History book recounts 175 years of Catholicism in the archdiocese

“The Archdiocese of Indianapolis: 1834-2009, Like a Mustard Seed Growing” tells the story of Catholicism in central and southern Indiana from the arrival of Jesuit missionaries in the mid-1700s to the present day. (Book cover courtesy of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Office of Communications)

Criterion staff report

To commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, the archdiocese has produced an official jubilee history book.

The nearly 200-page hardcover, titled “The Archdiocese of Indianapolis: 1834-2009, Like a Mustard Seed Growing” tells the story of Catholicism in central and southern Indiana from the arrival of Jesuit missionaries in the mid-1700s to the present day.

This limited edition book will be made available through archdiocesan parishes. A copy can be reserved by going to the archdiocesan Web site at www.archindy.org/175th and filling out a reservation form. More information and sample pages of the book can be found on the Web site.

Books can also be reserved by mail by sending your name, address, parish, telephone number and the quantity of books you want. Send a note to the Archbishop O’Meara Catholic Center, 1400 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-2367, or P.O. Box 1400, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1400, c/o Ron Massey.

Do not send money to reserve a copy of the book. You will be billed later. The books will be printed this fall and available before the end of the year.

The history book sells for $27 (plus 6 percent for shipping and handling). The coffee-table book contains glossy, full-color photographs and graphics. The first half of the book is an historical account of the founding of the archdiocese and the growth of the Catholic Church in Indiana. The second half of the book contains historical information and photographs of each parish in the archdiocese.

The history book was written by Oldenburg Franciscan Sister Francis Assisi Kennedy and is being published by Éditions du Signe of Strasbourg, France.

This book is one of many special projects and events planned to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, which was established on May 6, 1834, by Pope Gregory XVI.

In his introduction to the book, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein writes: “Our Church’s mission today isn’t much different than it was 175 years ago. We are still under the mandate of Jesus Christ to invite people to ‘come and see’—to meet Him and to see what we are all about. But before we can issue that invitation, we ourselves must be living our faith. We cannot show Jesus to others if we ourselves are not reflecting his image.

“This history will help all of us learn how our ancestors in the faith revealed the face of the Lord to others and how, over the years, they invited people to ‘come and see.’ By learning about our own past and celebrating it, we will be able to more clearly ask God to guide us through the next 175 years.”

Readers of the book will learn interesting historical facts, such as what role the Catholic Church played in the defeat of the British at Fort Sackville near Vincennes during the American Revolution and the inspiring story of Servant of God Simon Bruté, the first bishop of what would become the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

The book is also filled with the names of hundreds of lay people who over the past 175 years played key roles in building up the Church in central and southern Indiana.

“This book celebrates the sacrifices, generosity, charity and other graced actions with which earlier generations nurtured the growth of our faith,” said Sister Francis Assisi, the book’s author. †