Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Foundation

07/29/2026

Cardinal Ritter Wednesday for July 29, 2026, features images of Cardinal Ritter with Pope Paul VI at the Vatican. He is wearing a Black Cassock and Fascia, both now part of our Ritter Collection.

07/22/2026

This week we celebrate the birth of Elmer Joseph Ritter, born on July 20, 1892. He died on June 10, 1967, just 11 days following his 50th Anniversary of his 1917 ordination to the priesthood.

Today’s artifact from the Ritter Museum Collection of Vestments and Artifacts is a Golden Anniversary Candle dated May 30, 1967.

If you enjoy this content, support the Cardinal Ritter Museum Expansion by donating at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/cardinal-ritter-birthplace-museum-expansion

07/20/2026

Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Museum Expansion Campaign

The CARDINAL RITTER BIRTHPLACE FOUNDATION INC. has been entrusted with a collection of clerical vestments and artifacts belonging to Cardinal Joseph Ritter of New Albany, IN.

On "indefinite loan" from the Indianapolis Archdiocese Archives and that of St. Louis, a total of vestments and 27 artifacts are being readied for display. Our Ritter Collection also includes eight items from members of the Ritter family.

Elmer Joseph Ritter is the only Indiana born priest to become a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. All items were worn or used by him between 1933 and 1967.

The present Ritter Museum at 13th and Oak Streets is being expanded to display these historic treasures.

Your gift helps expand the Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Museum 🕊️ so more people can learn about his stand for social justice, compassion, and care for neighbors.

By supporting this project, you help create space for education, youth programs, and community gatherings that carry Cardinal Ritter’s values forward. Thank you for investing in a welcoming place where families and visitors can reflect, learn, and be inspired. 🎓

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/cardinal-ritter-birthplace-museum-expansion

07/19/2026

This past Friday was the 13th anniversary of the dedication of the Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Museum. Here is a flashback to July 17, 2013.

2013, July 17 - NEW ALBANY NATIVE ARCHBISHOP DEDICATES MUSEUM –
The Ritter Museum was dedicated at 4:00 p.m. by Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, (formerly auxiliary bishop of Washington, D.C. and bishop of Bridgeport, CT). A reception was staged at the Knights of Columbus Hall in honor of the New Albany, IN native by the K of C Cardinal Ritter Council 1221. Lori is the National Chaplain of the Knight of Columbus.

BRIEF BIO: “Bill” Lori attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help grade school as a classmate and life-long friend of the CRBFI founding chairman David Hock. He lived on the 1600-block Indiana Avenue in New Albany, IN, throughout grade school. He went to seminary upon graduating from the 8th grade and was ordained a priest in Washington, D.C. in 1977. He was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington and served there from 1995 to 2001, and was appointed Bishop of Bridgeport, CT from 2001 to 2012. He became Archbishop of Baltimore, MD on March 12, 2012. Lori serves as Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus and is former chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty.

Photos from the Day:

1st Photo: Archbishop Lori dedicating the Ritter Museum at the Cardinal Ritter Birthplace in New Albany, IN on July 17, 2013.

2nd Photo: Archbishop Lori with Cardinal Ritter’s relatives attending the K of C reception following Ritter Museum Dedication on July 17, 2013.

3rd Photo: Archbishop Lori with Our Lady of Perpetual Help Grade School 1965 classmates attending the K of C reception following Ritter Museum Dedication on July 17, 2013.

4th Photo: Archbishop Lori with his mother and father (front center) and other relatives attending the K of C Reception following the Ritter Museum on July 17, 2013.

07/15/2026

RITTER MITER

Soon on Display at Ritter Birthplace Museum

The first photo was taken at Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter's installation as Archbishop of St. Louis on October 8, 1946.

Archbishop Ritter is wearing the miter that has recently been donated to the Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Museum by the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

On the left in the front row is Bishop Paul C. Schulte, who would be installed as archbishop of Indianapolis two days later. I believe the second bishop is Archbishop James H. Ryan, who was originally a priest of the then-Diocese of Indianapolis and became bishop of Omaha in 1935. He was definitely there, and I believe that is him in the photo.

