St. Boniface Parish Hosts Funeral For Native Son Father August Busch
Not long before his death, Father August Busch made it known that he wanted his Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at his home parish and in his home church – St. Boniface on Evansville’s West Side.
Father Busch died on Sept. 30 as he prayed the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows with friends and caregivers. The annual Westside Nut Club Fall Festival necessitated scheduling of his visitation and funeral for after the conclusion of the weeklong event, which ran from Oct. 3 through Oct. 8.
Those who knew and loved Father Busch filled St. Boniface for his Oct. 10 funeral, and more than 40 of his brother priests joined them and concelebrated Mass with Bishop Charles C. Thompson. Father Joseph Ziliak gave the homily.
“(Father Busch) heard God’s call at a very young age,” Father Ziliak said, “and right from this church. Here is where his life in God began, and constantly was renewed and encouraged, and grew through the years.”
He went on to thank those who picked out the readings for the Mass. They included Isaiah 61: 1-3, 6; Psalm 23 (Responsorial Psalm); I Corinthians 11: 23-25; and John 6: 37-40. Those readings provided a collective scriptural tribute to Father Busch for his decades of loving, faithful service to several parishes across the diocese.
“We thank you,” he said, “because those readings offer us a picture of a priest and what a priest does. This is a reminder of who we are as priests and what we are about. What a marvelous privilege it is (to celebrate the Eucharist) … and one that we priests don’t always think about.”
Father Busch was born March 4, 1930, the son of August N. and Anna Busch of Evansville. He attended St. Boniface School in Evansville before entering St. Meinrad Minor Seminary. He graduated from St. Meinrad Minor Seminary in 1948, and earned a bachelor’s degree in History and Philosophy from St. Meinrad College in 1952. He attended seminary at St. Meinrad, and Bishop Henry J. Grimmelsman ordained him a priest of the Diocese of Evansville on May 26, 1956.
Father Busch was preceded in death by his parents; brothers and sisters-in-laws Charles and Patricia Busch and James and Kitty Busch; sisters and brothers-in-laws Alvira and Phil Mastropolito and Mary Ellen and Charles Stofleth; and sister, Jane Busch.
St. Boniface held visitation on Oct. 9 and again on Oct. 10 before the Mass of Christian Burial. Interment at St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville followed the funeral Mass.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Poor Clare Sisters at the Monastery of St. Clare.
