Saint John Neumann

John Nepomucene Neumann was born on March 28, 1811, in Prachatitz, Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). Unable to be ordained at home because there were too many priests, he crossed to New York and was ordained there in 1836. He served German-speaking immigrants in western New York, walking long distances between scattered settlements, and in 1842 he became the first Redemptorist to make his vows in the United States.

In 1852 he was named bishop of Philadelphia. He organized the first diocesan Catholic school system in the country, building schools so quickly that their number grew from two to about one hundred, and he spoke several languages to serve his immigrant flock. Worn out by his labors, he collapsed on a Philadelphia street and died on January 5, 1860. He was canonized in 1977.

His body rests beneath the altar of the National Shrine of Saint John Neumann at Saint Peter the Apostle Church in Philadelphia, where pilgrims pray for healing. He is a beloved patron for immigrant families and Catholic educators in the United States.