Bishop Joseph Chartrand on February 3rd. His consecration was officiated by Bishop Chartrand, assisted by Bishop Emmanuel […]
A full calendar - This week, March 25-31, finds a full plate of events on the Indiana Catholic calendar. We begin with today, March 25th. An event that did not take place on Indiana soil. In fact, the subject of the story probably never visited the State. In 1736, March 25th was Palm Sunday, Fr. Antoninus Senat S.J. was […]
Happy Birthday! - Today, March 20th marks the 233rd anniversary of the birth of Servant of God, Simon Guillaume Brute, first Bishop of Vincennes, spiritual director to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, scholar, theologian and “Hoosier”… Well, perhaps the last part is a stretch, mostly because that term wasn’t in use in 1834. However, Bishop Brute did become a […]
Citizen Brute - Today marks a significant event in the life of Servant of God, Simon Brute. On March 7, 1835, Simon Brute officially became a citizen of the United States. This is significant in that Brute arrived in the United States nearly 25 years earlier. Writing in his 2005 dissertation, Fr. Albert Ledoux, said: “Brute formally embraced […]
Anniversaries… - Today marks two anniversaries. It is ironic how many happenings seem to fall on the same day? Sure, it may be planned sometimes, but more often than not it isn’t. Take today (March 2nd) for example. On this day: In 1987 — Archbishop Daniel Buechlein was ordained Bishop of Memphis. He had been Rector of […]
Vincennes Surrenders (1779) - On the morning of February 25, 1779, Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark, elder brother of explorer William Clark, accepted British Lt. Gov. Henry Hamilton’s unconditional surrender of Fort Sackville at Vincennes, Indiana. Despite a 1763 prohibition against settlement of Kentucky and points west, hundreds of colonists and their families drifted beyond the Appalachians. With the […]
August Bessonies - Today, February 23, is the 111th anniversary of the death of Msgr. August Bessonies… With all the hoopla surrounding the Super Bowl and the location of Saint John’s in Indianapolis, it is interesting to note that no one ever mentioned the fact that Msgr. Bessoinies is buried there. He was a true pioneer priest in […]
Anthony Deydier – 1788-1864 - Father Anthony Deydier is one of those people that I admire very much, but I’ve always had trouble trying to find out anything about him. I’ve never seen a picture of him, although I’ve tried to find one of those as well. Today, February 11th, is the anniversary of his death in 1864 and I […]
Benjamin Petit 1811-1839 - Today is the anniversary of the death of Fr. Benjamin Marie Petit, a priest of the Diocese of Vincennes. The Church has many “Saints“. The definition of Saint is: Abbr. St. or S. Christianity A person officially recognized, especially by canonization, as being entitled to public veneration and capable of interceding for people on earth. […]
Auxiliary Bishop - As we are soon to celebrate Bishop Christopher Coyne’s “first” anniversary as Auxiliary Bishop of Indianapolis, it is good to remember that on this day (February 3), 1933, Bishop Coyne’s predecessor as Auxiliary, Elmer Joseph Ritter, who was to be known at “Joseph Elmer”, (just like Francis Silas Chatard switched his first and middle name) […]
Recent and Not So Recent… - It was just one short year ago today, January 14th that Bishop Christopher Coyne was named as Auxiliary Bishop of Indianapolis. It was historic in that we have not had an Auxiliary since 1933 when Joseph Elmer Ritter was named Auxiliary. Here is the story as it appeard last year: Pope Benedict XVI has appointed […]
Calendar Items - This past Sunday, January 8th, was the 155th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Fort Wayne. By decree of Pope Pius IX, the northern half of the state became the Diocese of Fort Wayne, the boundaries being that part of the state north of the south boundaries of Fountain, Montgomery, Boone, Hamilton, Madison, […]
January 4, 2012 – Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton - In this first post of 2012 we remember Elizabeth Ann Seton on this, her feast day. What does Elizabeth Seton she have to do with the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana? She never visited Indiana, but her spirit is here in many ways. One way in which she is present is through her […]
Archdiocese Created – December 19, 1944 - Toward the end of World War-II, just before Christmas, Europe was still enveloped in war. The “Battle of the Bulge” was almost over and Nazi Germany would fold in less than six months. The Church continued to function and in Indiana there was celebration because the Holy Father, Pope Pius XII had proclaimed in October […]
On This Day… - On this day in 1834, just 5 1/2 short weeks after Bishop Simon Brute took possession of the Cathedral in Vincennes, Silas Francis Marean Chatard was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Ferdinand and Eliza Chatard. He was born with the name Silas and changed it to Francis when he became bishop. Chatard’s family had a […]
Herman Joseph Alerding - On this day, in 1924, Bishop Herman Joseph Alerding, of the Diocese of Fort Wayne, died of injuries he received in an automobile accident on Thanksgiving Day. Alerding’s “History of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Vincennes”, written in 1883, stands, to date, as the only history of the diocese and archdiocese. There have […]
Researches… - One of the great sources of information on the history of the Church in the United States is a publication known as “American Catholic Historical Researches”. It was edited by Martin Ignatius Jospeh Griffin a journalist and historian. The New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia says: In January, 1887, he began the publication of the “American Catholic […]
Demographics - We are always hearing about changing demographics. After every census we read about congressional redistricting, gerrymandering, etc. In the history of the Church in Indiana this whole idea of changing demographics also holds true. Vincennes was mostly made up of French settlers. Our first four bishops were all born in France. Then the Germans and […]
Hailandiere Returns Home - Indiana has been blessed with the canonization of Mother Theodore Guerin, however, that recognition brought some national attention to the journey that Mother Theodore took to become Indiana’s first saint. Specifically the relationship between Mother Theodore and then Bishop of Vincennes, Celestine de la Hailandiere. I’ve said, numerous times, that all the bad things that […]
200 years ago today… - On this day, November 15, 1811 Jacques M. Maurice Landes d’Aussac de Saint-Palais, known to us as Bishop St. Palais, was born at LaSalvetat, France, He was ordained a priest at Paris, on May 28, 1836. After the death of Bishop Bazin he was named Administrator of the diocese. St. Palais was named bishop of […]
Calendar – On This Day (Nov. 5) - On this day (November 5) in 1834, at 5:00 P.M. Bishop Simon Brute took possession of the Cathedral of Vincennes as the new bishop of the new diocese. He celebrated pontifically for the first time on the following Sunday, November 9, 1834. [Cauthorn p. 228]
ALL Saints… - Tomorrow (November 1st) is the Feast of “ALL Saints”. It is a day that reminds us of the “community” of which we are a part of. Within my narrow focus on that community, namely the Church in Indiana, the label of Saint points to a number of people in our collective history as the Church […]
Simon, Simon and Jude - Today, October 28th is the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, but it was also on this date the Simon Gabriel Brute was consecrated in St. Louis, as the First Bishop of Vincennes. The year was 1834. The “new” cathedral in Saint Louis had just been completed and it was Brutés wish as well as […]
October 3, 2011 - Monday, October 3rd is the Feast Day of Mother Theodore GuÃ©rin. Born on October 2, 1798 at Etables-sur-Mer, Brittany, France as Anne-ThÃ©rÃ¨se GuÃ©rinShe was the daughter of Laurent and Isabelle GuÃ©rin. Joined the Sisters of Providence at RuillÃ©-sur-Loir, France on 18 August 1823, taking the name Sister Saint Theodore, and making her final vows on […]
Archbishop Daniel Resigns - While this web site exists to show Indiana Catholic “History”, sometimes that history is right around the corner. And so it is with today’s news that Archbishop Daniel Buechlein is resigning as Archbishop of Indianapolis. Archbishop Buechlein, our 11th bishop in the succession of Servant of God, Simon Brute. Here is is his ‘history’ from […]
Servant of God Simon BrutÃ¨ - On this day in 2005 Archbishop Daniel Buechlein officially opened the cause for the canonization of the First Bishop of Vincennes, Simon BrutÃ¨. Here is the text from the September 16, 2005 edition of the ‘Criterion’, announcing the “cause” The Cause of Canonization of Bishop Simon Brute is opened Founder of diocese now may be […]
Chatard Dead… - On this day in history – September 7, 1918, Bishop Francis Silas Marean Chatard died in Indianapolis. Like his predecessor, Bishop St. Palais, Chatard oversaw a great deal of growth and upheaval in the Church in Indiana. From the relocation of the Episcopal See from Vincennes to Indianapolis, to the growth in parishes, schools and […]
