Pilgrims remember Servant of God Bishop Simon Bruté -

Special to The Message

Pilgrims from the Diocese of Evansville have Mass at the Minor Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Vincennes on June 26, the anniversary of the death of Servant of God Bishop Simon Bruté, the first bishop of Vincennes. Submitted photos courtesy of Father Tyler Tenbarge

Twenty-nine pilgrims from across the Diocese of Evansville joined Diocesan Director of Vocations Father Tyler Tenbarge and Father Luke Hassler, Pastor of St. Mary Parish in Ireland who assists Father Tyler with the Savio Brotherhood in Evansville and Dubois County, for a trip to Vincennes on June 26, the anniversary of the death of Servant of God Bishop Simon Bruté, the first bishop of Vincennes. Father Tyler tells The Message that this is an annual pilgrimage on the anniversary of Bishop Bruté’s death.

Father Tony Ernst, standing at right, joins the pilgrims for this photo. Father Tony is Pasto of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Vincennes and St. Philip Neri Parish in Bicknell. He also serves as Associate Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Evansville.

After Mass, the pilgrims visited the crypt beneath the basilica. There, they prayed at tombs of the first four bishops of Vincennes.

The group met Father Tony Ernst, Pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Vincennes and St. Philip Neri Parish in Bicknell, for Mass at the Minor Basilica of St. Francis Xavier, more commonly known as the old cathedral. The first four bishops of Vincennes are buried in the crypt beneath St. Francis Xavier, and the group prayed there after Mass.

They completed their trip with some paintball action.