July 3, 2009
People of Faith
By Wisdom a house is built and through understanding it is established; through knowledge it is filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
— Proverbs 24:3
People of Faith is a new feature in a familiar frame. Steve Halbig, writing for the Message, will ask a series of questions of people in the diocese — some who have reached the “age of wisdom” and some who are younger. All will share stories of their faith.
Name: Father August A. Busch
Parish: St. Boniface Parish, Evansville.
Have you lived in Southern Indiana all your life? Yes, I grew up on the west side of Evansville. During my seminary years I lived at St. Meinrad while studying for the priesthood, and later for a short time in South Bend while furthering my studies at Notre Dame University. The rest of my life I have lived here in the Evansville Diocese where I have been serving as a priest for over 50 years.
Tell us a few things about yourself: Although I am officially retired, I continue to be active in ministries throughout the Diocese of Evansville: These ministries currently include:
- Chaplain for the Poor Clares, and part-time ministry to the Daughters of Charity at Seton Manor;
- Nursing and Retirement home visitation;
- Chaplain and columnist for the 4th Degree K of C, and 1997 4th Degree Class Honoree
- Chaplain for the Diocesan Ladies of the Knights of St. John and for the St. Rita Ladies Auxiliary;
- Chaplain for the Secular Franciscan Third Order.
I also help by celebrating at sacramental functions throughout the diocese as needed.
In 1948-1949, while I was studying during a summer session at Notre Dame, I received the Paladin Award in Missionary Studies by Bishop Fulton Sheen.
I celebrated my fiftieth ordination anniversary to the priesthood in 2006 at St. Boniface Parish, a celebration that was so memorable because it was organized and carried out by the parish and by a very special group of people from parishes where I had served.
What are some of your earliest childhood memories? I remember St. Boniface Grade School and St. Boniface Church. As individuals and as a class all of the class members had a very warm and good feeling toward the Church and school. I remember particularly Father John Henry Hillenbrand, Father Egloff, Father Schneider, and Msgr. Charles Schoettelkotte who staffed the parish. In our graduating eighth grade class, six boys entered the seminary at St. Meinrad and several girls of our class went to the Academy of the Immaculate Conception at Ferdinand.
What are your memories of World War II? During WW II, I was in the seminary at St. Meinrad. Both my brothers were serving in the military and I faithfully wrote — V-Mail — to them. I very well remember the Evansville LST Shipyard located six blocks from my parents’ home. During the war years the shipyard, along with Republic Aviation, located where the present Whirlpool Plant is, was the economic boom Evansville needed. Of course, anyone who lived during World War II remembers the rationing of food, sugar, tires and gasoline . . . and the rationing of photo supplies since I was the photographer for the St. Meinrad Campus Chatter during the war years and, later, for the St. Meinrad Centennial Year Book
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? As a high schooler, I had thought of possibly going into business as a professional photographer with my oldest brother. But I also thought about serving others and the Church as a priest. I always had a deep respect toward the priests and sisters who were stationed at St. Boniface School and Parish.
Who do you consider to be the best role models today? Father William Lautner, Father Patrick Kilfoil, Msgr. Charles Schoettelkotte, who preached at my First Mass, were role models of faith for me in my early years as a priest. Today I consider Pope Benedict for his wisdom and the Poor Clares of our diocese for their life of prayer and contemplation as ideal role models. But also, in the secular world there are some very special people whom I know, and who, in the face of many difficulties in life, are exceptionally faithful to their vocation and dedicated to the faith; these individuals are real positive examples and role models. I think many young people today can discover exceptional people — both lay and religious — in the Church as role models if they are willing to discover them.
Describe how your faith helped you through a difficult time in your life: In everyone’s life conflicts arise between a person’s own idealism and the “ideals and focus” of others. At times there was the tension between what I, as a priest, saw as the best interest of a parish, its school and its religious education program and that which others considered to be the best interest. Doing always what I, as a priest, saw to be the ultimate benefit and good of parishioners and the parish naturally generated tensions. Sometimes when I tried to do what I felt was in the best interest of the entire parish, the ideas were met with opposition; this is characteristic of life. And I was always thankful for the many people who supported me as I tried to live and work according to the ideals of a priest with faith. I needed to keep pursuing with faith what I felt God called me to do for the common good.
Do you have any hobbies? How do you stay active? I am a photographer (although at present my photography primarily centers on ‘portraits of my roses’ which I grow in my small rose garden). I enjoy cooking and entertaining guests. I stay active by physically exercising on a regular basis through playing tennis and doing physical workouts. I appreciate the time I have to especially pray and read a great variety of spirituality, the philosophy and spirituality of Pope Benedict, and some economic and market materials. Re-reading some of the classics, which I still have, from which my Dad taught me to read when I was “very little,” also gives me great enjoyment.
What do you like most about being a Catholic? I think the veracity of the faith is important. Also, the challenges of living the Gospel keeps me growing in faith. I enjoy being a priest; I like the spirituality of it. When I help people, spiritually or materially, it is in the spirit of Christian service and I try to see my actions as an expression of the priesthood and as a spiritual and corporal act of mercy.
Do you have a favorite saint? I like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas for their writings and explorations of the truths of the faith. I admire St. Patrick for his evangelization.
Two favorite religious items would be my Notre Dame Rosary and my own photograph of the statue of our Lady of Fatima, which toured the country during 1946-48. I also hold in high esteem the Image of Divine Mercy.
Any regrets in life? I sometimes regret not having done my best — for people and myself — at times to teach and to live the Gospel and Prayer.
What is your best wisdom on life? Our Church and our faith are so rich in history, in the tradition of the Gospel and the Ministry of Christ that I would recommend that people simply do not see the history of our church and the Gospel from only an intellectual or knowledge focus, but from a contemplative, and daily life influence focus. Thinking of the past six months there has been a determined and intense secularization of politics, of American culture, of faith, and of religion in our society and in our country. Maybe we can simply say “Maturity in God must come before politics — or anything else in life”. Or as St. Paul said: “Let us then no longer be tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine that originates in human trickery and skill in proposing error. Rather, let us profess the truth in love and grow to the full maturity of Christ the Head . . .”