The third bishop is Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter; and fourth is Bishop George J. Donnelly, auxiliary bishop of St. Louis, who was named on November 9 of that year to succeed Archbishop Schulte as Bishop of Leavenworth, Kansas.

Photo and text: Courtesy of Julie Motyka, Indianapolis Archdiocesan Archivist.

Second photo: Courtesy of CRBFI Archivist Ray Day. June 2026

07/13/2026

The Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Foundation Board (especially board member and archivist Ray Day) have recently put a large focus on securing and displaying The Cardinal Ritter Collection of Vestments and Artifacts.

This effort has been highlighted in the most recent version of The Criterion. The Criterion is the weekly publication of the Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis covering much of central and southern Indiana.

On July 10, 2026, a front-page story was printed about our efforts.
See: https://www.criteriononline.com/local/2026/07-10/ritter.html

After reading this great article, please consider donating to the Museum Expansion Project. Select the DONATE TODAY button at www.cardinalritter.org, or mail to P. O. Box 831, New Albany, IN 47151.

01/25/2026

On January 23, 2026, we welcomed Sister Rebecca Abel, OSB, archivist at Benedictine Monastery in Ferdinand, IN to the Ritter Birthplace. Sr. Rebecca, second from left in photo, and her archival colleagues spent the day here and enjoyed a visit to St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, home parish of young Elmer Joseph Ritter.

Several years ago, we were entrusted with a 1935 painting of then-Bishop Ritter by Sr. Gregory Ems, OSB. In time, the sisters gave the painting to their neighboring monastery, St. Meinrad, where the future Cardinal studied. In 2021, St. Meinrad presented it to the New Albany birthplace of the Bishop/Archbishop/Cardinal.

Sr. Rebecca and her staff were eager to see Sr. Gregory’s painting on display in Ritter’s home, to see the restored building and its vintage1892 front parlor and birth-room , and to see the recently acquired collection of Ritter vestments to be unveiled later this year.

Immediate past chairperson John Blocker and archivist Ray Day hosted the event, and joined the guests at Seeds & Greens Deli for lunch.

01/17/2026

Leaders were selected for the 2026 Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Foundation Inc. (CRBFI) Board of Directors at the January 15, meeting. The executive committee for the new year includes Mike Carter (Chair), Tom Quinkert (Vice Chair), Rosie Shannon (Secretary), and Corinne Moore (Treasurer). Visit http://www.cardinalritterhouse.org/board-of-directors/ for complete list of the Foundation’s leadership.

Our Mission: To promote the legacy of Cardinal Ritter through activities that preserve his commitment to social justice, ecumenism, and service to others.

12/19/2025

Imagine engaging in a fireside chat with the President of Notre Dame University in New Albany.

The Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Foundation, Inc., staged its 14th Annual Speaker Series Event in partnership with the New Albany Cardinal Ritter Council 1221 Knights of Columbus on December 16.

In a “fireside chat” format, Fr. Robert “Bob” Dowd answered queries, both personal and professional, from moderators Secretary Rosie Shannon (Fr. Dowd’s second cousin) and Vice-chair Mike Carter, as well as 140 persons attending the presentation at the K of C’s recently restored event-facility.

Fr. Bob has a southern Indiana connection. He was born in Louisville, but his family lived in Sellersburg. Even though he was but two years of age when they moved to Michigan City, IN, he still has many family roots here in the south.

As the program concluded, Indiana’s “Distinguished Hoosier Award” from Governor Mike Braun was presented to the Notre Dame University President Fr. Robert Dowd by state Representative Ed Clere.

12/05/2025

Dear Facebook Friends: The CRBFI invites you to support of our operational and outreach efforts. To review the past year’s activities, go to www.cardinalritterhouse.org and click on the END OF YEAR LETTER link.

We are very frugal with our $$$ and wisely save for the unexpected. It would be an honor to add you to our faithful donor list.

Contribute via PayPal at www.cardinalritterhouse.org/support or by check to P. O. Box 831, New Albany, IN 47151-0831.

Our dedication comes from the Cardinal himself. “Work hard. Pray hard. Don’t worry!”

Cardinal Ritter, Pray For Us!

Our Mission: To promote the legacy of Cardinal Ritter through activities that preserve his commitment to social justice, ecumenism, and service to others.