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Life of St. John Neumann
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St. John Neumann completes his studies in seminary
St. John Neumann decided that god was calling him to be a priest. When he graduated from seminary after 4 years of study he couldn't find a single bishop in bohemia that would ordain him. John was dead set on becoming a priest so he look else where of a bishop that would ordain him. -
St. John moves to America
St. John Neumann heard that a bishop in residing New York who was willing to canonize him. The bishop was in dire need for priests after the large growth in german immigrants came to America and settled in the north-eastern states. he arrived with one suit of clothes and a single dollar in his pocket. -
St. John Neumann is ordained
3 weeks after arriving in America, St. John Neumann was ordained a priest by Bishop John Dubois. There was such a lack of priests that St. John Neumann's parish was all of the state of New York and half of New Jersey. He often celebrated mass in people's houses and could hear confessions in 6 different languages. (This is not a picture of St. John Neumann) -
St. John Neumann becomes a Redemptorist
A Redemptorist is a clergyman that is part of a missionary society. Their duty is "to strive to imitate the virtues and examples of Jesus Christ, Our Redeemer, consecrating themselves especially to the preaching of the word of God to the poor" (Redemptorists's Rule). Longing for a sense of community, Fr. John Neumann joined the Redemptorists and became the first member to take his vows in the new world. -
St. John Neumann becomes an American citizen
It was clear, at this point, that St. John Neumann was staying in America for along time, if not the rest of his life. He became a citizen of America in 1848. This allowed him to vote and claim the basic rights that came with being a citizen. -
St. John Neumann starts the first Catholic schools
With the large amounts of Catholic Immigrants coming into the country also came with the need for education. This was difficult for the immigrants because of the anti-catholic riots, the know-nothing party, and the language barrier. Fearing discrimination and protestant influence, parents wanted their children taught in Catholic tradition. St. John Neumann came up with the first Catholic private schools. -
St. John Neumann becomes a bishop
With the increasing amount of catholic immigrants coming to America, and doing so well as a priest, St. John Neumann was appointed bishop of philadelphia. Under his administration, many new parish churches were built for the immigrants. Almost as many as one per month! -
St. John Neumann asked to resign
With the parish on the verge of collapse St. John Neumann was getting tired of being responsible for his diocese. They were running out of money, anti-catholic riots burned down religious facilities, and constantly defending the racially and religiously prejudiced people, St John Neumann wrote to the pope asking to be replaced. The Pope managed to convince him to stay as bishop and pushed him to continue his religious works. -
St John Neumann establishes the Third Order of Sisters of St. Francis.
St. John Neumann was in Rome for Pope Pius IX's (9th) proclamation of the Immaculate Conception Dogma. It was here that he got a recommendation from the Pope to start an order of sisters in America. He went on to start the Third Order of Sisters of St. Francis. -
St. John Neumann Brought the school Sisters of Notre Dame to America
Needing educated catholic teachers to staff his new schools, St. John Neumann brought the School Sisters of Notre Dame to America. They helped staff orphanages and schools established by the church. These schools also started educating young girls alongside young boys.
