Around The Diocese For September 21

Happy Birthday!

Father Phil Kreilein, pastor of Resurrection Parish in Evansville, celebrates his birthday on Sept. 28.

Father Biju Thomas, administrator of St. Peter Parish in Linton and Holy Name Parish in Bloomfield, celebrates his birthday on Sept. 28.

Father Lowell Will, retired priest of the diocese, celebrates his birthday on Sept. 29

Kaylynn Herrmann, principal of Sts. Peter and Paul School in Haubstadt, celebrates her birthday on Sept. 27.

Angie Johnson, principal of St. James School in Haubstadt, celebrates her birthday on Sept. 29.

Vatican astronomer will speak at Saint Meinrad 

Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, director of the Vatican Observatory, will give a special lecture at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, St. Meinrad, at 7 p.m. Central Time on  September 25. 

Brother Guy   will speak on “Adventures of a Vatican Astronomer” in the Newman Theater at Saint Meinrad. The lecture is free and open to the public. 

At the Vatican Observatory since 1993, Brother Guy has conducted research that explores connections between meteorites, asteroids, and the evolution of small solar system bodies; observed Kuiper Belt comets with the Vatican’s 1.8-meter telescope in Arizona; and applied his measure of meteorite physical properties to understanding asteroid origins and structure.

Along with more than 200 scientific publications, he is the author of a number of popular books, including Turn Left at Orion (with Dan Davis) and, most recently, Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? (with Jesuit Father Paul Mueller, SJ). He also has hosted science programs for BBC Radio 4, been interviewed in numerous documentary films, appeared on “The Colbert Report,” and for more than 10 years he has written a monthly science column for the British Catholic magazine, The Tablet.

A native of Detroit, Mich., he earned undergraduate and master’s degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a PhD in planetary science from the University of Arizona. 

Fr. Consolmagno’s work has taken him to every continent. In 1996 he spent six weeks collecting meteorites with a NASA team on the blue ice regions of East Antarctica. He has served on the governing boards of the Meteoritical Society; the American Astronomical Society Division for Planetary Sciences (of which he was chair in 2006-2007); and IAU Commission 16 (Planets and Satellites). 

In 2000, the small bodies nomenclature committee of the IAU named an asteroid, 4597 Consolmagno, in recognition of his work. In 2014 he received the Carl Sagan Medal from the American Astronomical Society Division for Planetary Sciences for excellence in public communication in planetary sciences. 

Parking is available behind St. Bede Hall, as well as in the Guest House and student parking lots. For more information, contact Mary Jeanne Schumacher at (812) 357-6501.

October Monte Cassino pilgrimages set 

Saint Meinrad Archabbey’s pilgrimages to honor the Blessed Mother at the Monte Cassino Shrine have been scheduled for the Sundays in October. 

The pilgrimages begin with an opening hymn and a short sermon, followed by a rosary procession. The service ends with the Litany of the Blessed Virgin and a hymn. Speakers and topics for the pilgrimages are: 

            Oct. 7 – Benedictine Father Guerric DeBona, “Mary as the Hearer of the Word”

            October 14 – Benedictine Brother Maurus Zoeller, „Marian Shrines and Pilgrimages” 

            Oct. 21 – Benedictine Novice Christian Lumsden, “Mary Theotokos, Bearer of God: The Example to Us for Christian Living” 

            October 28 – Benedictine Kolbe Wolniakowski, “Our Lady: Star of the Sea” 

            Services begin at 2 p.m. Central Time. The public is welcome. The Monte Cassino Shrine is located one mile east of the Archabbey on State Road 62 in St. Meinrad. 

For more information, call Mary Jeanne Schumacher during business hours at (812) 357-6501. For updates on the day of the event, call (812) 357-6611.

Tours of Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto at St. Boniface Parish, Evansville 

St. Boniface Parish in Evansville will provide tours of Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto during Sundays in October. The grotto is located under St. Boniface Church, 418 N. Wabash St., Evansville, IN 47712. Tours will be available after the 10 a.m. Central Time Mass on Sundays continuing until 2 p.m. each week. St. Boniface also has a weekly Mass scheduled in the grotto at 7:30 a.m. Central Time on Saturdays. Private tours of the grotto also are available. For more information, contact Bob Koressel at 812-589-4111.