Joseph Maria Koudelka
Joseph Maria Koudelka | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Superior | |
 Bishop Joseph Maria Koudelka, November, 1913 | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Diocese | Diocese of Superior |
| In office | November 5, 1913—June 24, 1921 |
| Predecessor | Augustine Francis Schinner |
| Successor | Joseph Gabriel Pinten |
| Other post(s) | Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio (auxiliary bishop) 1907—1911 Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (auxiliary bishop) 1911—1913 |
| Previous post(s) | Auxiliary bishop, Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | November 29, 1875 |
| Consecration | November 9, 1907 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Josephus Nutritius Koudelka December 7, 1852 |
| Died | June 24, 1921 (aged 68) Superior, Wisconsin |
| Buried | St. Mary Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Parents | Marek Koudelka Anna Janoušková |
| Occupation | Catholic Bishop |
| Alma mater | St. Francis Seminary |
Joseph Maria Koudelka (December 7, 1852 – June 24, 1921) was a prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Superior, Wisconsin (1913-1921).
Biography
Koudelka was born on 7 December 1852 at Chlistov house 59, Bohemia, Austrian Empire. He was baptized Catholic on the same day at the village church as "Josephus Nutritius Koudelka".[1] He attended college at the nearby town of Klatovy and emigrated to America in 1868 to attend St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee.[2]
Early years in Cleveland and Milwaukee
Koudelka was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood November 29, 1875, for the Diocese of Cleveland by Tobias Mullen, bishop of Erie, Pennsylvania.[3]
On November 29, 1907, Pope Pius X appointed him auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland and he was ordained on February 25, 1908 with a special ministry to the Slavic community.[4]
On June 24, 1911 Pope Pius X appointed him auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He was ordained as the first auxiliary bishop of Milwaukee on September 4, 1911.[5]
Bishop of Superior, Wisconsin
On August 6, 1913, Pope Pius X appointed Koudelka the second bishop of the Diocese of Superior.[3] He was installed at the pro-cathedral of Sacred Heart in Superior, Wisconsin by Archbishop Sebastian Messmer of Milwaukee.[2]
Fluent in eight languages, Koudelka authored books in Bohemian, German and English.[6] At Superior he added the Ojibwe language to his vocabulary. He commissioned works of art for several church properties.
His greatest accomplishment was forming a social service agency today known as the Catholic Charities Bureau.[7] On September 12, 1917 he dedicated St. Joseph's Children's Home in Superior, an orphanage that housed up to 200 children. He conducted over 100 parish missions around the country and contributed donations to help finance the orphanage.
He died on June 24, 1921 at his residence.[8] The funeral Mass was celebrated at the chapel of St. Joseph's Children's Home by his nephew Fr. Charles Koudelka of Cleveland. The next day, a solemn burial Mass was held at Sacred Heart pro-cathedral. Final services were at St. Michael Church in Cleveland where he was pastor with burial at St. Mary Cemetery.
See also
References
- ^ "Chlístov 05 | Porta fontium". www.portafontium.eu. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
- ^ a b Our Journey through Faith; A History of the Diocese of Superior. Ireland: Booklink, 2005, p. 26.
- ^ a b Bishop Joseph M. Koudelka biography at catholic-hierarchy.org
- ^ Catholic Encyclopedia, Cleveland Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland
- ^ Milwaukee Archdiocese, affiliated Bishops at catholic-hierarchy.org
- ^ History of Diocese of Superior, Bishop Koudelka at www.catholicdos.org
- ^ Our Journey, p. 28.
External links
- GCatholic Reference, Diocese of Cleveland, former prelates [self-published]
- GCatholic Reference, Diocese of Superior, list of Bishops [self-published]
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| International | |
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| National | |
- 1852 births
- 1921 deaths
- American people of Czech descent
- Austro-Hungarian emigrants to the United States
- Burials in Ohio
- Religious leaders from Cleveland
- 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops
- American Roman Catholic bishops
- Religious leaders from Wisconsin
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee
- Catholic Church in Ohio
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
- Roman Catholic bishops of Superior
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior
- St. Francis Seminary (Wisconsin) alumni