Fr. Vincent Bacquelin - Today, September 2nd, marks the 165th anniversary of the death of Father Vincent Bacquelin, a priest of the Diocese of Vincennes. A true “Pioneer” priest in Indiana, he was born on December 1, 1811 at Clermont-Ferrand, France. He was part of the group that came with Bishop Brute from France to Indiana in 1836. Bacquelin […]
John Carroll ordained Bishop of Baltimore - On this day (August 15) in 1790, John Carroll was ordained as the first Bishop of Baltimore and the first Bishop in the United States. There was some fear in the new republic that the naming of a bishop would produce a backlash from Americans, especially if the bishop was not an American. To paraphrase […]
Chatard’s arrival in Vincennes – Just passing through… - On August 11, 1878, Francis Silas Marean Chatard was installed as the fifth Bishop of Vincennes. Within days, he had moved his episcopal residence to Indianapolis, but it would be another 20 years before the name of the diocese and its official location would change. One has to wonder. Obviously Chatard had secured permission to […]
Dedication of Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral-August 8, 1841 - Today, August 8, marks the 170th anniversary of the formal dedication of the Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier in Vincennes. Even though the church was built much earlier, what we now call the “Old Cathedral” was finally dedicated on this day by Bishop HailandiÃ©re. On March 30, 1826 the Vincennes Sun reported: The cornerstone of […]
Chartrand named Coadjutor - On this day, (July 27), in 1910, Joseph Chartrand was named Coadjutor Bishop of Indianapolis. That meant that upon the removal, resignation or death of Bishop Francis Silas Chatard, Chartrand would automatically become Bishop of Indianapolis. Here is how the New York Times reported it on July 30, 1910: Chartrand, who was born in St. […]
Two Events On This Day - Today is July 22nd. On this day in Indiana Catholic History there were two events. The first would not affect us until later, the second changed the history of Catholicity in this State. On this day in 1822 John Stephen (Jean Etienne) Bazin was ordained a priest at the Lyon Cathedral in France. Bazin came […]
Resignation!! - Today is the day the guy everyone loved to hate left… On this day in 1847, Celestine de la Hailandiere resigned as the second Bishop of Vincennes. Through the years Hailandiere has been vilified, sometimes appropriately, sometimes not. The further we get from the events of that time (1839-1847) the more we realize that we […]
Simon Gabriel Brute de Remur – 1779-1839 - On June 26, 1839, Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute de Remur breathed his last. After suffering the effects of Tuberculosis, the “Saintly Bishop” (as he was always referred to), died at about 1:30 A.M. The bishop had written a letter on June 18th, knowing that he was going to die soon. This letter was […]
Chatard ordained - On this day (June 14), in 1862, in the midst of the U.S. Civil War, whkich was raging in the United States, Francis Silas Marean Chatard was ordained a priest in Rome. Born in Baltimore on December 13, 1834, Chatard was baptized Silas Francis Marean. The “Marean” being his mother’s maiden name. The Chatard family […]
June Calendar… - The Indiana Church History calendar marches on… Here are a few highlights of the first two weeks of the month: On June 8, 1976, Bishop Francis Silas Chatard’s remains were moved from the crypt in the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul to the Mausoleum at Calvary Cemetery on the south side of Indianapolis. On […]
Memorial Weekend - 51 years ago, May 28, 1960, the Diocese of Fort Wayne, which had been established in 1857, added the city of ‘South Bend‘ to its name. Thus the Diocese of ‘Fort Wayne-South Bend‘. The Diocesan History notes all of this as well as a listing of all the bishops of the diocese. Also on this […]
Another new bishop and the “Mons”… - Today, May 17th — The history of the Catholic Church in Indiana is, once again, seeing changes. By the end of June, every bishop in the State of Indiana, save two, will be “new”. As a reminder, there are five dioceses in Indiana. The metropolitan see, Indianapolis, and four suffragan sees — Gary, Lafayette-in-Indiana, Fort […]
May Calendar - There are a lot of items from the calendar in May. May is not only the month of Our Lady, but also of ordinations, installations, etc. etc. Rather than posting one for each, here is a short synopsis. May 11th marked the 141st anniversary of the birth of Joseph Chartrand, born in Saint Louis in […]
Diocese of Vincennes established - The establishment of the newly created Diocese of Vincennes was approved on April 12, 1834 and the official bulls were issued on this day, May 6, 1834. The Diocese of Vincennes, now the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, was established by Pope Gregory XVI. The territory then comprised the entire state of Indiana and the eastern third […]
Birth of Bishop Hailandiere (or was that yesterday?) - On this day (May 3), 1798, Celestine de la Hailandiere was born in Combourg, France, a town just about 25 miles north of Rennes, where Servant of God, Simon Brute was born. In this day and age of “freedom of religion“, in is interesting to note that Hailandiere was baptized the same day he was […]
Death of Bishop Bazin - Perhaps, the short term of Bishop John Stephen Bazin is one of the most overlooked periods in Indiana Catholic History. During his time as bishop, from October of 1847 until April of 1848, the young Diocese began a healing process which helped to keep Saint Mother Theodore Geurin in Indiana as well as many priests […]
Earliest Church Records - Although I am sure that many baptisms, marriages etc. were performed in the early history of Indiana, many priests carried their sacramental records with them, mainly because there was no church to deposit the records into. [One example of this would be the Sacramental Record carried by Simon Lalumiere] However, it is always a mark […]
Matthias Ruff & Benjamin Petit - A little bit of catch-up on the calendar. On April 2nd, in the year 1835, Bishop Simon Brute had his first ‘ordination’ as Bishop of Vincennes. It was not an ordination to priesthood, but rather to the Sub-Diaconate. The ordinand was Matthis Ruff. He was from the Alsace region and therefore he spoke French as […]
Diocese of Indianapolis established (and a Bishop Ordained) - On this day, March 28, 1898, the Diocese of Vincennes, officially became the Diocese of Indianapolis. For all intents and purposes that move took place about 20 years previously, in 1878, when Bishop Francis Silas Chatard became the fifth bishop of Vincennes. (He was, of course, also the FIRST Bishop of Indianapolis). By apostolic brief […]
Chatard named Bishop of Vincennes - Today, (March 26) in 1878 Silas Chatard, Rector of the North American College in Rome, became the fifth Bishop of Vincennes and also became known as “Francis Silas Chatard”. His full name and title was: Right Rev. Francis Silas Marean Chatard. Marean being his mother’s maiden name. Chatard was born in Baltimore, Maryland on December […]
Father Senat Murdered”¦ - Here is one of those events that are ‘related’ to the history of the Church in Indiana. On March 25, which was Palm Sunday in 1736, Fr. Antoninus Senat S.J. was burned at the stake by Indians. He was pastor of St. Francis Xavier, in Vincennes, according to Cauthorn’s “nine epochs in the history of […]
Prayers for Archbishop Buechlein - Your prayers are asked for Archbishop Daniel Buechlein, the Archbishop of Indianapolis, who suffered a minor stroke over the weekend. You can read about it on the Criterion’s website You can also send a Prayer Request on the site as well. The Archbishop has suffered from various ailments in recent years.
Born on this day in 1779″¦ - Today, March 20th marks the 232nd anniversary of the birth of Servant of God, Simon Guillaume Brute, first Bishop of Vincennes, spiritual director to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, scholar, theologian and “Hoosier”… Well, perhaps the last part is a stretch, mostly because that term wasn’t in use in 1834. Brute was a prolific writer. The […]
Simon Brute anniversaries - This month marks two significant events in the life of Servant of God, Simon Brute. First, on March 7, 1835, Simon Brute officially became a citizen of the United States. Writing in his 2005 dissertation, Rev. Albert Ledoux, said: “Brute formally embraced United States nationality almost a quarter century after first stepping foot onto a […]
Remembering St. John’s, Indianapolis - On Wednesday, March 2, the new Auxiliary Bishop of Indianapolis, Christopher Coyne said in this remarks: Today in this sacred space I have committed myself to join with Archbishop Daniel in his work as principle shepherd of this archdiocese. This is a place with a lot of history. St. John’s is the oldest Catholic parish […]
February comes to an end… - It has been quite busy of late, and it will get busier in the coming days, especially with the ordination of Fr. Christopher Coyne as the new auxiliarly bishop. So, here’s a quick look at the end of the February calendar. — February 23rd saw the 110th anniversary of the death of Fr. August Bessonies. […]
The Death of Benjamin Petit - 172 years ago today, Father Benjamin Marie Petit died in Saint Louis.
