St. John Neumann

As I was in daily Mass today, Msgr. spoke about St. Neumann in his homily.  I was intrigued as he spoke of a man who was so devoted to his Priestly calling, he gave up everything.  He was ordained a Bishop in Philadelphia and was so disliked by the people in his Parish, he was very unhappy.  They didn't disagree with his theology or practice, but genuinely disliked him as a person due to his heritage.  He was Bohemian and they felt he was beneath them.  He asked to be transferred to an other location but was told that the Holy Spirit wanted him where he was and so he was to remain.  He was so devoted to the people, convinced in his calling to Priesthood, and obedient to his superiors, he remained Bishop in Philadelphia until he passed away.  I was so impressed by this amazing man who must have been terribly lonely having no family in this country and disliked due to his background.  I felt for him as he had to have had tremendous strength and faith in the Lord to remain in a place he was not welcome.  But he did so much good and became a beloved Saint.  I looked up some more info. online about him and it is found below.

Retrieved from http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=70   

This American saint was born in Bohemia in 1811. He was looking forward to being ordained in 1835 when the bishop decided there would be no more ordinations. It is difficult for us to imagine now, but Bohemia was overstocked with priests. John wrote to bishops all over Europe but the story was the same everywhere no one wanted any more bishops. John was sure he was called to be a priest but all the doors to follow that vocation seemed to close in his face.

But John didn't give up. He had learned English by working in a factory with English-speaking workers so he wrote to the bishops in America. Finally, the bishop in New York agreed to ordain him. In order to follow God's call to the priesthood John would have to leave his home forever and travel across the ocean to a new and rugged land. 

 

Feastday: January 5
b. 1811 d. 1860 

 

In New York, John was one of 36 priests for 200,000 Catholics. John's parish in western New York stretched from Lake Ontario to Pennsylvania. His church had no steeple or floor but that didn't matter because John spent most of his time traveling from village to village, climbing mountains to visit the sick, staying in garrets and taverns to teach, and celebrating the Mass at kitchen tables.

Because of the work and the isolation of his parish, John longed for community and so joined the Redemptorists, a congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to helping the poor and most abandoned.

John was appointed bishop of Philadelphia in 1852. As bishop, he was the first to organize a diocesan Catholic school system. A founder of Catholic education in this country, he increased the number of Catholic schools in his diocese from two to 100. 

We can all aspire to be as devoted as St. Neumann; realizing that God may put us in a place we are unsure we are suited or prepared for but with His guidance, we can be successful.  We must have faith, hope, and trust in the Lord.