Born in 1811 in the modern-day Czech Republic, John Neumann felt an early draw to religious life. He entered the seminary, but there were too many priests in his diocese and he was never ordained there. So John decided to seek ordination in America. He set out on foot and walked to France, then boarded a ship for New York where he was quickly ordained and began working in immigrant communities. He built 50 churches, opened almost 100 schools, wrote two catechisms, served as superior of the Redemptorist order for ten years, and became the bishop of Philadelphia. He said, “A man must always be ready, for death comes when and where God wills it.” For Bishop John Neumann, death came for him unexpectedly at the age of 48.
CHALLENGE
St. John Neumann knew twelve languages and used his skills to spread the gospel message to even the most remote parts of the country. Today, find a parish within your diocese that serves a remote area. Then call them and ask how you can help them better announce the Gospel message to the people of their parish.
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