Saint John Neumann
A Bohemian-born immigrant bishop who built the parish school system in Philadelphia
- Rank
- Saint
- Kind
- Bishop, Missionary
- Life
- 1811 – 1860
- Era
- 19th century
- Feast
- 5 January
- Countries
- Czechia, United States
Life story
John Nepomucene Neumann was born on 28 March 1811 at Prachatitz in Bohemia, now Prachatice in the Czech Republic. He studied at Budweis and Prague, but as he was finishing his studies his diocese postponed ordinations because it had enough priests. Hearing that immigrant communities in the United States lacked priests, he decided to go there in 1836.
He arrived in New York and was ordained a priest on 25 June 1836. He served for years in western New York, travelling among scattered German and Irish communities. In 1840 he entered the Redemptorist novitiate and in 1842 became the first to profess vows in that congregation on American soil, and later served as regional superior.
In 1852 he was appointed Bishop of Philadelphia. He wrote catechisms in German and English, organised the parish schools of the diocese, greatly increased the number of schools and pupils, and promoted devotion before the Blessed Sacrament in parishes. He also cared for immigrant communities speaking many languages.
He died suddenly on 5 January 1860, aged 48, on a street in Philadelphia. Paul VI beatified him in 1963 and canonised him on 19 June 1977. The Church in the United States remembers him as a pastor of immigrants. His feast is kept on 5 January, the day of his death. His remains rest in the lower church of Saint Peter the Apostle in Philadelphia, which became a shrine in his honour, and the Redemptorists have long promoted his cause.
Works and witness
- Ordained a priest in New York on 25 June 1836
- First to profess Redemptorist vows on American soil, in 1842
- Bishop of Philadelphia from 1852
- Wrote catechisms in German and English
- Beatified in 1963, canonised in 1977
Saints from the same country
References
- Martyrologium Romanum
- Dicastery for the Causes of Saints – biographical profile
- Michael J. Curley, Venerable John Neumann, C.SS.R., Fourth Bishop of Philadelphia
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.