Elmer Joseph Ritter - On this day (February 3), 1933, Elmer Joseph Ritter, who was to be known at “Joseph Elmer”, (just like Francis Silas Chatard switched his first and middle name) was named as Auxiliary Bishop to Bishop Joseph Chartrand. Chartrand probably had some indication of failing health and he obviously desired that Father Ritter, who was then […]
“œGood for nothing but to rot with me””¦ - It is interesting to note that many of the papers of our beloved Bishop Brute were lost after his death. In the book, “Memoirs of the Right Reverend Simon Wm. Gabriel Brute D.D.”, James Roosevelt Bayley says: “… in 1847 Monsignor De La Hailadiere, the successor of Bishop Brute, in the See of Vincennes, presented […]
History repeats”¦ sort of”¦ - In the Douglas Adams novel, “Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” it is said: “History is an illusion caused by the passage of time and time is an illusion caused by the passage of history.” Yesterday, January 14th, Pope Benedict named Fr. Christopher Coyne, of the Archdiocese of Boston, to be the new Auxiliary Bishop […]
Brute the Artist - Bishop Brute was a multi-talented individual. Obviously he was a theologian and before being named Bishop of Vincennes, he served as a theological resource for the Archbishop of Baltimore. Of course, we also know that he was a physician. It has been known that he liked to do sketches. There are a number of sketches […]
Weekend Calendar - Today, January 8th, is the 154th anniversary of the establishment of the Diocese of Fort Wayne. By decree of Pope Pius IX, the northern half of the state became the Diocese of Fort Wayne, the boundaries being that part of the state north of the south boundaries of Fountain, Montgomery, Boone, Hamilton, Madison, Delaware, Randolph, […]
Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton - Today is the feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton… What does she have to do with the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana? She never visited Indiana, but her spirit is here in many ways. In a physical sense, one way in which she is present is through her own possessions. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton […]
More December calendar - As we approach the celebration of Christmas, we find it very busy. December is also a busy month in the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana. Beside the items mentioned in my last post, I also want to mention that on December 18th, we remember Benjamin Petit the hero of the Potawatomi people who […]
December Calendar - Just a little catch-up… December is passing quickly and I wanted to include some items from the calendar for this month. First, December 6th marked the death of Herman Joseph Alerding, the man who wrote the last full history of the (Arch)diocese. He published A History of the Catholic Church inthe Diocese of Vincennes back […]
Born, Dead and Buried - A few calendar items… Monday, November 15th is the 199th anniversary of Bishop Jacques M. Maurice Landes d’Aussac de Saint-Palais, known to us as Bishop Saint Palais. He was born at LaSalvetat, France in 1811 and was ordained in Paris in 1836. He followed Bishop Brute to Indiana that same year. He bacame the fourth […]
All Saints, Suppression and Building Up - Today marks one of my favorite feast days, the Feast of All Saints. It is a day that reminds us of the “community” of which we are a part of. Monday, November 1st, is the feast of All Saints. Tuesday, November 2nd is the Feast of All Souls. These are two of the most important […]
Sts. Simon and Jude and another Simon - Today, October 28th is the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, but it was also on this date the Simon Gabriel Brute was consecrated in St. Louis, as the First Bishop of Vincennes. The year was 1834. The “new” cathedral in Saint Louis had just been completed and it was Brutés wish as well as […]
State of the Diocese in 1846 - At the very tender age of 12 years old, the Diocese of Vincennes was listed in the Indiana Annual Register and Pocket Manual for 1846. It is interesting to read the names and locations of those clergy who have become so familiar to us. Here is the entire list… You can read and download the […]
Feast Days and Celebrations - Sunday, October 3rd is the Feast Day of Mother Theodore GuÃ©rin. Born on October 2, 1798 at Etables-sur-Mer, Brittany, France as Anne-ThÃ©rÃ¨se GuÃ©rinShe was the daughter of Laurent and Isabelle GuÃ©rin. Joined the Sisters of Providence at RuillÃ©-sur-Loir, France on 18 August 1823, taking the name Sister Saint Theodore, and making her final vows on […]
Modern Day History - This week marked two important events from the recent past. September 9th, was the anniversary of the installation of Archbishop Daniel Mark Buechlein, O.S.B. as the fifth Archbishop of Indianapolis. He became Archbishop in 1992. Sunday, September 12th marks the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Cause for Canonization of Simon Brute. Archbishop Buechlein […]
Bishop Chatard Dies - On this day (September 7), Bishop Francis Silas Chatard died in Indianapolis. Chatard was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 13, 1834 — shortly after Simon Brute had become the first Bishop of Vincennes. Chatard was destined to bring the Catholic Church in Indiana into the 20th century. Chatard began life as Silas Francis Marean […]
Fr. Vincent Bacquelin - Today, September 2nd, marks the 164th anniversary of the death of Father Vincent Bacquelin, a priest of the Diocese of Vincennes. A true “Pioneer” priest in Indiana, he was born on December 1, 1811 at Clermont-Ferrand, France. He was part of the group that came with Bishop Brute from France to Indiana in 1836. Bacquelin […]
Remembering those… - So many times here, I’ve focused in on those men and women who are known, at least to some. Obviously names like Guerin, Brute, Hailandiere, etc. Then, there are the lesser known, those ‘saints’ who are my favorites, at least they are on my top 40. Names like Deydier, Lalumiere, Petit, Corbe, etc. Then, there […]
John Carroll Ordained – August 15, 1790 - From the Catholic Encyclopedia: Church troubles, Trusteeism in New York, and Nationalism in Philadelphia, at this time decided the priests of Maryland (March, 1788) to petition Rome for a bishop for the United States. Cardinal Antonelli replied, allowing the priests on the mission to select the city and, for this case only, to name the […]
Making it real - When studying Indiana Catholic history, it can all seem so very far away. Sometimes it becomes too academic and we forget that these people, places and things were, and in many cases still are, real. That’s why it is good to go, for example, to Vincennes and visit the”Old Cathedral”, or stand inside St. Joseph’s […]
Joseph Chartrand becomes Coadjutor - On July 27, 1910 Joseph Chartrand was named Auxiliary, with right of succession for the Diocese of Indianapolis. Born in St. Louis, MO, May 11, 1870, Chartrand was ordained a priest at Indianapolis on September 24, 1892. Obviously, a plan was in place for him as he was appointed vicar general on February 13, 1910. […]
Bishop Bazin Ordained - On this day, July 22, in 1822, John Stephen Bazin (Jean Etienne) was ordained a priest in the Cathedral in Lyon, France. He came to the United States in 1830 at the invitation of Bishop Michael Portier, the first bishop of Mobile, Alabama, a fellow Frenchman who had emigrated to the United States in 1817. […]
HailandiÃ©re resigns… - July is the time of year that things seem to slow down, if only for a short time. Yet July is the month in which CÃ©lestine RenÃ© Laurent Guynemer de la HailandiÃ©re resigned as the Bishop of Vincennes, (July 16) an act which was not too common in those days. The story of Bishop HailandiÃ©re […]
Brute death - Once again we come to the anniversary of the death of Simon Brute, first Bishop of Vincennes and “Servant of God. Brute died on this day (June 26th) in 1839, just five years after he became the bishop of the newly created diocese. There have always been stories and reports about Brutés simple holiness and […]
Whatever Happened To… - This is a non-posting… One of the best sites for Indiana Catholic History was run by a lady named Ann Mensch. It was full of information on genealogy, Church history etc. The site was at: http://home.att.net/~Local_Catholic/ It seems to have disappeared. Can anyone advise what has happened to this outstanding site? Please go to the […]
This Week - June is always a busy time in the church calendar, what with Ordinations, transfers etc. This week has us remembering the following: On June 8, 1976, Bishop Chatard, who was the last Bishop of Vincennes and the first Bishop of Indianapolis, was moved from the crypt at the Cathedral in Indianapolis, which he built, to […]
Yet another “Then and Now”… - The “now” part of this is 50 years ago, but on this day (May 28) in 1960, the Diocese of Fort Wayne, which had been established in 1857, added the city of ‘South Bend‘ to its name. Thus the Diocese of ‘Fort Wayne-South Bend‘. The Diocesan History notes all of this as well as a […]
Then, and not so Then… - Today, May 17th, celebrates two item from our Indiana Catholic Calendar. First, on this date in 1839, Célestin de la Hailandière was named Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Vincennes. Hailandière was in France at the time, seeking assistance for the young diocese. By the time word got to Bishop Brute, he was already dead. […]
Then and Now - Today, May 12th marks some historical vents, both old and new. First, congratulations to the new Bishop of Lafayette in Indiana (their official name). Msgr. Timothy Doherty was named to succeed Bishop Higi. Msgr. Doherty comes to Lafayette from the Diocese of Rockford, which was once part of the Diocese of Vincennes… On this same […]
176 Years and counting… - Not one of those “special” years, like 175, 150, etc. But today (May 6) is the 176th anniversary of the issuing of the Papal Bulls, establishing the Diocese of Vincennes in 1834. The establishment was approved on April 12, 1834 and the official bulls were issued on May 6. The Diocese of Vincennes—now the Archdiocese […]
