'The Eucharist Was The Center Of His Life'

Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Haubstadt celebrated the life of native son Father Hilary Meny on Oct. 12 as it hosted his Mass of Christian Burial. Father Meny, 101, died on Oct. 7. Please see page 8 for a feature on Father Meny’s priestly service to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

“The Eucharist was the center of his life,” said Saints Peter and Paul Pastor Father Tony Ernst, who served as homilist for the Mass. Cardinal-designate Joseph W. Tobin, Archbishop of Indianapolis, Bishop Charles C. Thompson of Evansville and Bishop-Emeritus Gerald A. Gettelfinger of Evansville concelebrated with more than two dozen priests of Indianapolis and Evansville.

During the homily, Father Ernst showed the hundreds who filled the sanctuary Father Meny’s chalice. “I want to read the saying that is engraved on the bottom,” he said. “It reads, ‘In loving memory of my father, mother and sister. May this holy sacrifice repay their many sacrifices made on my behalf.’”

Father Ernst noted that Father Meny’s extended family of nieces and nephews showed tremendous love and devotion in their care for him. He retired from pastoral ministry in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in 1990 and spent his remaining years in Haubstadt.

“On behalf of Father Hilary, I want to thank all his family and all who loved and cared for him with such devotion,” Father Ernst said. “What a gift you have to him and all of us. You taught us what it means to respect life from the beginning to the end.

“We know that Father Hilary had a heart like Jesus; the heart of a servant,” he added. “After his first three priestly assignments he spent 40-plus years in Madison, Ind. Think about that … 40 years in one place. That says something about his devotion and love.

“With God’s grace and a lot of support from God’s people Father Hilary strengthened the Catholic community in Madison. He had a passion for Catholic education. And he worked tirelessly to insure that the children of that community would have that opportunity. What a great blessing he brought to all of them.

“I learned, as I got to know him, that one of the great things he wanted for all of his nieces and nephews was a Catholic education,” Father Ernst said. “He believed in that so much. He wanted people to have that.

“That’s really a summary of his life,” he continued. “He had this passion of Christ that he wanted to share with others … through education; and he put a lot into that … his heart and soul.

“He’s had an incredible journey … 101-plus years,” Father Ernst said. “As people were ministering to him in his final months and days, he was still ministering to others. Several of his nurses told me that; how special he was.

“He had that spirit, that great love for others – especially his family.”