Bishop Simon Bruté
Simon Guillaume Gabriel Bruté de
Rémur was born in France in
1779 and in 1834 became the first bishop of the newly created Diocese of Vincennes, which at that time incorporated the entire state of Indiana and the eastern portion of Illinois. In time, the diocese was split apart and its core is the modern day Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
Our archbishop, Daniel M. Buechlein, is the successor to Bishop Bruté, and in the fall of this year officially opened the Cause of Canonization of his predecessor, who is now rightly called a "Servant of God." (See www.archindy.org/brute)
Archbishop Buechlein has said that he prays to Bishop Bruté to continue to send our diocese men who desire to serve God and the Church as priests -- it was Bishop Bruté who, despite arriving in his massive frontier diocese with only two priests, was able to lay the groundwork for our archdiocese of more than 200,000 Catholics today.
Below are links to a series of columns that Archbishop Buechlein wrote in The Criterion, our official newspaper, about the life of Bishop Bruté, as well as links to other articles from the same publication that track the history of the newly opened Cause of Canonization.
Also, read about the Bishop Bruté College Seminary at Marian College, where our archdiocesan college seminarians study and share in a community.
Series on the Life of Bishop Bruté
On June 3, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein began a series for the summer in his weekly “Seeking the Face of the Lord” column on the life and ministry of Bishop Simon Bruté—the first bishop of what is now the archdiocese.
“Elements of his life and ministry can serve as a framework for reflections on the meaning of his virtues for us Catholics some 160 years later. I truly believe he is a blessing and a grace for our local Church,” said Archbishop Buechlein.
A booklet of all this particular series will be available soon from Criterion Press, Inc. More of the archbishop's columns can be found here
Criterion Articles
Archbishop Buechlein wishes to see
diocese’s first bishop canonized - August 29, 2003
Cause for canonization of Bishop Bruté
closer to official opening - April 22, 2005
The Cause of Canonization of Bishop Bruté is opened -
September 16, 2005