The Death of Bishop Hailandiere - The bishop we either call crazy, or the one we love to not love… Bishop de la Hailandiere, the man who was “second choice” to be the second Bishop of Vincennes. The man who “locked up” a future saint because she did not obey his authority. Hailandiere, who, perhaps because of his Gallican background believed […]
April Calendar - April has been an extra busy month, but Indiana Catholic History is not forgotten! Here are some items from the April calendar to keep us all up to date and “keeping alive the memory of those who have before us.” Ordinations – Matthew Ruff was ordained a Sub-Deacon at Vincennes by Bishop Brute on April […]
The Week - As we end another week and look forward to Holy Week, here are some calendar items to consider. On March 25, 1736 (which was Palm Sunday that year), Fr. Antoninus Senat S.J. was burned at the stake by Indians. He was pastor of St. Francis Xavier, Vincennes [Cauthorn p. 228]. In his “History of the […]
The Birth of Simon Brute - Today marks the 231st anniversary of the birth of the Right Rev. Simon Guillaume Gabriel Brute de Remur, known to us as Servant of God Simon Brute. He was born in Rennes, France, March 20, 1779. Brute lived through the French Revolution and all that it meant to the Church. Michael Pasquier, in his book, […]
Sister Ann Kathleen Brawley - Today, March 17, 2010, Sister Ann Kathleen Brawley will be laid to rest with her Sisters at Saint Mary of the Woods, Indiana. Sr. Ann Kathleen was, for many years, archivist of the Sisters of Providence as well as, for a short time, acting archivist for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. She was an extraordinary woman, […]
Brutés Citizenship - An interesting historical note: On this day, March 7, 1835, Simon Brute became an American citizen. This is one of those things that you never think about, but from the time of his arrival in the United States in 1810, he had been a citizen of France. Brutés reason certainly had to do with the […]
Vincennes and the Revolution - I think that sometimes, especially in this technologically advanced age, we forget how far back our history goes, and the important part that Indiana, and the Indiana Territory, played in the formation of this nation. Sometimes people are surprised when they find out that, for example, the baptismal records at St. Francis Xavier go back […]
Msgr. August Bessonies - On this day, February 23, 1901, Msgr. August Bessonies died… Here is an article that appeared in the New York Times on that day: Mgr. August Bessonies INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 22. The Right Rev. Mgr. August Bessonies died to-day at the residence of Bishop Chatard of the Catholic diocese of Indiana, where he had made his […]
Benjamin Petit - Today is the 171st anniversary of the death of Benjamin Marie Petit, Saint to the Pottawatomi Indians. I simply repeat what I wrote last year because it bears repeating… Today marks the death of Fr. Benjamin Marie Petit, the young Breton priest who came to the United States with Bishop Brute in June of 1836 […]
Found!! - It probably means very little to most people, but being serious about “Keeping the memory alive of those who have gone before us… for me, also means “keeping track” of them as well. I’ve written previously about Father Louis Nicholas Petit S.J. the Jesuit who was born in Haiti, served on the faculty at St. […]
Bishop St. Palais Consecrated - On this is day, January 14, in 1849, the Right Rev. Jacques M. Maurice Landes d’Aussac de Saint-Palais, known to the rest of us as Bishop St. Palais, was consecrated as the fourth bishop of Vincennes. Born at LaSalvetat, France, on November 15, 1811, he was ordained a priest at Paris, on May 28, 1836. […]
Archbishop O’Meara dies - On this day in 1992, Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara died at Indianapolis. The following day the New York Times had his obituary: INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 11— Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara, who headed Catholic relief efforts for war and disaster victims around the world, died Friday at his home here. He was 70 years old. Archbishop O’Meara, […]
The Diocese of Fort Wayne Established - Today marks the establishment of the Diocese of Fort Wayne. Like it’s “Mother” diocese, of Vincennes, the Diocese of Fort Wayne has seen a number of changes in it’s borders, all of these changes showing the growth of Catholicism in Indiana. The Diocese of Vincennes began with the entire State of Indiana and the eastern […]
E.A. Seton and Indiana - Today, January 4, is the feast of the first American born saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton. Even though she never set foot in the State of Indiana, she has a very real connection to the Indiana Catholic Church. Servant of God, Simon Bruté, our first bishop, was Elizabeth Ann’s spiritual director from September of 1812 until […]
The Year in Indiana Catholic History, or the lull in the calendar? - As we approach the end of 2009, there is a lull in the calendar, at least in mine. So, I thought, why not take a short look at this year in Indiana Catholic History. As I say in my essay An American Church?, History is an individual approach to the past, its impact on the […]
Archdiocese created – December 19, 1944 - Toward the end of World War-II, just before Christmas, Europe was still enveloped in war. The “Battle of the Bulge” was almost over and Nazi Germany would fold in less than six months. The Church continued to function and in Indiana there was celebration because the Holy Father, Pope Pius XII had proclaimed in October […]
Ordinations in December 1836 - It was on December 18, 1836, just two years after the arrival of Simon Bruté, the first Bishop of Vincennes, and just a few months after Bruté’s return from France with his “recruits”, ordinations were celebrated at the Cathedral in Vincennes. It was the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Sister Mary Salesia Godecker wrote: …He desired […]
Chartrand and Chatard - Two very important items from the calendar”¦ The first item occurs on December 8th “” the death of Bishop Joseph Chartrand. He was born in St. Louis, on May 11, 1870. While attending St. Meinrad Seminary, he incardinated into the Diocese of Indianapolis. He was ordained a priest at Indianapolis on September 24, 1892 by […]
Bishop Alerding dies (1924) - On this day (December 6) in 1924, Bishop Herman Joseph Alerding, bishop of Fort Wayne and author of the last complete history of the dioceses of Indianapolis (Vincennes) and Fort Wayne, died. Herman Alerding was born in Westphalia and, during his infancy, came with his parents to the United States, where they settled in Newport, […]
Diocese of Chicago Established in 1843 - In this 21st century, the Archdiocese of Chicago looms large over the American Catholic Church. However, once upon a time (and this is no fairy tale), this huge Catholic presence was nothing more than a small village served by priests from St. Louis and Vincennes. When the Diocese of Vincennes was created in 1834, it […]
Hailandiere’s Body Returned to Vincennes - Here are some interesting news articles from 1882 concerning the return of the body of Cï¿½lestine Guynemer de la Hailandiï¿½re, that is, Bishop de la Hailandiï¿½re, the second Bishop of Vincennes, to the United States following his death on May 1, 1882. The Bishop had always wanted to be buried in Vincennes. After his resignation […]
Bishop St. Palais Born in 1811 - On this day, November 15, 1811 Jacques M. Maurice Landes d’Aussac de Saint-Palais, known to us as Bishop St. Palais, was born at LaSalvetat, France, He was ordained a priest at Paris, on May 28, 1836. After the death of Bishop Bazin he was named Administrator of the diocese. St. Palais was named bishop of […]
On This Day - Two calendar items from this day, November 1st. First, the kidnapping of Fr. Julien Devernier SJ. After the suppression of the Jesuits in France, Louisiana ordered the removal of all Jesuits from the province. Fr. Devernier was kidnapped from Vincennes and sent to Louisiana along with all his possessions. Also on this day, the building […]
All (Indiana) Saints - This weekend marks one of my favorite feast days, the Feast of All Saints. It is a day that reminds us of the “community” of which we are a part of. Sunday, November 1st, is the feast of All Saints. Monday, November 2nd is the Feast of All Souls. These are two of the most […]
Bishop Brute Consecrated… - On this feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, in the newly built and consecrated Cathedral located near the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri, Simon Brutï¿½ was consecrated as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Vincennes. Brutï¿½ had left his mountain home in Emmitsburg, Maryland on the 15th of September. He and his companion, […]
Bazin Consecrated – October 24, 1847 - On this day in 1847, John Bazin was consecrated in the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, in Vincennes, as the third Bishop of the 13 year old diocese. Here is the entry from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia John Stephen Bazin Third Bishop of Vincennes (now the Diocese of Indianapolis), b. at Duerne, near Lyons, France, […]
Archdiocese of Indianapolis created. - On this day in 1944, in the midst of World War-II. The Pope created the “Archdiocese” of Indianapolis. It would take another two months to implement it. An apostolic decree of His Holiness Pope Pius XII, creating the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, was issued October 21, 1944. On December 19, 1944, by executorial decree of the […]
George Joseph Biskup - A little bit of “recent history”… On this day, October 17, 1979, Archbishop George Biskup died in Indianapolis. He had resigned due to ill health, on March 20, 1979. He had been the Archbishop for about nine years, although he served as Co-Adjutor to Archbishop Paul Schulte for about three years. Here is a very […]
