John Neumann
Saint John Neumann | |
|---|---|
 | |
| "Little Bishop" of Philadelphia | |
| Born | March 28, 1811 Prachatitz, Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic) |
| Died | January 5, 1860 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | October 13, 1963, Rome, Italy by Pope Paul VI |
| Canonized | June 19, 1977 by Pope Paul VI |
| Major shrine | National Shrine of Saint John Neumann, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Feast | January 5 |
Saint John Nepomucene Neumann (Template:Lang-de; Template:Lang-cs; March 28 1811 – January 5 1860) was a Bishop of Philadelphia (1852-60) and the first American bishop to be canonized. His surname is properly pronounced "Noi-mahn" as opposed to "New-man".
Early Life
Neumann was born in Prachatitz, Bohemia (czech republic), within the Austrian Empire. He attended school in Budweis before entering seminary there in 1831. Two years later he transferred to the University of Prague, where he studied theology. He was interested in astronomy and botany. He intended to be ordained, but his bishop, in 1835, decided there would be no more ordinations, as Bohemia had a high number of priests already.
Neumann, who spoke eight languages[1] then wrote to other bishops in Europe, but they all replied that they also had too many priests already. He was inspired by the missionary writings of Bishop Frederic Baraga in America, and because he had learned English by working in a factory with English-speaking workers, Neumann wrote to bishops in America, requesting to be ordained in the United States. In 1836, he arrived in the United States with very little money, and was ordained to the priesthood there. He was assigned by the Bishop of New York to work with recent German immigrants in mission churches in the Niagara Falls area, where he visited the sick, taught cathecism, and trained teachers to take over when he left. After four years of service there, he realized his own need for support and came to realize the importance of communal activity in his work. He thus applied to the Redemptorists. He was accepted, and entered the novitiate of the order in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In January, 1842, he took the vows to enter the order in Baltimore, Maryland, and became the first Redemptorist in the New World. After six years of difficult but fruitful work with the order, he was appointed the order's provincial superior in the United States. Neumann was naturalized as a citizen of the United States in Baltimore on February 10, 1848.
Bishop of Philadelphia
In March 1852, Neumann was consecrated in Baltimore, as Bishop of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the first to organize a Catholic diocesan school system and increased the number of Catholic schools in his diocese from one to two hundred. He also introduced the School Sisters of Notre Dame to the New World to assist in religious instruction and staffing the orphanage.
Neumann was not a popular bishop and received criticism. He had to deal with the Know Nothings, a political group determined to deprive foreigners and Catholics of their civil rights; the group burnt down convents and schools. Discouraged, Neumann unsuccessfully wrote to Rome and asked for someone else to take his place.
Neumann wrote in many Catholic newspaper and magazine articles. He also published two catechisms and a Bible history in German. There were also many teaching orders brought in by him.
In 1860, Neumann died due to a stroke at the age of 48 while walking down a street in Philadelphia. After his death people began to talk of how great he had been.
Sainthood
Neumann was beatified by Pope Paul VI during the Second Vatican Council on October 13, 1963. He was canonized by Pope Paul VI on June 19, 1977. His feast day is January 5.
Neumann's remains are on display in a glass enclosed altar in the lower church of St. Peter the Apostle at 5th and Girard Streets in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia.
Honors
The following institutions bear his name.
Catholic parishes
Staten Island, New York Austin, Texas * Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania * Canton, Michigan * Charlotte, North Carolina * Columbia, South Carolina * Cooper Landing, Alaska * Eagan, Minnesota * Farragut, Tennessee * Franklin Park, Pennsylvania * Freetown, Maine * Gaithersburg, Maryland * Irvine, California * Lancaster, Pennsylvania * Las Vegas, Nevada * Lilburn, Georgia * Lubbock, Texas * Merrimack, New Hampshire * Miami, Florida * Mount Laurel, New Jersey * National Shrine at Parish of St. Peter the Apostle, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania * Strongsville, Ohio * St. Charles, Illinois * Santa Maria, California * Reston, Virginia * Waukesha, Wisconsin St. Peter's Parish Riverside NJ, Est. 1853 by St. John Neumann!
Schools
- A Franciscan college in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Our Lady of Angels College, located in Aston Township, Pennsylvania, was renamed as Neumann College after his beatification.
- South Catholic High School, an all boys secondary school in Philadelphia was renamed to honor Bishop John Neumann. The school's name was subsequently changed upon his beatification and finally his elevation to Sainthood. Recently the all boys school merged with the all girls school, St. Maria Goretti. The present co-ed school is named Sts. John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School in order to honor both Patrons.
- Neumann has a residence hall named in his honor at La Salle University in Philadelphia.
- The pre-theologate residence for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York has been called the St. John Neumann Residence since 1977, although it has changed locations twice. Students for the priesthood live and study at the residence while pursuing bachelor's degrees at nearby universities or while studying philosophy if they already have such a degree, and prepare for entrance into the graduate program of St. Joseph's Seminary prior to ordination.
- Neumann has a pair of Catholic Schools named in his honor in Slatington, Pennsylvania (grades K-3) and Palmerton, Pennsylvania (grades 4-8)
- Catholic H.S. in Naples, Florida named in his honor. (grades 9-12)
- There is also an academy named for him in Williamsport, Pennssylvania that ranges from Preschool to Grade 12.
See also
Notes
- ^ Attwater, Donald and Catherine Rachel John. The Penguin Dictionary of Saints. 3rd edition. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. ISBN 0-140-51312-4.
References
- Attwater, Donald and Catherine Rachel John. The Penguin Dictionary of Saints. 3rd edition. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. ISBN 0-140-51312-4.