Renewing friendships and interest in Glenmary’s ministry
Father Gerry “Pete” Peterson catches up with old friends during Aurora, Ind., gathering

Catching Up: Chattie Shuter talks with Father Gerry Peterson during a gathering of Father Pete’s friends in Aurora, Ind. Sixteen people attended the April 22 event initiated by Chattie and Susan Lambert, Glenmary’s planned giving officer.

[Indiana] The 16 people who gathered at Carolyn Sutton’s home in Aurora, Ind., on April 22 had one thing in common: Friendship with Father Gerry “Pete” Peterson.

In the mid-1960s, Father Pete, now 79, served as assistant novice master for Glenmary’s novitiate in Aurora. During that time, he and his fellow Glenmarians became well-known in the community. And Father Pete continued to correspond with several friends after the novitiate moved from Aurora in 1965.

While the novices and directors lived in the area they shared Glenmary’s charism with those they met.

“In the 1960s, there was a terrible flood in Aurora,” Charlotte (Chattie) Shuter says. “The Glenmary men went into town and helped. They just dug in and did what was needed. No questions asked.”

Chattie, a longtime supporter of Glenmary, and Glenmary’s planned giving officer Susan Lambert came up with the idea for the gathering at a 2008 lunch. Connections were made and invitations were sent to 24 people.

During the April afternoon, Father Pete talked to the group about his mission experiences as a pastor in Georgia and Mississippi, where he served after he left Indiana.

“Most of those who gathered that afternoon hadn’t seen Father Pete since the 1960s,” Susan says. “And they all said the same thing: ‘He still looks the same!’”

Father Pete, a senior member, lived in St. Meinrad, Ind., for the past academic year to support Glenmary’s two seminarians attending St. Meinrad School of Theology. He will return to Glenmary’s mission in Pontotoc, Miss., in June to serve as sacramental minister.

Susan also gave a brief presentation about Glenmary’s work in the home missions today, offering Father Pete’s friends an opportunity to learn more about Glenmary’s current missions and ministries.