Heaven Rejoices In God's Creation Through Another Voice

Shortly after returning home from the June 18 Memorial Mass at St. Meinrad Archabbey for Benedictine Father Damian Schmelz, who died peacefully June 12 at age 84, I found online the day’s post to Twitter from Pope Francis. I have grabbed a graphic of the post from his Twitter feed.

“More than a scientific question, the universe is a joyful mystery that speaks of God’s boundless love for us.”

In those 19 words, the Holy Father connected to something that has left me feeling sad that I didn’t get to know Father Damian better in the short time I have been here. Father Damian reveled in that joyful mystery; that’s clear.

Benedictine Father Kurt Stasiak, recently elected new Archabbot at St. Meinrad, made a point of telling those who attended the memorial Mass that the creation story was one of Father Damian’s most beloved Bible passages. “For Father Damian, this was the perfect intersection of prayer and work,” he said.

Something inspired the Holy Father to post that particular thought on the day when people from across our diocese came together to celebrate the memory of a priest who connected so very well with that very notion. For me, the dots connected quickly.

These days, Heaven rejoices in God’s Creation through another voice: that of a holy man who served many – including parishioners of St. Henry Parish in St. Henry – throughout a dynamic priestly ministry.

Father Damian loved the people he served; and clearly, he loved all of God’s living things just as much. He researched Indiana’s old-growth forests. He served more than a decade on the Natural Resources Commission, providing input and helping to decide the management directives for our fish and wildlife resources.

There is a section of the Donaldson’s Woods Nature Preserve dedicated in his honor. In his memorial Mass homily, Archabbot Kurt said some other things about Father Damian that have stuck with me:

“More than anyone I have ever known, Father Damian’s head was stuffed with science. And his heart was cheerful and caring.” Also, in noting that Father Damian was mostly a quiet man:

“But when he did speak, his words were careful, wise and right.”

As we move through the rest of this summer and head into fall – my favorite time of year – let’s all pause often to truly revel in the joyful mystery of God’s Creation – on clear nights with star-filled skies; on days when we are blessed to be out on the water or in the woods; whenever God grants a glimpse of one of his wild creations … a deer, turkey, squirrel or fox.

When we do, let’s thank God for Father Damian and the many ways he served our diocese, our state, our wildlife and natural places, and for all that he shared with us. In particular, let’s always try to treat God’s Creation as Father Damian did throughout his life:  as “a joyful mystery that speaks of God’s boundless love for us.”