More anniversaries - I’ve been trying to keep up with a busy October calendar. There seemd to be a lot of things going on in Indiana Catholic History in October. Today, October 15th is no exception. First, today is the 213th anniversary of the birth of the Right Rev. John Stephen Bazin, third Bishop of Vincennes. Born in […]
On this day… - On this day – October 14, 1837, Bishop Brute ordained two men. Benjamin Petit and John Plunkett. Both men would go on to do great things in service to the Church in Indiana. Both would die outside of the state and within three years of their ordination. John Plunkett, an Irishman, did heroic work on […]
Keeping the Memory Alive… - When “remembering” those who have gone before us, we always tend to think about those names that are either familiar to us, or the ones that get mentioned all the time. Simon Brute for example. Yet, there are many other names of people who may have been forgotten, but are still “Heroes of the Faith”, […]
Saint Mother Theodore and Bishop St.Palais - I’m just repeating my post from last year for today’s feast of Mother Theodore. There was a lot of good information in there and I wanted to share it again. As the banner says, it is also a day for remembering Bishop St. Palais. This is the anniversary of his being named as the fourth […]
“Servant of God” Simon Brute - This is just a”mile-marker””¦ On the morning of Sept. 12, 2005 Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, along with other officials and the postulator, Andrea Ambrosi of Rome, opened the Cause of Canonization of the Servant of God Simon Brute, the founding bishop the Diocese of Vincennes, which became the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. It’s a historic day […]
Bishop Chatard Dies - On this day, September 7, 1918, Bishop Francis Silas Chatard died at Indianapolis. He had been the bishop for 40 years. He began as the fifth Bishop of Vincennes and within days he moved his residence to Indianapolis. For twenty years the Bishop of Vincennes lived in the capitol city. In 1898 the move to […]
Hailandiere Consecrated Bishop of Vincennes 1839 - In this day and age of instantaneous communication. it is hard to conceive that in the 19th century, news traveled so slowly. Clestine Ren Laurent Guynemer de la Hailandire, a priest of the Diocese of Vincennes had been sent to Europe to recruit priests and seminarians for the infant Diocese of Vincennes early in the […]
Fr. Deydier and life in the “Missions” - I ran across this article, which appeared in the Evanville Courier, back in 1997. It concerned the early days of St. James Church in Haubstadt, Indiana. A German community visited by a French priest… These are the kind of things that usually are long forgotten unless someone writes it down… TWO AREA CHURCH FAMILIES WILL […]
Bishop Chatard Installation - On August 11, 1878, Francis Silas Marean Chatard was installed as the fifth Bishop of Vincennes. Within days, he had moved his episcopal residence to Indianapolis, but it would be another 20 years before the name of the diocese and its official location would change. Here is how the New York Times described the event: […]
Dedication of the Cathedral: August 8, 1841 - Even though the “Old Cathedral” at Vincennes was built much earlier. It was on this day that it was finally dedicated by Bishop HailandiÃ©re. On March 30, 1826 the Vincennes Sun reported: The cornerstone of the Catholic Cathedral, in this place, was laid on Thursday the 30th by the Rev. Mr. Champomier. A numerous concourse […]
Chartrand named Coadjutor - On this day, July 27, 1910, the Most Rev. Joseph Chartrand was named Coadjutor Bishop of Indianapolis. That put him in line to become the Bishop, following Bishop Francis Silas Chatard, who remained until his dath in 1918. Chartrand was born in St. Louis on May 11, 1870. Ordained priest at Indianapolis, September 24, 1892. […]
Hailandiere Resigns - For any number of reasons, this anniversary of Celestine de la Hailanidere’s resignation as Bishop of Vincennes in 1847 has gained some national attention, albeit in a somewhat negative way. I have to say that when I first heard of the bishop’s resignation and the stories of his relationship with Mother Theodore, Fr. Sorin and […]
The Death of St. Palais - Here is an item which I don’t think I’ve posted before, unless perhaps I mentioned it within another post. That is, the death of Bishop St. Palais on this day (June 28) in 1877. Bishop St. Palais is overlooked in many ways. Bishop Brute, of course, is remembered as that “saintly” bishop, the man who […]
Servant of God Simon Brute Died on 26 June 1839 - On June 26, 1839, Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brut de Remur breathed his last. After suffering the effects of Tuberculosis, the “Saintly Bishop” (as he was always referred to), died at about 1:30 A.M. The bishop had written a letter on June 18th, knowing that he was going to die soon. This letter was […]
Anniversary of the Ordination of Simon Brute - June 11th, marks the 201st anniversary of the ordination of Simon Brut. Or is it? Well, it more than likely is the correct date, but I recently found a discrepancy in some reliable sources. According to Sister Mary Salesia Godecker, Bruté was ordained on June 10, 1808 at the church of St. Sulpice in Paris. […]
Hailandiere Ordained - On this day, May 28, 1825, the Right Rev. Celestin Rene Laurent Guynemer de la Hailandiere was ordained in Paris. He was 27 years old at the time. He followed Servant of God Simon Brute to Indiana and he served there until his resignation as the second Bishop of Vincennes in 1847.
May Calendar Update - It has been a very busy month and I am a bit behind in the calendar, so I’ll throw it all into one bunch this time — at least some of the events. As I mentioned in the last post, May 6th was the date that started it all. May is always an important time […]
When it all began… - This last weekend marked the official celebration of the 175th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, but it all really began on May 6th. The establishment of the newly created Diocese of Vincennes was approved on April 12, 1834 and the official bulls were issued on May 6. The Diocese of Vincennes—now the Archdiocese of […]
Calendar Events - Here are a few items from the calendar to pass along to you: In this country, one hundred years ago is a long long time. But, what about 260 years ago? Not only that, but 260 years ago in Indiana? Well, that’s how long ago it has been since Fr. Sebastian Louis Meurin S.J. witnessed […]
Ordinations – Felix Matthew Ruff - We all know that in the early days of the Catholic Church in Indiana the clergy were few and far between. When Bishop Bruté arrived in 1834 he had but one priest assigned to the diocese, Simon Petit Lalumiere, who was a native of Vincennes. Bruté spent a great deal of time and travel to […]
Cornerstone Laid - On March 30, 1826, Rev. John B. Champomier laid the cornerstone of the present St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Vincnennes. It was a Thursday. [Cauthorn p.228]
Transfer of the See - On this day, March 28, 1898, the Diocese of Vincennes, officially became the Diocese of Indianapolis. For all intents and purposes that move took place about 20 years previously, in 1878, when Bishop Francis Silas Chatard became the fifth bishop of Vincennes. (He was, of course, also the FIRST Bishop of Indianapolis) Upon his appointment […]
Chatard named Bishop in 1878 - Well, it is a day late, but on March 26, 1878 Silas Chatard, Rector of the North American College in Rome, became the fifth Bishop of Vincennes and also became known as “Francis Silas Chatard”. His full name and title was: Right Rev. Francis Silas Marean Chatard. Marean being his mother’s maiden name. Chatard was […]
Fr. Senat - This is one of those almost “ancient” events that are “related” to the history of the Church in Indiana. On this date, which was Palm Sunday in 1736, Fr. Antoninus Senat S.J. was burned at the stake by Indians. He was pastor of St. Francis Xavier, in Vincennes, according to Cauthorn’s “nine epochs in the […]
Elizabeth Seton and Simon Brute - The month of March is a busy time in the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana. Some of the events of this month happened outside of the state, but all of them had an effect on our Indiana Church. For example, Saturday, March 14, marked the 204th anniversary of Elizabeth Ann Seton’s entry into […]
Citizen Brute - On this day, in 1835, Simon Brute officially became a citizen of the United States. Writing in his 2005 dissertation, Rev. Albert Ledoux, said: “Brute formally embraced United States nationality almost a quarter century after first stepping foot onto a Baltimore pier. He appeared in Vincennes’ Knox County Circuit Court, 7 March 1835 and forevermore […]
Vincennes History - Although not specifically Indiana Catholic, yesterday and today (February 24-25) are worth noting in the history of Indiana. On February 24, 1779, Gen. George Rogers Clark and Governor Hamilton met in the old church at Vincennes (St. Francis Xavier), and they signed the treaty establishing the Northwest Territory as part of Virginia and later the […]
The Death of Benjamin Marie Petit… - Tuesday, February 10th is the 170th anniversary of the death of Fr. Benjamin Marie Petit, the young Breton priest who came to the United States with Bishop Brute in June of 1836 to serve the Church in the missionary territory of Indiana. Petit had been trained in his native France as a lawyer, having graduated […]
St. Palais Consecrated (1849) - On this day (January 14) in 1849 the Right Rev. Jacques M. Maurice Landes d’Aussac de Saint-Palais, commonly known simply as Maurice de St. Palais was consecrated the fourth Bishop of Vincennes. St. Palais was born at LaSalvetat, France on November 15, 1811. He was ordained a priest at Paris, on May 28, 1836. He […]
