The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-10-27
Father Heidenreich, c SS.R.

Last Thursday we were startled and panied
| to learn that another priest and religious had
just been called from earth to Heaven to re-
ceive the reward of his services in the behalf
of the plague,stricken in the Fourth District.
Father John Heidenreich, C.SS. B., was born
near Pade1 born in Westphalia, Prussia, July
%, 1885, and was therefore forty three years of
age at the date of his death. His parents we1e
poor and humble peasants, but very pious and
Industrious, as almost all Westphslians are
known to be. AS mere boy John Heidenreich
impressed all around him as model of piety
and modesty, and it is believed that he never
lost his baptismal innocence by mortal sin.
After completing his preparatory studies at COL
| lege and his theology at the seminary of Pa
| derborn, b e entered the Redemptorist noviciate
at Maria Hamicolt on the Rhine, and was pro.
fessed October 3, 1850. Thence he was sent to
| study the Moral Theology of st. Alphonsus, at
the Redemptorist seminary at Wittem, in Hol-
land, where he was raised to the priesthood
September 2l 1861. After his second novioate
he spent twelve yea!s in the sacred ministry
| at Aachep, Bochum and other cities Of Prus-
| sia.
When the RedemptoristS were expelled by
Prince Bismarck from Prussia in the year 1873
the jealous Father Heidenreich requested to
be cent to the missions of America. His first
field of labor in this country was at Rochester,
N. Y, where, finding too little to do, his burn
ing zeal prompted him to beg his Superiors
to let him come to New Orleans. After long
hesitation, his ardent desire of la boring still
more WE gratfed in February 1874, when he
was sent to New Orleans, together with Father
Leimgruber, and YVES stationed with him at St.
Mary's Assumption Church, Josephine street
Having a weak voice, and being therefore un-
derstood with difficulty in large church, the
good Father, to his deep regret, was not much
employed as preacher or cateobiet; but as con-
fessor he soon became deservedly popular
among alkclasses and was highly esteemed by
religious as we'll as seculars. When not epga-
ged IN eternal duties he mil ght always be found
praying in his cell or studying in the library,
for he was emphatically man of prayer and
study. He never read or relished profsne
books ; but he seemed to know by heart the
names, editions and contents of every mystical
and ascetical work ever published in German,
Latin, Spanish, French or English. He ap-
peared to love English less than any other
modern language; but he loved to study Span
ish and read Spanish books, especially the
mystical writings of st. Theresa and st. John of
the Cross. He even cherished the secret hope
of being one day sent to labor for God and
souls in Ecuador and other parts of South
America where the Spanish language would
be of service to him.
But God did not design the Jealous Father
to labor longer travel further than New
Orleans. Here he was to close his useful NOR
tai career and go to receive his eternal reward
When the yellow fever epidemic broke out in
July, good Father Heidenreich at once and re-
peatedly begged his Superior to let him attend
the plague stricken. At first his holy impor-
tunites were gratefully declined, as Fathers
Neithart, Colonel and Lsmy, who had taken
the yellow fever in previous years, were DEEM
ed suffi cient for the service of the siok but in
the beginning of September, when the few 60
climated Fathers became unable to answer all
the sick calls of three large parishes, Fathers
| Heidenreich and Grimm were reluctantly ad-
mitted to share their labors in behalf of the
daily increasing victims of the epidemic.
From that moment till the day of his fatal
! illness Father Heidenreioh was happy and in
defatigable. he felt not the slightest fear of
the contOgion, and often said that God would
assuredly protect him at the post of duty and
danger. He was ever on hand to answer sud
] den sick calls by day or by night. On the way