Name: Lutz, Herman
Born: 12/30/1932
Where Born: Indianapolis, Indiana
Ordained: 12/20/1958
Where Ordained: Rome, Italy
Served From-To: 1958-2009
Died: 04/20/2021
Where Died: Beech Grove, Indiana
Buried: Calvary Cemetery, Priests Circle, Indianapolis, Indiana
Father Herman Lutz served in archdiocesan parishes, tribunal
By Sean GallagherFather Herman LutzFather Herman Lutz, a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, died on April 20 at the St. Paul Hermitage in Beech Grove. He was 88.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 26 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. Archbishop Charles C. Thompson was the principal celebrant of the liturgy. Father Robert Gilday, pastor of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower) Parish in Indianapolis was the homilist.
Burial followed in the priests’ circle at Calvary Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Father Lutz ministered for many years in the archdiocesan metropolitan tribunal with retired Msgr. Frederick Easton, a former archdiocesan vicar judicial.
“He was a gentle soul,” Msgr. Easton recalled.
Ministry in canon law for Father Lutz, said Msg. Easton, “was a ministry of justice. He felt that he was helping people get justice in the Church regarding their marriage cases.”
At the same time, Msgr. Easton recalled Father Lutz’s love for parish ministry.
“Making sure that people had access to the sacraments and pastoral counseling was always important to him,” said Msgr. Easton. “He was a quintessential parish priest at heart, as well as being a tribunal priest.”
Father Gilday served with Father Lutz for many years in the tribunal. He, too, remembered how much his brother priest enjoyed parish ministry.
Whether he was serving in the tribunal or in faith communities across central and southern Indiana, Father Lutz took the same approach to ministry.
“His vocation as a priest was at the very center of it—the priestly identity,” said Father Gilday. “Whatever he was doing was ministry as a priest of the Church. Whatever assignment he had, he approached it that way.
“He was a priest who served his people. He was always pastoral in everything that he did.”
Herman George Lutz was born on Dec. 30, 1932, in Indianapolis to the late Herman John and Mary Catherine (Kieffer) Lutz. He grew up as a member of St. Anthony Parish on the west side of the city.
After graduating from Cathedral High School in Indianapolis in 1950, he worked for a short time in the insurance industry before enrolling as a student at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.
After discerning a call to the priesthood, Father Lutz became an archdiocesan seminarian and received his initial priestly formation at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad from 1953-55.
He then received priestly formation at the Pontifical North American College, earning a licentiate degree in sacred theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, both in Rome.
Father Lutz was ordained a priest on Dec. 20, 1958, by Archbishop Martin J. O’Connor, then rector of the North American College, in the seminary’s St. Marcellus Oratory and later celebrated his first Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.
Father Lutz returned to Rome in 1961 for graduate studies, earning a licentiate degree in canon law in 1963 at the Pontifical Lateran University.
Except for his two years of graduate studies in Rome, Father Lutz served as a notary in the tribunal from 1959-84. During that time, he was assigned to several archdiocesan parishes.
His first pastoral assignment was as associate pastor of Our Lady of the Greenwood Parish in Greenwood from 1959-61.
After returning from his graduate studies, Father Lutz served as associate pastor of St. Susanna Parish in Plainfield from 1963-68. In 1968, he served as the administrator pro-tem of St. Susanna.
He served as pastor of Mary, Queen of Peace Parish in Danville from 1971-73 and as co-pastor of the former St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Indianapolis from 1973-76.
Father Lutz was in residence in Indianapolis at the former St. Bernadette Parish from 1976-78 and at Holy Spirit Parish from 1978-84.
From 1984-96, Father Lutz ministered as the pastor of the former St. Paul Parish in Sellersburg.
In 1993, he took up ministry again in canon law as a judge in the tribunal while continuing parish ministry.
From 1996-99, Father Lutz served as pastor of St. Philip Neri Parish in Indianapolis. His last assignment in parish ministry was as pastor from 1999-2003 of St. Mary Parish in North Vernon.