Diocese of Fort Wayne Established - On this day in 1857, by decree of Pope Pius IX, the northern half of the state became the Diocese of Fort Wayne, the boundaries being that part of the state north of the south boundaries of Fountain, Montgomery, Boone, Hamilton, Madison, Delaware, Randolph, and Warren counties. The remaining southern half of the state made […]
The Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton - Although today, being a Sunday, finds the feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton not officially celebrated, it is still remembered. What does she have to do with the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana? She never visited Indiana, but her spirit is here in many ways. In a physical sense, one way in which she […]
Archdiocese Created - On this day, in 1944, the papal decree of Pope Pius XII was solemnly proclaimed in SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, elevating Indianapolis to the status of an archdiocese, the state of Indiana becoming the metropolitan see. The decree itself was issued October 21, 1944, but on this day in 1944, by executorial decree of […]
Father Petit – Ordination and the “Trail of Death” - I’ve posted many times about the story of Father Benjamin Marie Petit, the young Frenchman who followed Servant of God, Simon Brute to America in order to serve among the missions and, in particular, to serve among the Native Americans in the northern part of the State of Indiana, particularly the Potawatomi Indians. There is […]
Burials and Births (Part Deux) - Another pair of items from the calendar… The first item occurs on December 8th — the death of Bishop Joseph Chartrand. He was born in St. Louis, on May 11, 1870. While attending St. Meinrad Seminary, he incardinated into the Diocese of Indianapolis. He was ordained a priest at Indianapolis on September 24, 1892 by […]
Burials and Births… - There are two items at the end of the November calendar that need to be mentioned. They are, in many ways, tied together. The first event occurred on November 22, 1882. It was the burial of the Right Rev. Célestin René Laurent Guynemer de la Hailandière, or Bishop Hailandière to the rest of us. The […]
Birth of Bishop St. Palais – 1811 - Today (November 15) marks the anniversary of the birth of Bishop St. Palais, fourth Bishop of Vincennes. His “official” name is Right Rev. Jacques M. Maurice Landes d’Aussac de Saint-Palais He was born at LaSalvetat, France on November 15, 1811. Ordained priest at Paris, May 28, 1836. Administrator of the diocese after the death of […]
The “American” Church - Rocco Palmo, the blogger of the popular “Whispers in the Loggia” which gives a lot of insight into the workings and politics of the Church, wrote a column recently about the upcoming U.S. Bishop’s Conference being held in Baltimore. His post, entitled “The Church At Home In America” sums up the great history of our […]
St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Miscellany - Today is the feast of All Saints… Happy Feast Day!!! There are a few items on the calendar which involve the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier in Vincennes. First, this month marks the 245th (yes!! 245 years) anniversary of an item that I have not found too many references to. It was in November of […]
The Feasts of All Saint and All Souls - Saturday, November 1st, is the feast of All Saints. Sunday, November 2nd is the Feast of All Souls. These are two of the most important feast days for us “mortals” and one of the most important feasts of the Church year, but also one of the most overlooked. What do they celebrate? They celebrate ALL […]
Brutés Consecration - Today, October 28th, the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, will be the 174th anniversary of the consecration of Simon Brute as the first Bishop of Vincennes. The ceremony took place in the Old Cathedral in St. Louis. In October of 1834, however, this was the “new Cathedral which had been consecrated on the the […]
Bishop Bazin Consecrated - On October 24, 1847, John Stephen Bazin was consecrated the third Bishop of Vincennes. The ceremony took place in the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier and was presided over by Bishop Michael Portier of Mobile, assisted by Bishop Purcell of Cincinnati and Bishop de la Hailandiere, his predecessor. Born in Duerne, Archdiocese of Lyons, France, […]
Archdiocese celebrates today - On this day, in 1944, the “Diocese of Indianapolis” became the “ARCHdiocese of Indianapolis”. The annual yearbook of the Archdiocese has a chronology which states: An apostolic decree of His Holiness Pope Pius XII, creating the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, was issued October 21, 1944. On December 19, 1944, by executorial decree of the papal delegate, […]
1837 Ordinations - Since (at least) 2006, when Mother Theodore was canonized, the October calendar has been mostly filled with news about our Indiana (canonized) saint. There have been other events in the Indiana Catholic calendar as well and today, October 14th, is one of them. On this day, in 1837, Bishop Simon Brute ordained not only our […]
Bishop Brutés Ghost - This is a little bit of a “tongue-in-cheek” post. I used to have a section on my website about some of the strange stories about some of our Indiana Catholic heroes. The biggest story for one of the biggest heroes was the story about Simon Brutés ghost. It seems that the good Father Brute still […]
Feast Days and Appointment Days - Today is the official feast day of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, canonized on October 15, 2006. This important Indiana Saint seems to pop up in the news more and more. From the renaming of a school, to the erection of a new statue, she has graced the media more often, obviously because of her recognition […]
Joseph Chartrand Ordained - September 24th marks the 116th anniversary of the ordination of Joseph Chartrand. Born in Saint Louis, Missouri on May 11, 1870, he studied at St. Meinrad Seminary and was accepted into the Diocese of Vincennes, (which became the Diocese of Indianapolis in 1898). Chartrand was ordained by Bishop Chatard on September 24, 1892 in Indianapolis. […]
Francis Silas Marean Chatard - Sunday, September 7th marks the 90th anniversary of the death of Bishop Chatard. He was born in Baltimore, on December 13, 1834 to Ferdinand E. Chatard and Eliza Anna Marean. He studied at Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg and became a Doctor of Medicine. He worked in the City Dispensary in Baltimore. It was perhaps […]
Moments of Indiana (Catholic ) History - Indiana University, their radio station WFIU, and others, including the Indiana Historical Society, produce a podcast called “This Moment of Indiana History”. The program is short (usually about 2 minutes), and gives information about a particular person, place or thing important to the history of Indiana. Included among their programs are two people who are […]
Seven Principles of Sainthood-Books about Indiana Saints - There is a new book out about Mother Theodrore, written by Mary K. Doyle. The full title is: Seven Principles of Sainthood: Following St. Mother Theodore Guerin. I say new, however the book was published in May of this year. The blurb reads: In the Seven Principles of Sainthood, Mary K. Doyle defines seven principles […]
Conserving Mother Theodore’s Diary - The Indiana Historical Society’s bi-monthly publication, Perspectives had an article in the latest issue (July-August 2008: Volume-15, Number-4) about their effort to conserve Saint Mother Theodore’s handwritten diaries. The Sisters of Providence asked the Society to see what they could do to help conserve the documents. Apparently there are tears throughout the document which has […]
The Death of Simon Bruté – June 26, 1839 - On June 26, 1839, Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute de Remur breathed his last. After suffering the effects of Tuberculosis, the “Saintly Bishop” (as he was always referred to), died at about 1:30 A.M. The bishop had written a letter on June 18th, knowing that he was going to die soon. This letter was […]
Apostle of the Alleghenies - Although not having to do specifically with Indiana, I noted a piece on St. Anthony Messenger Press’ podcast, American Catholic Radio about Servant of God Demetrius Gallitzin, who was known as the Apostle of the Alleghenies. I mention him here because of the fact that he was the second priest ordained in the United States. […]
Digital Indiana Catholic History - In 1898, Colonel Charles Blanchard published a two volume work entitled The Catholic Church In Indiana – Historical and Biographical. Volume two was a subscription book where prominent (at least prominent enough to purchase space) Catholics told others of their virtues and trials. That was the Biographical part. The first volume, however, was the Historical. […]
Before Vincennes – Simon Brute, Anthony Deydier et al - In 1935, Joseph William Ruane, a member of the Society of St. Sulpice wrote a book entitled The Beginnings of the Society of St. Sulpice in the United States (1791-1829). This was actually Fr. Ruane’s dissertation. What does this have to do with Indiana Catholic History you may ask. Prior to the establishment of the […]
Monsignor John J. Doyle – 1898-1985 - I repeat, with pride and admiration for the subject, earlier posts that I wrote for Monsignor Doyle. It is hard to believe that 23 years have passed since his death. Once again, I thank the PALNI web site for the images. In addition to the previous posts below, I also want to include a clipping […]
Mother Theodore Anniversary - This month marks the anniversary of Mother Theodore’s death in 1856. The Internet is now more full than ever of stories and events surrounding this holy woman. The latest news concerns a statue that will be dedicated at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. on May 10th. You can read the […]
