St. John Neumann: Patron Saint of Immigrants and Catholic Education - Life, Feast Day and Prayer
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Rt. Rev. John N. Neumann, lithograph, about 1860 (Library of Congress). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
St. John Neumann was a Bohemian immigrant who became a missionary priest on the American frontier and then the fourth bishop of Philadelphia. He built churches and schools at a remarkable pace and is remembered as a founder of the diocesan Catholic school system in the United States. He is the patron of immigrants and of Catholic education.
Quick Facts
Feast day: January 5
Born: March 28, 1811, Prachatitz, Bohemia (now Prachatice, Czech Republic)
Died: January 5, 1860, Philadelphia
Beatified: October 13, 1963, by Pope St. Paul VI
Canonized: June 19, 1977, by Pope St. Paul VI
Patron of: Immigrants, Catholic education, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Symbols: Bishop's vestments, a Redemptorist habit, a schoolhouse
His Life
John Nepomucene Neumann was born in the town of Prachatitz in Bohemia, the son of a stocking maker. He was a bright, quiet boy who loved books and nature. He studied for the priesthood in Budweis and Prague and learned several languages. When he finished his studies in 1835, however, his bishop had more priests than he needed and postponed ordinations. Having read letters from missionaries in America, John decided to go where he was needed.
He crossed the Atlantic with almost no money and arrived in New York in June 1836. Bishop John Dubois, who had few priests for a huge diocese, welcomed him and ordained him on June 25, 1836. John was sent to the area around Buffalo and Niagara Falls, where German-speaking immigrants were scattered across farms and villages. For four years he walked and rode from settlement to settlement, saying Mass in log cabins, teaching children and visiting the sick.
Lonely and worn out, he longed for the support of a religious community. In 1840 he joined the Redemptorists, and in 1842 he became the first member to profess vows in the United States. He served in Baltimore and Pittsburgh and became superior of the Redemptorists in America. He was known for his simple life, his patience in the confessional and his gift for languages. He eventually heard confessions in at least six languages and learned Irish Gaelic so he could minister to Irish immigrants.
In 1852 Pope Pius IX named him bishop of Philadelphia, one of the largest dioceses in the country. Some wealthy Catholics thought this small, plainly dressed immigrant was not grand enough for the office, but he set to work. He organized the parish schools into a diocesan system, and the number of Catholic schools grew from just a few to about one hundred. He built dozens of churches, welcomed religious communities of sisters and brothers to teach and nurse, and spread the Forty Hours devotion of Eucharistic adoration across the diocese.
On January 5, 1860, Bishop Neumann collapsed on a Philadelphia street while running errands and died soon afterward. He was only forty-eight. Crowds came to his funeral, and many reported favors through his prayers. He was beatified in 1963 and canonized in 1977, the first American bishop to be declared a saint. His body rests at the National Shrine of St. John Neumann in Philadelphia. Many people still visit his shrine each year to ask his prayers for their families and for those far from home.
Legacy
St. John Neumann shows how much one humble, hardworking person can do when he puts his gifts entirely at God's service. As an immigrant himself, he understood the needs of newcomers, and the schools he built gave generations of children a place to learn the faith.
Prayer to St. John Neumann
St. John Neumann, you left your homeland to serve God's people in a new land. Pray for immigrants and refugees, for all who teach the faith and for Catholic schools. Help us to work generously and humbly for the Kingdom of God, and to welcome the stranger as we would welcome Christ. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Original prayer by Daily Catholic Prayers. You may print and share it freely.
How to Celebrate His Feast Day
Pray the prayer above for immigrants in your community.
Learn a simple greeting or prayer in another language spoken in your parish.
Spend time in Eucharistic adoration, which he promoted through the Forty Hours devotion.
Thank a teacher or catechist in your parish.
If you live near Philadelphia, visit his shrine at St. Peter the Apostle Church.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is the feast day of St. John Neumann?
January 5, the day he died in 1860.
What is St. John Neumann the patron saint of?
Immigrants and Catholic education.
Was St. John Neumann the first American bishop to be canonized?
Yes. He was the first bishop of the United States to be declared a saint.
What religious order did St. John Neumann belong to?
The Redemptorists (Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer).
Where is St. John Neumann buried?
At the National Shrine of St. John Neumann in Philadelphia.
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