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 June 10, 1967, Joseph Cardinal Ritter, Archbishop of Saint Louis and an Indiana native, died in St. Louis. There was talk at one time of Ritter becoming the first American Pope. More importantly, Ritter was a champion of civil rights. He desegregated Catholic schools in Indiana and St. Louis despite much opposition.
On June 10, (or was it June 11th?), Servant of God, Simon Brute, was ordained a priest. According to Sister Mary Salesia Godecker, Bruté was ordained on June 10, 1808 at the church of St. Sulpice in Paris. He was ordained by the Right Reverend Andre’, the retired Bishop of Quimper. His first Mass was celebrated at the altar of the Blessed Virgin in the Seminary of St. Sulpice on Trinity Sunday, June 11, 1808. Brutés “Memoirs” by Archbishop Bayley say that he was ordained on the Saturday before Trinity Sunday in 1808. That would mean JUNE 11th, according to a perpetual calendar. Trinity Sunday was 12 June, 1808 according to one source 1. Papers in the Indianapolis Archdiocesan Archives, which appear to have been written by Brute say “Ordained Priest on the 10th of June 1808”, yet the Archdiocesan website says he was ordained June 11th. Despite attempts to verify the date, no definitive answer could be found.
