MEMORIAL: JANUARY 5
St. John Neumann was born in Bohemia in the beginning of the 19th century. He desired to become a priest, but his bishop refused to ordain any more because there were too many in the country. Thus, Neumann traveled to the United States to be ordained a priest. He ministered to rural communities in New York and Pennsylvania. For community in his life, he joined the Redemptorists and focused on the poor, sick and unfortunate. He was eventually named Bishop of Philadelphia where he continued to care for the poor. He also focused on expanding Catholic schooling and is known as one of the founding fathers of Catholic education in the United States. St. John Neumann died at the age of 46 and was canonized in 1977. His remains are on display under the altar of St. Peter the Apostle in Philadelphia.
