September 7, 2023 // Diocese

Around the Diocese: September 10, 2023

Todays Catholic

Diocesan Museum Set for ‘Be a Tourist’ Event

FORT WAYNE – On Sunday, September 10, the Diocesan Museum adjacent to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Fort Wayne will participate in the city’s 24th annual Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown, where visitors who pick up a free “passport” can tour 21 museums and attractions for free.

The Diocesan Museum “is a treasure trove of religious artifacts that bring to life the Catholic faith’s awe-inspiring history, especially that of northeast Indiana. Many items are significant in telling the story of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, while others reference the universal history of Christ and the Catholic Church. The displays are informative, sometimes thought-provoking, even amusing. Museum artifacts include a mid-13th century handwritten bible, relics of St. Mother Teresa and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a collection of nun dolls, and an 85-year-old statue showing the graphic wounds of a scourged Jesus.”

Other participating attractions include the African/African-American Historical Society and Museum, the Allen County Courthouse, the Embassy Theatre, First Presbyterian Church, the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, the Old Fort, Science Central, and more. 

Passports allowing entrance to the Diocesan Museum and other participating attractions can be picked up at any Fort Wayne Kroger location or Old National Bank location. Passports can also be printed at visitfortwayne.com/beatourist.

If you can’t make it to the Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown event on September 10, the Diocesan Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Visit diocesefwsb.org/museum for more information.

Notre Dame Credit Union Honored

On Monday, August 28, American Banker released their annual list of the Best Credit Unions to Work For. Notre Dame Federal Credit Union finished fifth among credit unions with between $1 billion and $2 billion in assets, checking in at 51st overall. The list is comprised of 70 credit unions from a nationwide pool of more than 5,000 institutions. American Banker compiles the annual list by using a two-part assessment conducted by Best Companies Group, an independent research firm that identifies and recognizes great working environments, consisting of an employer questionnaire and an employee satisfaction survey.

Priests offer blessing, Bishop Rhoades visits Bishop Luers

FORT WAYNE – On Friday, August, 25, Father Paolo Degasperi, Pastor of St. John the Baptist in Fort Wayne, and Father Patrick Hake, Pastor of St. Peter in Fort Wayne, visited Bishop Luers High School to offer an all-school blessing on the students, faculty, and staff. According to a news release from Bishop Luers, Father Degasperi walked down the school halls sprinkling students, teachers, and staff with holy water and blessing the building. Students then processed behind him and received a final blessing in the gym. 

The following Thursday, August 31, the seniors on the Bishop Luers football team received a very special guest at their weekly dinner, as Bishop Rhoades accepted an invitation to speak to the group about faith-based leadership. He also expressed interest in attending one of their upcoming games. Each Thursday, the senior football players have a dinner provided by team parents. Andy Zay, a football parent, has invited a different speaker to the dinner each week to strengthen team leadership.

Bishop Rhoades poses with senior members of the Bishop Luers High School football team during his visit on Thursday, August 31. Bishop Rhoades spoke to the players about faith-based leadership.

Photos provided by Georgia Lieb
Surrounded by staff and students, Father Paola Degasperi and Father Patrick Hake offer an all-school blessing in the gymnasium at Bishop Luers High School in Fort Wayne on Friday, August 25.

New Well in Haiti

FORT WAYNE – The University of Saint Francis announced on Monday, August 28, that a community in northern Haiti now has greater access to clean, safe water thanks to donations made to the school’s H2O Project during Lent of 2022.

According to the university, the H2O Project raised $2,820.50 during the 2022 campaign, surpassing its goal of $2,500 for help with the drilling of the well, which was completed recently through the the work of Dr. Eugene Malkin, Founder and Director of New Hope Hospital in Plaine du Nord, Haiti.

“Escalating violence in Haiti in recent years has made it more difficult to access safe drinking water, especially for people in rural areas,” the school stated in a news release. “As a result, the hospital has treated more patients with cholera, which can lead to death from dehydration and electrolyte loss. Dr. Maklin identified the villages with the most cholera cases as sites for hand-pump wells to be drilled.”

Additional wells are needed in Haiti, with each costing approximately $3,000 to drill. Anyone interested in donating toward a future well should contact Saint Francis Professor of Biology Amy Obringer at [email protected] or 260-399-7700, ext. 8210.

Photos provided by the University of Saint Francis
Members of the community in Plaine du Nord, Haiti, stand by the newly drilled well that was funded by donations to the University of Saint Francis’ H2O Project during the Lenten season in 2022.

An inscription on the new well reads, “A huge thank you to University [of] Saint Francis.”