Calendar Items - I want to do a little bit of catch-up with items from the calendar. I posted some information about the surrender of Vincennes back in February. Here are some calendar items that should be mentioned as well. On March 25th — On this date (or at least on Palm Sunday, 1736), Fr. Antoninus Senat was […]
“Trail of Death” historical markers - This article is from the Journal and Courier website in Lafayette, Indiana. Group seeks funds for historical markers Signs would trace ‘Potawatomi Trail of Death’ By ERIC WEDDLE eweddle@journalandcourier.com March 3, 2008 A highway sign displaying the silhouette of a Native American family and an eagle is designed to point passersby to an often overlooked […]
Vincennes Surrenders - February 24th and 25th are important dates with regard to American history. On February 24, 1779, Gen. George Rogers Clark and Governor Hamilton, the British commander at Fort Sackville (Vincennes) met in the old church at Vincennes, which of course, was St. Francis Xavier. There they signed the treaty of surrender, which took place the […]
More on Benjamin Petit - Although I have written here before about Benjamin Petit, I like to introduce and repeat the writing of others, especially those who were, or came close to being contemporaries of these holy men and women who have gone before us. Since February 10th marks the 169th anniversary of the death of Fr. Petit, here is […]
Archbishop Buechlein announces cancer diagnosis - This past week, we were shocked to hear the news that Indianapolis Archbishop, Daniel Buechlein, has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease which is another word for cancer of the lymph nodes. The good news is that it is apparently 85% curable, although the Archbishop has not yet found out the extent of his cancer. The […]
Archbishop O’Meara - I was unable to post this on the actual anniversary date, however, it is still worth remembering that it was 16 years ago on January 10th that Archbishop O’Meara died. Here is his obituary as it appeared in the New York Times: ——————— Edward T. O’Meara Dies at 70; Prelate Led Catholic Relief Group Published: […]
Elizabeth Ann Seton - Today is the feast of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first native born American Saint. Her connections to Indiana are many, although Seton never stepped foot in the state. First, Elizabeth Ann was counseled and spiritually directed by our very own Simon Bruté Her holiness was his holiness. Without taking anything away from Mother Seton’s […]
Ordinations at Vincennes – December 18, 1836 - It was on December 18, 1836, just two years after the arrival of Simon Brute, the first Bishop of Vincennes, and just a few months after Brute’s return from France with his”recruits”, ordinations were celebrated at the Cathedral in Vincennes. It was the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Sister Mary Salesia Godecker wrote: He desired to […]
Prayers for Bishop Brute - It has been a busy month! I have not posted anything for some time. It is probably appropriate to remember what we are all about. Here are two prayers, found on the website of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. They are prayers for the Canonization of Bishop Brute and a prayer to obtain favors through Bishop […]
Bishop Brute” History of Vincennes ““ 1839: Part 7 of 7 - From March 9 through June 22, 1839, Bishop Simon Brute wrote a seven part series for the Vincennes Western Sun. In 1967, Francis P. Clark, a microfilmer at the University of Notre Dame Archives, transcribed this series. We have presented it in the original seven parts. This is the final installment of the series: Part-7 […]
Approaching the Feast of All Saints - As we approach the feast of All Saints, we take a look back at the month of October. October brought us the first feast of Mother Theodore Guerin on October 3rd. She was canonized on October 15, 2006. I think that the Sisters of Providence who for so long sought to have their foundress canonized […]
Sisters of Providence to celebrate feast of foundress - The Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods will celebrate the feast day of St. Mother Theodore Guerin on Wednesday. This will be the first celebration of her feast since her canonization Oct. 15 in Rome by Pope Benedict XVI. A feast day in the Catholic faith tradition is a day set aside to commemorate the […]
Bishop Brute” History of Vincennes ““ 1839: Part 6 of 7 - From March 9 through June 22, 1839, Bishop Simon Brute wrote a seven part series for the Vincennes Western Sun. In 1967, Francis P. Clark, a microfilmer at the University of Notre Dame Archives, transcribed this series. We present it in the original seven parts: Part 6: An epidemic desolated the village of Mascoutensm. Father […]
Bishop Brute” History of Vincennes ““ 1839: Part 4 of 7 - After the discovery of the Mississippi in 1673, by Father Marquette, even before the visits to the same M. LaSalle and Father Hennepin, the French began through Green Bay and Fox river, and through the St. Joseph, and the Kankakee, to trade to the Illinois river. Their missionaries fixed, toward 1675, a principal residence on […]
Bishop Brute” History of Vincennes ““ 1839: Part 4 of 7 - After the discovery of the Mississippi in 1673, by Father Marquette, even before the visits to the same M. LaSalle and Father Hennepin, the French began through Green Bay and Fox river, and through the St. Joseph, and the Kankakee, to trade to the Illinois river. Their missionaries fixed, toward 1675, a principal residence on […]
Bishop Brute” History of Vincennes ““ 1839: Part 3 of 7 - From March 9 through June 22, 1839, Bishop Simon Brute wrote a seven part series for the Vincennes Western Sun. In 1967, Francis P. Clark, a microfilmer at the University of Notre Dame Archives, transcribed this series. We present it in the original seven parts: M. de ï¿½Vincennesï¿½ left a daughter, who married at Kaskaskia, […]
Restoring the “Old Cathedral” - The restoration of Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral at Vincennes was recently completed. Evansville bishop, Gerald Gettlefinger consecrated the church’s new red oak altar at a Mass last weekend during which he carried the staff that belonging to Bishop Simon Brute, first Bishop of Vincennes. The church building dates back to 1826 and the parish itself […]
The Death of Simon Bruté – June 26, 1839 - On June 26, 1839, Servant of God, Simon Gabriel Brute de Remur breathed his last. After suffering the effects of Tuberculosis, the “Saintly Bishop” (as he was always referred to), died at about 1:30 A.M. The bishop had written a letter on June 18th, knowing that he was going to die soon. This letter was […]
Bishop Brutés History of Vincennes – 1839: Part 2 of 7 - PART-2 ((Western Sun. Vincennes. March 16, 1839)) De Vincennes — The Chicachaws’ sad triumphs, seems from the expressions of Father Charlevois, to have made considerable impression in France; the loss of the commander of the expedition, the chevalier D’artaguette, and so many brave officers, and the heroical end of the good Chaplain, and of H. […]
Bishop Brutés History of Vincennes – 1839: Part 1 of 7 - Forward: This History of Vincennes which was written by Bishop Brute, the first Bishop of VincenneS was published in the Western Sun, Vincennes, Indiana in the year 1839. It was published in seven parts starting with the issue of March 9, 1839 and was concluded with the issue of June 22. 1839. As far as […]
Bishop Brutés Report to Rome in 1836 - This is a reprint of an article that appeared in the Catholic Historical Review, Volume 29, (1943-1944), by Thomas T. McAcoy CSC. BISHOP BRUTE’S REPORT TO ROME IN 1836 The value of contemporary observations as historical documents depends upon two important items: the competence of the observer and his intention to give the benefit of […]
Michael Edgar Shawe – 1793-1853 - The following is a transcript from the journal “American Catholic Historical Researches”, April 1897. This journal, which at the time of this publication, was edited by Martin I.J. Griffin. The purpose of the journal was to publish documents not easily found elsewhere. THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC HISTORICAL RESEARCHES Volume-14, Number-2 – April 1897 DEAR PATRONS: It […]
Monsignor John J. Doyle - May 17th marks the 86th anniversary of the ordination of Monsignor John J. Doyle, for whom this website is dedicated. He died on March 22, 1985. We gladly reissue an earlier entry about the Mons. Msgr. Doyle was born in Indianapolis on March 13, 1898. He attended St. Joseph’s Parish school, which was then located […]
The Death of Mother Theodore (Saint Theodora Guérin) - Mother Theodore, Anne-Thérèse Guérin, Saint Theodora Guérin died on May 14, 1856 – 151 years ago. The official website of the Sister’s of Providence have the following posted. (see: SP’s Official Website) The “Catholic Telegraph and Advocate” in Cincinnati, Ohio, published the following notice about Mother Theodore’s death. She died May 14, 1856. “Died – […]
125th Anniversary of the death of Bishop Hailandiere - Tuesday, May 1st, marks the 125th anniversary of the death of Celestine de La Hailaindiere, the second bishop of Vincennes and a man who has had much negative press in the past year. RIGHT REV. CELESTINE RENE LAWRENCE GUYNEMER DE LA HAILANDIERE, the second Bishop of Vincennes, was born at Combourg, in Brittany, May 2, […]
170th Anniversary of Fr. Deydier’s Ordination - Sunday, March 25th marks the 170th anniversary of the ordination of Rev. Anthony Deydier, perhaps one of the first of what we now call late vocations. Anthony Deydier was ordained on Holy Saturday, March 25th, 1837. This was a special time for the Diocese of Vincennes not only because the first ordination in the new […]
Fr. Benjamin Marie Petit - Rev. Benjamin Marie Petit was born in the city of Rennes, France, on April 8, 1811. He was recruited by Bishop Simon Brute to come to America and be a missionary to the Indians in Indiana. Petit arrived as the Catholic missionary to the Potawatomi Indians in northern Indiana in November 1837, replacing Father Louis […]
