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 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 Saints and ALL Souls. In the case of All Saints, not just those who are officially recognized by the Church, but also those who are not, as well as ourselves. We are all members of the Communion of Saints. That is one reason why we try to remember those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.
We can certainly remember all those who have been officially recognized, but there are over 10,000 canonized saints and no head count is available. There are also holy men and women who have not been canonized for some reason or another and we remember them as well. Again, not just those who were models for the whole church or the local church, but also those who were models for us individually, such as parents, grandparents, etc. I read an article in Saint Anthony Messenger which referred to that great cloud of witnesses as ‘God’s Glorious Nobodies’.
Then, we celebrate All Souls. This is the day we remember and pray for those who have died, those who are being purged and those who have been through their purgatory and are now enjoying the full Beatific Vision.
On this site I try to highlight those men and women who have connections closer to home, namely Indiana. So, this weekend we honor all of those holy people who contributed to the the Church in Indiana. Those canonized, (Mother Theodore Guerin), and those in process, (Servant of God Simon Brute).
We also honor those who are not yet ‘in process’ but probably should be, and those who will probably never be officially canonized by the Church, yet remain models for each of us. We also pray for all those who have served the Church. Those who are not named here and those who have been forgotten. Priests, Sisters, ‘Lay’ persons.
The first reading on Tuesday is taken from the Book of Wisdom: (3:1-9)
The souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
Here is a list of those who are especially remembered this day for their part in the building up of the Church in Indiana:
Servant of God, Simon Brute – First Bishop of Vincennes
St. Mother Theodore Guerin – Indiana’s first “Canonized” Saint
Simon Lalumiere – Born in 1804
Anthony Deydier – Brutés “late” vocation
Stephen Bazin – 3rd Bishop of Vincennes
Vincent Bacquelin – Served Shelbyville and Indianapolis
Julian Benoit – See Bibliography
Mother Theresa Hackelmeier – Oldenburg Franciscans
August Bessonies – Early Pioneer Priest
Joseph Chatrand – Bishop of Indianapolis and Cincinnati (almost)
John Corbe – Chaplain of the Sisters of Providence
John Chasse – Pioneer Priest
Francis Chatard – Bishop for 40 years
Hippolyte Dupontavice – First Priest of Hailandiere
Martin Marty – First Abbot at St. Meinrad
Joseph Ferneding – Pioneer Priest
Celestin de la Hailandiere – Second Bishop of Vincennes
Joseph Kundek – Brought Benedictines to Indiana
Fintan Mundweiler – Early Benedictine leader
Benjamin Petit – Trail of Death martyr
Nicholas Petit S.J. – Brutés choice for Bishop
Maurice de St. Palais – Fourth Bishop of Vincennes
Michael Edgar Shawe – Madison pastor
Roman Weinzapfel – Persecuted Priest
There are many many more men and women that could be named here, but for now, this will suffice. Use this day to remember them and all the unnamed, including our own ancestors, who have helped to build up the Church in Indiana.
As they say… ‘In Other News”…
November is also the anniversary of the kidnapping, in the nighttime, in November 1763, of Julien Devernier, (De Vernier?) then pastor of St. Francis Xavier, Vincennes, by an armed force from Louisiana. The church property and all records were carried off to New Orleans. This was the suppression of the Jesuits. 1
Finally, this month also celebrates the building of the first church on the site of the present cathedral in Vincennes, in November 1702 2.
November is a busy month and there is more to come…
