From left, Brother David Henley, Novice Kevin Riedel, Fathers Dan Dorsey, Tom Kirkendoll, Chet Artysiewicz and Brother Jack Henn visited St. Martin Chapel.
Glenmary President Father Dan Dorsey led an excursion over the summer to an important site in Glenmary’s history, St. Martin Chapel in Brown County, Ohio.
St. Martin holds a special place in the hearts of Glenmarians. Glenmary Founder Father William Howard Bishop spent years looking for a diocese to serve as a base for his proposed society of missioners until then-Archbishop of Cincinnati John T. McNicholas gave his approval. Shortly after, the archbishop assigned Father Bishop to St. Martin.
On July 11, 1937 Father Bishop wrote a short entry in his diary. “Landed at St. Martin to begin work of founding Home Mission Society.”
The chapel, now officially called St. Martin Chapel of St. Angela Merici parish, is still standing and well-cared for, but no longer in regular use.
The visit to St. Martin by six Glenmarians—Father Dan, Father Chet Artysiewicz, Father Tom Kirkendoll, Brother Jack Henn, Brother David Henley and Glenmary novice Kevin Riedel—was one of spiritual renewal. After visiting St. Martin, the group celebrated Mass at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Cincinnati, where Father Bishop and deceased Glenmarians are interred.
“It was a good day,” said Father Chet. “It was a prayerful and reflective time, getting in touch with our roots.”
This story first appeared in the Autumn 2019 edition of Glenmary Challenge magazine.