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 ordained at St. Meinrad on this date in 1921. Monsignor Doyle was archivist and historian for the Archdiocese until his death in 1985. (See below for more information on the “Mons”). Most of the priests in the Necrology ordained in May were in the 20’s and after, with the exception of John Peter Dion who was ordained on May 25, 1837. He was born at Drouges, in the Diocese of Rennes, France, the home of Simon Brute. When Bishop Brute visited France, Father Dion asked to return to Indiana with him, but he was unable to obtain permission until 1843. He served the diocese until 1896. He died on April 8th of that year in Vincennes and was buried in the cemetery of the orphange of St. Vincent dePaul.