January 5

Saint John Nepomucene Neumann

Roman Martyrology

Immigrant bishop who walked to German settlers and grew Catholic schools

John Neumann was born in 1811 in Prachatice, in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). He studied for the priesthood, but his diocese had more priests than it needed, so he sailed to America on his own in 1836. Bishop John Dubois ordained him in New York that same year.

He was sent to scattered German-speaking settlers in western New York, travelling long distances on foot and on horseback to reach them. In 1840 he joined the Redemptorists, a religious order of missionary priests. In 1852 he was made Bishop of Philadelphia, a large and fast-growing diocese full of poor immigrants. He worked to give it parish schools, built churches, and learned several languages so he could hear confessions from people of different backgrounds. On 5 January 1860 he collapsed on a Philadelphia street and died, aged 48.

He was canonised in 1977, the first bishop from the United States declared a saint, remembered for serving newcomers who felt far from home.

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

1 Corinthians 9:22–23 · BSB

A prayer

God of every people, you led John Neumann across the sea to serve immigrants in a new land, and you made him tireless in teaching the young and reaching the forgotten. Give us hearts open to strangers, patience to learn their needs, and the courage to serve without counting the cost. Amen.