An article in one of the local papers (and yes we still have two dailies – Lord knows how) – about the local priest who, in addition to pastoring two parishes, directs the diocesan historical museum. He’s also the master of the 6-minute homily of whom I often speak here. He also, in a Q & A in the diocesan paper – a short feature they run on local priests, with standard questions – made a reference to the "so-called Reformation." Okay, add him to the room with Benedict and Zen. You might never want to leave.

Among items displayed are early photographs of several church-related buildings no longer in existence, including the first bishop’s residence and St. Augustine’s, the first Catholic educational institution in Fort Wayne.

There are stained-glass windows from Fort Wayne’s St. Paul’s Catholic Church, torn down in 2004, and a sanctuary lamp taken from St. Mary’s Catholic Church before it burned in 1993 that was found at an antiques dealer.

In one display case are the ceremonial staffs called crosiers used by all the diocese’s bishops, save that of current Bishop John M. D’Arcy, which is in a separate display marking his 50 years as a priest.

Perhaps the most unexpected items are a handwritten Bible in Latin from A.D. 1250, a papal ring and seal and the relics of several saints.

The Bible is called a scholar’s Bible because it has notations in red ink along with the text, which is mostly in black. About the size of a paperback novel, the Bible is written in script barely a quarter-inch high.

“I can’t conceive of doing that,” Widmann says, “let alone reading it!”

Widmann says the Bible, and several other items including some paintings not yet on display, were brought from Europe by Bishop Joseph Dwenger, the diocese’s second bishop.

“The story goes that Bishop Dwenger was the first American bishop to make the pilgrimage to Lourdes (France, site of a famous apparition of the Virgin Mary),” Widmann says.

“While he traveled, he came across paintings and other artifacts in a monastery somewhere that had been looted earlier that century by Napoleonic armies. Whether he gave a donation or what, no one knows, but he brought these items back.”

Widmann says he doesn’t know the full story of many of the items on display, but he has been able to document the papal ring and seal. Because of its unique characteristics, he has been able to date it to October-November of 1503. It probably was used by Pope Julius II.

snip

What usually startles museum visitors, say volunteers Joan and Ray Schott of Fort Wayne, is a life-like and nearly life-size statue of the scourged Jesus.

For many years, the statue was on display in the cathedral.

“They used to cover it with a cloak because people didn’t like to look at it, Ray Schott says. The statue depicts Jesus with many pieces of his flesh ripped open and his back raw and bloody from being beaten and whipped before the Crucifixion.

Widmann says the statue dates to the 1930s and was made by the Daleiden Co. in Chicago, a famed maker of high-quality religious statuary now out of business.

The sculpture follows in a Spanish Catholic tradition of graphic displays of Christ’s suffering to inspire pity and penance, he says.

“It took on added interest following the movie, (Mel Gibson’s) ‘The Passion of the Christ,’?” Widmann says. “When people went to the movie and saw all the blood they were shocked. Americans, particularly Evangelical Christians, aren’t used to seeing Christ depicted that way.”

Adds Jean Scott of the statue’s effect on visitors: “It really shakes them up.”

Here’s something interesting – the photo of the statue (above) wasn’t in the print edition – only online. I don’t know if it was space or..something else..that led to that decision. Perhaps the effect of the piece would have been lost in a black-and-white version. Interesting, though.

I want to give props to the writer of this piece, Rosa Salter Rodgriguez. Rose interviewed me last year for a profile, and it seems to me she is single-handedly resurrecting the religion page of this paper from a paintful, wire-service-driven death. She is consistently getting very interesting, well-done pieces in the paper, including one last week on the role that churches are playing in a hot petition drive that’s currently going on here about a massive, half-billion dollar funding of physical improvements to public schools – it’s rare to see that kind of exploration of issues, the kind of exploration that might step on toes – in the local media here. Kudos to Rose for that!