Prayer to St. John Neumann: Life and Feast Day

St. John Neumann (1811–1860) was a Bohemian immigrant priest who crossed the ocean alone to serve the scattered Catholics of the American frontier, became a Redemptorist, and as the fourth bishop of Philadelphia built a system of Catholic schools that became the model for the whole country. Small, poor and tireless, he spoke at least eight languages and learned Irish to hear the confessions of Irish immigrants. In 1977 he became the first American bishop, and the first American man, to be canonized. His feast day is January 5. Below are his story, what he is the patron saint of, and prayers to St. John Neumann.

A short prayer to St. John Neumann, written for this page:

St. John Neumann, you left your homeland to serve God’s people in a new land.
Pray for immigrants, for Catholic schools and their teachers,
and for bishops and priests, that they may be humble, hardworking shepherds. Amen.

Who was St. John Neumann?

John Nepomucene Neumann was born on March 28, 1811, at Prachatitz, in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). A gifted student of theology and the natural sciences, he was inspired by letters from missionaries in America to give his life to the American missions. When his bishop could not ordain him because there were already too many priests, he set out for New York in 1836 with almost no money, and was ordained there by Bishop John Dubois on June 25, 1836.

For four years he served German-speaking immigrants scattered across western New York, walking from settlement to settlement around Buffalo. In 1840 he joined the Redemptorists, and in 1842 became the first Redemptorist to make his vows in America. He served in Pittsburgh and Baltimore and became the superior of the Redemptorists in the United States.

In 1852 Pope Pius IX named him bishop of Philadelphia. In eight years he raised the number of parochial schools in the diocese from two to nearly one hundred, built some fifty churches, welcomed several communities of teaching sisters, founded a congregation of Franciscan sisters, and was the first American bishop to introduce the Forty Hours devotion of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament throughout his diocese. Worn out at forty-eight, he collapsed and died on a Philadelphia street on January 5, 1860.

Canonization

Pope St. Paul VI beatified John Neumann in 1963 and canonized him on June 19, 1977. His body rests at the National Shrine of St. John Neumann in St. Peter the Apostle Church in Philadelphia, where many pilgrims come to pray.

What is St. John Neumann the patron saint of?

St. John Neumann is the patron saint of:

Catholic education and Catholic schools in the United States
Immigrants
The sick, especially sick children, many of whom have been healed at his shrine
Bohemia and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Prayers to St. John Neumann

Written for this page.

For Catholic schools

St. John Neumann, you built schools so that every child could know Jesus.
Bless our Catholic schools, their teachers, families and students,
and give them faith, excellence and generosity. Amen.

For immigrants

St. John Neumann, you knew what it is to arrive in a strange land.
Pray for all immigrants and refugees: protect them, give them work and welcome,
and let them find a home in the Church. Amen.

For a sick child

St. John Neumann, many sick children have been healed through your prayers.
Pray for (name), and ask the Lord to heal and strengthen (him/her). Amen.

Feast day

The memorial of St. John Neumann is January 5 in the United States.

Frequently asked questions

Who was the first American male saint?

St. John Neumann, bishop of Philadelphia, canonized in 1977.

What is St. John Neumann known for?

Building the first diocesan system of Catholic schools in the United States and his tireless care for immigrants.

When is St. John Neumann’s feast day?

January 5.

More saints

Texts and sources

Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), “Ven. John Nepomucene Neumann,” by Joseph Wissel, public domain (Wikisource).