The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-11-26
Kenosha Catholics Rejoice Over Ap-
pointment OF Bishop Messmer to
Succeed Archbishop katzer.
AN ABLE AND LEARNED PRELATE
Bishop Messmer Has Not as Yet Been ADJ
vised OF His appointment But He Will
Probably Accept the Office.

The clergy and members of the
Romanist churches In Kenosha have
hailed with rejoicing the news cabled
from Rome Tuesday that Bishop Sc
bastian Gerhard Messmer of the diocese
of Green Bay had been appointed arch
bishop of the Milwaukee diocese.
Many of the members of the church in
Kenosha had favored the selection of
Vicar General A. B. Schinner, of Mil
waukee, but the appointm snt of Bishop
Messmer will cause no soreness among
the members of the church in the do
cese.
Public announcement of the ap-
pointment will probably be made in
the churches next Sunday and it is
probable that the new archbishop will
be installed with pomp and ceremony
about the first of the year. Bishop
Messmer was one of the strongest
friends Of the late Archbishop Katzer
and for years preceding the death of
the prelate Bishop Messmer was his
main aid in the work of the diocese.
His wide learning made Bishop Mess
mer one of the most distinguished men
in the Roman church in this country
and made him power at Rome.
Bishop Sebastian Gerhard Messmer,
was born Aug. %, 1847, at Goldach,
canton of st. Gall, Switzerland. His
ancestors were Swiss Catholics, and
resided in Thai, also of the same can
ton. At the time of the reformation,
one branch Of his family became ad-
herents of the Protestant church, but
the other portion remained steadfast
to the faith.
Bishop Messmer is the eldest of a
family of five. His first education was
obtained in the primary schools of his
.lative town, after which he was for
three years pupil of the high or
"real'' school, in Rorschach, which is
situated on Lake Constance. At this
latter place,he first met Otto zardetti,
who was destined to become his life
long friend. Zardetti afterward be-
came bishop of St. Cloud, Mimi, and
later an archbishop of Bucharest, in
Roumania.
Following the clerical vocation in
1861, young Messmer entered the Do
cean college of est. George, near St.
Gall, where he soon became recognized
for his devotion, close application to
his studies and strict obedience to SUI
periors. He remained at this college
until 1866, when he entered the Univer-
sity Of Innsbruck, in Tyrol, Austria,
where he pursued the study Of philoso-
ply and theology for the next five
years. In July, 1871, he was ordained
to the priesthood for the American
mission bysBishop Zuber, vicar apos-
tolic, after which he remained at home
but short time. He then came to
America, landing in New York Oct. 4
of the same year.
Bishop Messmer was appointed to
the see of Green Bay Dec. IA, 1891, but
did not take active charge of the do
cese until April 7, 1892.
Here a field of large possibilities
awaited him, a. field full of hard, un-
yielding labor to him who would mas.
ter the situation and thereby be en-
abled to Gull from the willing and fer
tile soil its richest gifts. To this work
he brought sthe ripe Lexperience gar
nered from long years of service, the
learning of scholar, the business
tact of man and love of Christian.
With such attributes at his command
failure was indeed an impossibility,
and so most surely it has proved.
AS result of this success Bishop
Messmer has administered the comfort
of religion to Gnearly 1900 families
which constitute his charge. Add
tional evidence of his remarkable pop
ularity is the esteem and unbounded
confidence with (which he is regarded
by all, no matter to what class or de-
nomination they belong.
Bishop Messmerswas the first presi-
dent of the,Catholic Columbia Summer
school at Madison, andiis now for the
third time reelected president of the
institution.
On July %, 1896, Bishop Messmer
celebrated his silver jubilee as priest,
when nearly the whole population OF
Green Bay madesgeneral cause in offer.
ing him their heartiest congratula
tions.