Saint of the Week

Feast Day: January 5

St. John Neumann was born in Bohemia on March 28, 1811. He entered the seminary in 1831 and became a great theologian. He spoke fluently many Slavic dialects, eight modern languages, and also was a master of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. He consecrated himself to the American missions and while still a seminarian, he moved to America in 1836. He was ordained by Bishop Dubois of New York on June 25, 1836. He entered the Redemptorists Congregation and became the superior of the Redemptorists at Pittsburgh. Pope Pius IX commanded Neumann under obedience to accept the Bishopric of Philadelphia in 1852.

He had a burning desire to work for the cause of education standards and availability to all. When he first came to Philadelphia, there were only 2 parochial schools. Within eight years, there were about one hundred of them. He called upon many different orders to run these schools (Christian Brothers, St. Joseph Sisters, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Notre Dame, Sisters of the Holy Cross). At the advice of Pope Pius IX, he founded the sisters of St. Francis in Philadelphia.

Also, during his first 5 years in Philadelphia, he built fifty churches and completed the exterior work on the Cathedral.

He was among the American bishops who were invited to Rome (by Pope Pius IX) to assist with the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

He’s noted for introducing the Forty Hours of Devotion in his diocese, as well as reciting the Litany of the Blessed Virgin and the Rosary before High Mass on Sundays and Holy Days.

He died in Philadelphia on January 5, 1860. His remains lie interred in a vault before the altar in the lower chapel of St. Peter’s Redemptorist Church in Philadelphia.

Prayer: Saint John Neumann, you helped organize Catholic education in the United States. Please watch over all Catholic schools and help them be a model of Christianity in their actions as well as their words. Amen