May 2024
In this email we bring you our continuing monthly series of blogs written by our seminarians. We hope you find their writings spiritually uplifting and educational.
Important Message from Fr. Joe Moriarty
Dear friends in Christ,
I hope this message finds you well. I send this information to let you know of a transition in my future. Beginning this June 2024, I will no longer serve as Rector of Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary and will begin a sabbatical till January 2025.
The Vice Rector Fr. Andrew Syberg, who has served faithfully for over the past six years, will become the next Rector of Bishop Bruté College Seminary effective May 31, 2024.
It has been my joy and pleasure to work with you and seminarians in some capacity for over 25 years. Following my sabbatical, I will become a pastor at a parish in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, which will be named at a later date.
I know that this news may come as a surprise to you, however, having been a priest for more than 30 years, I am grateful that the Archbishop, in consultation with the personnel board, is allowing me this time for rest and renewal and eventually the opportunity to be a pastor. Moreover, I wholeheartedly feel I am leaving the seminary in good hands under the leadership of Fr. Andrew Syberg. I thank the staff of the seminary, the development office of the Archdiocese, the seminary advisory board, and each one of you for your constant support of the seminary.
Fr. Peter Marshall has been appointed the new Vice Rector and Fr. C. Ryan McCarthy has been appointed the new Spiritual Director effective May 31.
Thank you.
Fr. Joe
Senior Reflection
I can hardly believe my time here at Bruté is almost at an end. I was only at Bruté for two years, which went by way too fast. I first came to Bruté in the fall of 2022 as a junior. At that time, I couldn’t imagine the incredible time awaiting me. I had a lot of reservations at the beginning. I didn’t know any of the other guys. I knew the academic curriculum would be a challenge because I was condensing the philosophy of a four-year program into two years. The first couple weeks were not that great because I constantly felt like, “What am I doing here?” But Bruté is an incredible place. It quickly became a home for me. The first time I knew I belonged at Bruté was when Fr. Joe took us to his lake house one Sunday early in the fall semester. Friendships with some of the other seminarians were started that day and I began to see that God was really looking out for me despite the fact He had turned my life upside down.
As I look back on my short two years at Bruté, I am aware of God’s incredible grace in my life. It has been a privilege to be at Bruté under the formation of Fr. Joe, Fr. Andy and all of the other priests involved. I know that God wanted me here. I have grown in many ways and had so many great experiences. The blessings I have received simply by discerning priesthood are unfathomable. The memories made at Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary will always have a special place in my heart. If anyone reading this has contributed to the seminary, thank you so much for making this journey possible for me and the other seminarians.
Jacob Esker is a Bruté seminarian studying for the Diocese of Springfield, IL and a member of the Class of 2024.
Congratulations Bruté Class of 2024
Congratulations to the Bruté seniors who graduated on May 4, 2024. Three of the five will be attending major seminary in the fall to continue their formation for the priesthood! One will continue to discern his calling to a religious order and the other will be taking a pastoral year working in a parish.
Jacob Esker- Diocese of Springfield, IL
Nick Kompar- Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Jacob Schneider- Diocese of Evansville
Randy Schneider- Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Nathan Thompson- Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Nathan Thompson- Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Shop the Bruté store
Do you want some Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary branded clothing? Thanks to Catholic Concepts, parent company of Sock Religious, you can now shop the Bruté store. Click here to visit the store and purchase your Bruté gear today.
Biography of Bishop Bruté
Would you like to learn more about the life of Bishop Simon Bruté? Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, O.S.B, wrote a short biography on the first bishop of Indiana.
If you would like a free copy, please reach out to Ellen Sanders at esanders@archindy.org or (317) 236-1501.
If you would like a free copy, please reach out to Ellen Sanders at esanders@archindy.org or (317) 236-1501.
What is the Catholic Community Foundation
The Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) is the charitable foundation for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. CCF was established in 1987 to provide long-term stability for charitable, religious and educational organizations within the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. We operate with the constant focus of ensuring donor intent to provide for the long-term financial health of the Catholic church in central and southern Indiana.
CCF manages more than 600 endowment and donor-advised funds which are invested according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) guidelines for socially responsible investing. Donors can rest assured that their fund is in alignment with the teachings of the Catholic Church. All funds grow with the investing power of our combined $242 million in assets. We work with both individual donors, and our parishes, schools and ministries to match donor passions with the needs of our Catholic entities.
Our staff members consider it a privilege to work with donors to help them realize their giving goals and to make impactful gifts. If you are interested in more information about planned gifts or investing through CCF, please contact our team at ccf@archindy.org or 317-236-1568.
Bishop Simon Bruté Giving Society save the date
Your gift of $1,000 or more will recognize you as a member of the Bishop Simon Bruté Giving Society. Members will receive special gifts and experiences. At each level, all previous level benefits are included.
- Bishop Chartrand Circle with gifts of $1,000 - $2,499 will receive a Bruté Prayer Journal.
- Cardinal Ritter Circle with gifts of $2,500 - $4,999 will be invited to Sunday Mass in May 2025 at the seminary followed by donuts and coffee.
- Archbishop O’Meara Circle with gifts of $5,000 to $9,999 will be invited to Evening Prayer and Mass in March 2025 with the seminarians followed by a light dinner at the seminary.
- Archbishop Buechlein Circle with gifts of $10,000 and above will be invited to the spring semester opening Mass on January 5, 2025 at the seminary with Archbishop Thompson followed by a light breakfast.
2024 Bishop Bruté Days- NEW DATES
Updated Dates
Bishop Bruté Days (July 8-10, 2024) is a retreat for young men, grades 9-12 the following school year, who are seeking to grow closer to Christ, and may be open to the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood. The retreat gives young men the opportunity to spend three days with the Bruté college seminarians learning about prayer, service, scripture, and the awesome gift of our Catholic faith.
Bishop Bruté Days Jr. (Thursday, July 11, 2024) is a one-day experience for young men who are in junior high (7th and 8th grade). It is designed to focus more on general discernment and serve as an introduction to Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary.
If you know a young man that might be interested in attending either of these events, more information and registration can be found here.
Pray for our Seminarians
Please pray for our Bruté Seminarians. Find a printable version of this prayer card on our website.
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For more information
- If you wish to contact Bruté Rector Fr. Joe Moriarty, you can reach him at jmoriarty@archindy.org or call 317-924-4100.
- To inquire about donating to Bruté, please contact Ellen Sanders at esanders@archindy.org or call 317-236-1501.