Mother Theodore meets the 21st century (again) - I read an interesting article in the “Notre Dame Magazine” by Kathleen Sprows Cummings, the Associate Director of the “Cushwa Center for American Catholicism”. The article, entitled “Strong-willed sister and Sorin ally named a saint” takes a quick look at some of the obstacles that Mother Theodore had to overcome, including smallpox, family deaths and […]
Publications of note - It is a new year and it will, with God’s help, be a good one. I have two publications that I want to pass on to you. Both of them have to do with the history of the Church in Indiana and the Potawatomi Indians. The first is an e-book entitled, “The Last Blackrobe of […]
Interesting connections - I recently discovered a web site within the confines of the University of Notre Dame. It deals with one of my favorite people, Father Benjamin Petit, the young French priest who was ordained by Bishop Brute, and who accompanied the Potawatomi indians on their “Trail of Death”. The web site deals with (among other things) […]
All Saints – All Souls - This is the time of year for Halloween, which of course, is the Eve of All Saints, but in secular clothing. It is probably my favorite feast since I am very much involved with the veneration of the saints — those friends of ours in “high places”. The saints are those models who show us […]
The Eighth American Saint - It is interesting to note that there is already a new book about Saint Theodora Guerin (is that what they are calling her now?). Here’s the information: The Life of Saint Mother Theodore Guérin, Foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana Katherine Burton, Mary K. Doyle $12.95 ISBN: 0879463244 Book (Paperback) 272 […]
Saint Mother Theodore meets the 21st Century Media - Tracking the news coverage of the upcoming canonization of Mother Theodore Geurin has been interesting. Mostly because there is coverage from all over the globe about this simple, brave, French woman who came to the wilderness of Indiana in 1840. Most of these articles have dealt with the struggles that the Sisters had with their […]
Anticipating Canonization: - As the canonization of Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin draws closer, the news media are beginning to pick up more and ore of the story. On October 3rd Mother Theodore’s remains were moved from the crypt below the church of the Immaculate Conception, to a place of honor inside the church. Here are a number of […]
Memorial of Blessed Mother Theodore: - Today is celebrated as the memorial to Blessed Mother Theodore Guérin. Of course she will soon be known as Saint Mother Theodore. She was born on October 2, 1798. At the invitation of Bishop Hailandiere she and five other sisters came to Indiana. The journey was difficult and so was life on the Indiana frontier. […]
Death of Bishop Bruté - [This article originally appeared in American Catholic Historical Researches – Vol. 15, No.1, January 1898] Sister Benedicta, at Vincennes, wrote to Mother Rose at Emmittsburg – June 17, 1839: My Dear Mother: At length the sad day has arrived on which we see [the] diocese of Vincennes deprived of its Bishop, the flock of CHRIST […]
Troubles from the Past: — The following is transcribed from “The Holy See and the Nascent Church in the Middle Western United States, 1826-1850” by Robert Trisco, 1962 (pp.386-388) - [NOTE: The Church has always had problems with certain individuals. The clergy were no exception. The example below was intended to show how Papal power did not always extend to the lowest levels of the Church. My intention is to show that there were, and always will be difficult situations when it comes to the […]
Sainthood!! - Mother Theodore Guerin to be canonized during Oct. 15 ceremony at the Vatican Note: See photo captions at the bottom of this story. Click here to see a full media kit of information about Mother Theodore. Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., will be canonized Oct. 15, […]
Simon William Gabriel Brute de RÃ©mur - Monday, June 26, 2006 marks the 167th anniversary of the death of Bishop Brute. Last year, Archbishop Daniel Beuchlein officially began the cause for canonization of Bishop Brute. The following is the biography of the bishop, printed in the 1913 edition of the Catholic Encyclopdia. More information can be found on this website by clicking […]
The Correspondence of M.A. Frenaye - Marc Anthony Frenaye was a prominent Philadelphia layman who contributed a great deal of time and money to Catholicism. There are a number of references made from letters, both to and from him, especially between him and Bishop Francis Patrick Kenrick. The following is from the American Catholic Historical Researches Volume-3, pp.492-494: INDIANA. Rev. Simon […]
Catholic Historical Review – Bishop Brutés Papers - Volume 3, pp. 492-494 – (1919?) A singular fatality seems to have been attached to the manuscript remains of Bishop Brute, the first Bishop of Vincennes, Born in Rennes, France, in 1779, he was a youth during the Reign of Terror and witnessed many of the atrocities of that period. After graduating in medicine and […]
Anthony Deydier — One of the first Late Vocations: - • Anthony Deydier was ordained on Holy Saturday, March 25th, 1837. This was a special time for the Diocese of Vincennes not only because the first ordination in the new Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier had taken place a few weeks earlier, but also because Anthony Deydier, a man who had been ordained a deacon […]
Preserving Cardinal Ritter’s Boyhood Home - Report: St. Louis Catholic leaders raise money to honor Ritter St. Louis Business Journal – May 18, 2006 Monsignor Richard Stika of the Archdiocese of St. Louis is fueling an effort to raise money in St. Louis to restore the childhood home of the late Cardinal Joseph Ritter. Ritter’s boyhood home in New Albany, Ind., […]
History Clippings - I want to begin sharing many of the notes, articles and clippings that are located in the Text & Miscellaneous section of this web site. The link will eventually diasappear and be incorporated into this blog. Below are the last two of those articles.
Louis DeSeille - Louis DeSeille — Missionary Priest [Originally Posted January 16, 2006] • This is a reprint of an article that appeared in Saint Meinrad Historical Essays (Volume-2, Number-3), March 1932. It was written by Andrew Ditlinger. The article is in “PDF” format. You can read the article by clicking here
Simon Lalumiere – Sacramental Record - Simon Petit Lalumiere — Sacramental Record 1830-1836 [Originally Posted January 26, 2006] • In the earliest days of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Vincennes, the first priest assigned to the new diocese was Simon Petit Lalumiere, a native of Vincennes who knew the area well. Since priests were obliged to keep a record […]
May – Ordination Month - May has traditionally been the month for ordination of the clergy. That has changed over the years and ordinations now take place at various times of the year, but the months of May and June still dominate. This month there are a couple of names that bear mentioning. First, Monsignor John J. Doyle who was […]
Mother Theodore Anniversary - As we continue to look at the life and times of Mother Theodore Guerin, whose canonization is only a matter of time, we remember that on May 14, 1856, at half past three in the morning, she died. In her book, “History of the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary of the Woods”, Sister Mary […]
More on Mother Theodore’s impending canonization - I think that perhaps, sometimes, we are unaware of the great religious significance of the impending canonization of Mother Theodore Guerin. How important this is not only for the Sisters of Providence, but also for the Catholic Church in Indiana! A Saint! From Terre Haute! Can you imagine? Having spent a number of years in […]
(Saint) Mother Theodore Geurin… - Realizing that my focus has been, and continues to be the history of the clergy in Indiana, I also want to reiterate that my bigger focus is on the history of the Catholic Church in Indiana. With that in mind I want to repeat a story from the Catholic News Service, dated April 28th. This […]
Msgr. Francis R. Tuohy (1935-2005) - Although I like to concentrate on the early history of the diocese, there are some individuals who stand out in our current history: Msgr. Francis Tuohy Ordained: 1961, died on Thursday, March 24, 2005 Rev. Msgr. Francis R. Tuohy, JCL, PA 69, lifelong resident of Indianapolis and well respected Roman Catholic priest, died on the […]
Msgr. John J. Doyle (1898-1985) - March 22nd is the anniversary of the death of Monsignor John J. Doyle. Msgr. Doyle was born in Indianapolis on March 13, 1898. He attended St. Joseph’s Parish, which was then located on the corner of North Street and College Avenue. He attended St. Meinrad and was ordained on May 17, 1921 Msgr. Doyle, known […]
Fr. John Plunket (1798-1840) - [The following article was taken from the history pages for St. Dennis Church, Joliet Illinois. This article and other can be viewed on their website at http://www.saint-dennis.org/history/sdh7.asp] During the fever days in late summer of 1838 along the Illinois and Michigan Canal, a call for mercy was sent to Bishop Brutï¿½ at Vincennes. The sick […]
August Bessonies - Today is the 105th anniversary of the death of Msgr August Bessoinies. He was a true pioneer priest in the Diocese of Vincennes. Here is an excerpt from “Reminiscences of a Pioneer Priest in the Diocese of Vincennes” which appeard in Blanchard’s “The History of the Catholic Church in Indiana”. It was transcribed by Ann […]
Sharing your views - Beginning today, I would like to begin to share your views of Indiana Catholic History. Please share your thoughts and memories of anyone or anything or anyplace that has to do with the history of the Catholic church in Indiana. This web site is dedicated to the memory of those members of the clergy who […]

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