The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-04-03
AN NJ llICAN SAINT
John Neponlucene Neumann,
Fourth Bishop of Phila-
delphia to Be
Canonized.
LIFE OF HUMILITY AND PIETY
Incidents Of His Youth-A Re-
demptorist Brother-His
Death.

Some day-exaetly how many months or
Tears hence, no one can say, but some day
the Roman Catholic calendar of saints
Win continue the name ud a man who
ssixty-one years ago landed in New York
almost penniless and a stranger. Only a
few short months ago the congregation of
Rites decided in favor of the introduction
of the cause of Identification of the SER
want of God John N-epognucene Neumann,
fourth Bishop of Philadelphia. This
meant, says the New York Herald, that
the sanity prslate's case has passed
through the. preliminary steps and had
reached the stage called ''the introduce
ton of the apostolic process 1t also
meant that he lnust thereafter be styled
the Venerable John Nepomucene Neu-
mann. When besatiied he VIII be termed
blessed. When canonized he will b. styled
saint.
Identification and caaonization, though
separate and distinct processes. are sub
stantfally IN these days the first and sec
ofld step in one process. inasrnlch as cam
onizDtion almost invariably, though not
necessarily. follows Qualification. Neither
process pretends to raise the beatified or
canonized person a step higher in Heaven;
neither does it naean that only those N
on.zed or beatiied are in Heaven. Either
process does mean that such a one has
been conspicuous for holiness of life and
has received special marks of the Divine
favor.
John N~epognucene Neurnann was born in
the ancient city of Prachatitz, Bohemia.
AS early as 1896 Prachatitz had gained inn
portance as the chief Depot of trade be-
tween Bayaria and Bohemia, and stud
ents of history will remember it as the
scene Of a bloody massacre of Catholics by
Hussstes followers of Hnss) in the year
142e. 1t was or. Good Friday, March 2S.
1871. that the subject Of this sketch came
into the world. His father was a stock
ing weaver and a leading citizen, and was
known as a mar of sterling principles,
charitable and religious
In 1923 John entered the gymnasium at
Budweas. distant one days Journey from
Prachatitz. Here he suffered many an
due Partly to his efforts to re-
duce the demands upon his fathers purse.
Worn out in body and mind and Disguised
with his lack of progress in his studies,
he returned home at the end of his fourth
scholastic year. He resumed, however,
and progressed splendidly.
In 1881 Neumalln entered the seminary at
Budweis. In his first year of theology he
received the tonsure and minor orders. In
his second year he became fired with the
desire for missionary work in North
America, which was then looked upon by
Europeans as a vast wilderness. He per-
sisted in the study of languages, and even
as "a student was familiar with eight
tongues, viz, Italian, Latin, Greek, He
brew. French. Bohemian. German and
English.
All this time, though confronted by al
most i"nsurmouIltable obstacles. he never
.relinquished his cherished project to come
to America. On April 20. 1885. he danartad
from Havre onethe Europa, a sailing ves-
sci, for it was two years before regular
Ctn1 rpchip r. no c.,r NJ op1 f1A o,,~nox 80
cupied forty days. So great was his i'm
patience to land that when the ship enter
ed the harbor Neumann, after much per-
%suasion, induced the Captain to put him
off in a small Goat. He landed at Staten
Island at eleven o'clock on the morning
of Corpus Christi and reached New York
city at one O'Clock.
Neumann was soon closeted with the
venerable Bishop Dubois, who was sur
prised and overjoyed on seeing him. The
prelate said a German priest was badly
needed in the diocese, and he was about
to send to Philadelphia for one Neu-
trine to the German congregation of st.
Nicholas Church. and did other like
duties. On June rs, 1886, Neumann was
ordained in old ST. Patrick's.
Father Neumann's first regular mission
was at Wiliamsviile. from which he also
attended North Bush, five miles distant;
Lancaster and Transit, six; Batavia, for
ty; Sheldon, twenty: Niagara, fifty, and
oSVcIdl OliGI lIdC6S.
On October IS. 1910. Father Neumann, |
broken in health as the result of his mis-
sion iabors, sought admittance at the
Redemptorist convent in Pittsburg. He
was Immediately received, and entered
upon his year Of probation.
On june l6, 1912, Father Neumann made
the vows of q Redemptorist in old st.
James, Baltimore. For a considerable
period the distant missions of the order
attended from Baltimore fell to Father
Neumann's lot. On March S, 1874, Father
Neumann was chosen Superior of the
Redemptorists, in Pittsburg, but in Janu-
airy, 1S47, his physician ordered him to
leave Plttsburg. He was recalled to
Baltimore.
But the time for the realization of
Father Neumalln's dream was approach
Father Neumann as his confessor, and
the prelate on the occasion of one of his
visits to the priest impaired to him the
intelligence that he had been preconized
better see about getting yourself a mitre,"
added the Archbishop, jokingly. The eff
feet of the news upon Father Neumann
was startling, On his knees, and with
tears flowing down his cheeks, he begged
the Archbishop to prevent the bestowal
of the dignity upon one so unworthy
But it was all in vain. Entering his cell
about dusk in March. 1852, Father Neu-
n Dectoral cross. He was con-
secrated on Good Friday, 1852. He was
born on Good Friday, and this concur
renee OF dates impressed Father Neu-
mann. who recognized in it an expression !
of Gods designs over him-trials and
su~fferings were to be his lot.
In 1854 Bishop Neumann went abroad.
The main purpose of his visit was to be
present in Rome at the formal promulga-
ton Of the doctrine of the immaculate
Conception. He took ADVANTAGE of the
opportunity to visit his native Prachatitz.
The Bishops mother was dead. His
stay in Prachatitz brought out many evil
dences of the Bishops humility. To one