Franz Stock place of birth Neheim
The Servant of God Franz Stock (21 September 1904, Neheim – 24 February 1948, Paris) was a German Roman Catholic priest. He is known for ministering to prisoners in France during World War II, and to German prisoners of war in the years following. The cause for his canonization has been accepted by the Holy See.Early life
Stock was born the first of nine children of a worker family in the village of Neheim-Hüsten (now part of Arnsberg), in the Province of Westphalia of the German Empire. From 1910 to 1913, he attended a Catholic elementary school. At the age of twelve Franz expressed a wish to become a priest. In 1926, he participated in an international peace meeting in Bierville near Paris, which was organized by Marc Sangnier under the motto "Peace via the young!" There Franz became friends with Joseph Folliet (1902–1973), who grew up to become a noted Catholic writer and who greatly influenced him. That same year, he entered the Catholic seminary in Paderborn.In the spring of 1928, Stock went to Paris, France, where he spent three semesters studying at the Institut Catholique. During this period, he became a member of the Compagnons du saint François (Companions of St. Francis), a fellowship committed to living a simple life and working for peace. He was the first German student of theology in France since the Middle Ages.Stock was ordained to the subdiaconate on 15 March 1931. He was then ordained to the priesthood on 12 March 1932 by the Archbishop of Paderborn, Kaspar Klein, and from 1932 to 1934 had his first appointment as priest in Effeln, near Lippstadt, and in Dortmund-Eving. In 1934, he was appointed as rector of the German national parish of St. Boniface in Paris.Commencement of the process
On 14 November 2009 the proceedings for Stock's beatification were opened in the Church St. John the Baptist in Arnsberg-Neheim, his birthplace. He was baptized in this church and celebrated his first Mass there. Many members of the congregation and many of his former companions took part in the service. The ceremony was presided over by the former archbishop of Paderborn, Hans-Joseph Becker. With this step, Stock could be referred to as a Servant of God within the Catholic Church.
birthplace place of origin native place homeland birth city