Although he retired from parish ministry in 2003, Father Lutz continued as a judge in the tribunal until 2009.
He is survived by a sister, JoAnn Traub of Indianapolis.
Memorial contributions can be made to the St. Paul Hermitage, 501 N. 17th St., Beech Grove, IN 46107. †
Father Herman George Lutz
Beech Grove –
Father Herman G Lutz, age 88, of Beech Grove, Indiana, passed away on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. Herman will be remembered as a devoted and generous servant of the Lord, a holy and kind brother, uncle, priest, pastor, and friend. Herman was born December 30, 1932 in Indianapolis to Herman John and Mary Catherine Keiffer Lutz.
He graduated from St. Anthony Grade School and Cathedral High School class of 1950. Herman worked briefly in the insurance industry before enrolling at St. John’s College in Collegeville, Minnesota, to discern his priestly vocation. He attended St. Meinrad Seminary then went to further his seminary studies at Pontifical North American College in Rome, graduating in 1958. He was ordained on December 20, 1958 in Rome and celebrated his First Holy Mass on December 21, 1958 at St. Peter’s Basilica. Later he said a First Mass at Kaisten, Germany, the birthplace of his father.
Father Herman had a passionate love of God that fueled his ministry and graced those who were blessed to know him. Herman loved saying Mass, praying with people, and celebrating all the special occasions of people’s lives – baptism, first communion, reconciliation, marriage, and anointing of the sick. Through his assignments at parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Herman was an active member and leader of many faith communities, and delighted in encouraging the seeds of faith to grow in all ages within his congregation. Herman was a servant leader with a heart for sharing the Gospel. Herman was also a scholar of Canon Law, and in addition to his parish-based roles he served the Archdiocese as a member of the Metropolitan Tribunal. Even after his retirement, Herman continued in his pastoral ministry by celebrating Mass and bringing sacraments to members of St. Paul Hermitage in Beech Grove and the Altenheim in Indianapolis.
In a priesthood that spanned nearly 63 years, Herman willingly made a sacrifice of his life to serve both the Lord and the people around him. In 1959, Herman was named the assistant pastor at Our Lady of the Greenwood, and started with the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Archdiocese and continued until his retirement. In 1961, he served as the associate pastor at Assumption Catholic Church in Indianapolis. He then returned to Rome to complete graduate studies in Canon Law. In 1963, Herman became assistant pastor at St. Susanna, Plainfield, and in 1971, he became pastor at Mary, Queen of Peace, Danville. In 1973, Herman became co-pastor, St. Catherine, Indianapolis. While continuing with the Tribunal in 1976, he lived in residence at St. Bernadette, Indianapolis, and in 1978, lived in residence at Holy Spirit, Indianapolis. In 1983, Herman was named a judge at the Provincial Appellate Tribunal, and in 1984, he became pastor at St. Paul, Sellersburg. In 1995, he served as archdiocesan judge, Metropolitan Tribunal. In 1996 Herman was named pastor at St. Philip Neri, Indianapolis, and in 1999, he was named pastor, St. Mary, North Vernon.
Herman retired in 2003. After retirement he moved to St. Paul Hermitage and helped with their daily Mass and also held Mass at the Altenheim. He celebrated his Golden Jubilee in 2008 at St. Paul Hermitage.
Father Herman is survived by his sister JoAnn Traub and many nieces and nephews, as well as his extended family in Germany. He is preceded in death by his parents and sisters Jeanette Males, Rose Marie Moos, Thelma Cluggish and Evelyn Lutz.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, April 26, 2021 at 11 am at Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral at 1347 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis. Services will be livestreamed. Visitation will be from 9:30 until Mass. Burial will follow at the priest circle at Calvary Cemetery.
The family of Father Lutz would like to give a special thanks to the Sisters of St. Benedict and the staff of St. Paul Hermitage for their many years of faithful care and love.
Published in The Indianapolis Star from Apr. 21 to Apr. 23, 2021.