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 to the most Rev. Archbishop (then bishop) of New York, a large number of MSS. which had belonged to his predecessor.”
Brute wrote a great deal, but it still isn’t clear where everything went after his death. However, there are some papers that remained in the Archives of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. 
One of these is a few pages purported to have been written by Brute himself. All indications are that they were written by him by comparing the handwriting on these documents and other handwriting which is known to be his.
I want to talk about one part of this document, which was part of Brutés own instructions for his funeral. It shows his humility and his sense that he was “going home” so to speak. As you can see in the document, to the left, (click on it for a larger view), Brute used his talents as a sketch artist to make a drawing as to the placement of his remains in relation to the altar.
I have to say that I have not “deciphered” the entire document, but the part that struck me the most was where he says:
“My 1st, oldest [???] cassock, given to me at Emmitsburg [and] in which I was consecrated in St. Louis, good now for nothing but to rot with me.”
Despite his humility, he was admired by the people of Vincennes who turned out in great numbers for his funeral. In his book, St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Henry Cauthorn said that his funeral was “…the largest ever known in the place.”
We continue to honor him and join him in prayer. We also pray to the Lord for his canonization.
