Saint John Nepomucene Neumann
St. Neumann, Missionary and "Father of Parochial School System"
Oct 12, 2009 Jennifer Landsberger
John Nepomucene Neumann, named after Saint John Neopmucene, came from humble beginnings and showed his bravery and courage by traveling to America to be a missionary.
His tireless work and effort in America not only earned him a position as the fourth bishop of Philadelphia, but caused him to be the first American bishop to be canonized. His almost constant construction program resulted in him becoming known not only as a builder of churches but as the "Father of the Parochial School System" in America.
Birth and Family Circumstances of St. John
St. John Neopmucene was born on March 28, 1811 to Philip and Agnes Neumann. It is often (erroneously) stated that he was born on Good Friday. He was born into a small village called Prachatitz, located in Bohemia. He was the third of six children born to a German father and a Czech mother.
It is said that in his early years, he was obsessed with books, and that his own mother teased him about the extent of his reading (Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary). St. John Neopmucene served as an altar boy and is reputed to have had great humility even as a young child.
St. John's Religious Calling and Early Life in the Church
John entered the seminary at the early age of 20. He started at the diocesan seminary in Budweis in 1831. He transferred to the Charles Ferdinand University of Prague and finished his coursework there.
During his time at the seminary and university, he became well-versed in theology and botany. He also spoke at least eight modern languages besides being fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew (Wissel). This knowledge would be very useful as he began the next chapter of his life.
St. John Travels to America
Due to an overabundance of clergy in his home diocese, St. John was left with nothing to do after finishing school. Inspired by letters that had been written from America to the Leopold Mission Society, John decided to travel to America to become a missionary.
Upon reaching New York City in June of 1836, he was ordained. He was then sent to work in upstate New York to help clear the forests. He worked the four years with some German-speaking Catholics and endured the hardships of the times and the hardships of being isolated from others.
John then went to Pittsburg, and joined the Redemptorists (Redemptorist Congregation), becoming a novitiate. This time in his life was filled with hardship. There were no teachers to teach him as a novitiate, his own teacher being busy in the field. He was also handling a good portion of the responsibility in keeping the parish running. Despite these hardships, he made his vows in Baltimore in 1841, becoming the first Redemptorist to do so in the United States of America.
Notable Achievements of St. John Neumann
St. John Neopmucene is known for his many great achievements in life.
- St. John conducted missionary activity throughout the states of Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. He learned Irish strictly in order to be able to talk with the Irish who didn't yet speak English.
- In 1847, he was named vice regent and superior of the American Redemptorists. In 1852, Pope Pius IX appointed him the fourth bishop of Philadelphia.
- St. John oversaw a new construction project in his diocese that resulted in 100 new churches and 80 new parochial schools. Work on the cathedral also began.
- He raised the standards at St. Charles Borromeo seminary; he also founded an ecclesiastical preparatory college there.
- St. John Neopmucene founded the School Sisters of Notre Dame to staff the schools and an orphanage.
- He introduced the Sisters of the Holy Cross from France.
- He founded the Philadelphia branch of the Sister's of St. Francis (on the advice of Pope Pius IX)
- Maintained cordial contact with the Colored Oblate Sisters in Baltimore. He also helped save them from dissolution.
- St. John Neopmucene became the first American bishop to introduce the Forty Hours devotion into his diocese.
- He wrote two catechisms that were endorsed by the American Bishops.
John Nepomucene Neumann's Death and Sainthood
John worked hard as Bishop and was told by many to slow the pace of his work. He was starting to look ill by the end of December 1859. He died of a stroke on January 5, 1860.
St. John Neopmucene received the title of Venerable on December 15, 1896. He was beatified in 1963, and canonized on June 19, 1977. His feast day is celebrated on January 5th in the United States, but is celebrated on May 16th elsewhere.
St. John Nepomucene Neumann's Lasting Legacy
Unlike many saints, John did not leave behind mountains of paperwork and writings for others to pore over. His very nature and attitude — humility, unceasing work for the glory of God, empathy, love for God, and piety — were the features that helped the Church decide to make him a Saint. His physical achievements will be remembered, but perhaps, his true nature as a Saint, will be remembered longer.
Sources:
- Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. (2001). The Encyclopedia of Saints. Visionary Living, Inc. Checkmark Books, New York, NY. ISBN 0816011342.
- Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. (2009). Bishop John Neopmucene Neumann. Saint Benedict Center, NH. Retrieved from Catholicism.org.
- Wissel, Joseph. (1914) John Nepomucene Neumann, Venerable. The Catholic Encyclopedia. San Deigo, CA. Catholic Answers, 2007.
A Saint Prays for Guidance
|
What do you think about this article?
Latest Articles