Joseph Rademacher (bishop)

Joseph Rademacher (December 3, 1840 – June 12, 1900) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Nashville, Tennessee (1883–1893) and Bishop of Fort Wayne, Indiana (1893–1900).

Joseph Rademacher
Born(1840-12-03)December 3, 1840
DiedJune 12, 1900(1900-06-12) (aged 59)

Biography

Joseph Rademacher was born in Westphalia, Michigan, to Bernard and Theresia (née Platte) Rademacher, who were German immigrants.[1] In 1855, he began his classical and philosophical studies under the Benedictines at St. Vincent's College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.[2] He completed his theological studies at St. Michael's Seminary in Pittsburgh.[1] Attached to the Diocese of Fort Wayne, Indiana, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John Henry Luers on August 2, 1863.[3] He then served as the first resident pastor in Attica, also attending to the nearby missions, until 1870, when he was transferred to Columbia City.[2] In 1872 he became chancellor of the diocese and pastor of St. Mary's Church in Fort Wayne.[1] He served as pastor of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church in Lafayette from 1880 to 1883.[1]

On April 3, 1883, Rademacher was appointed the fourth Bishop of Nashville, Tennessee, by Pope Leo XIII.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 24 from Archbishop Patrick Feehan, with Bishops Joseph Gregory Dwenger and John Ambrose Watterson serving as co-consecrators.[3] Following the death of Bishop Dwenger in January 1893, Rademacher returned to Indiana and was named the third Bishop of Fort Wayne on July 15, 1893.[3] Unlike his predecessor, he was known as a mild and approachable leader.[1] He was disabled by a stroke in early 1899, and was admitted to St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne and afterwards, St. Elizabeth Hospital in Chicago.[1] Rademacher later died at St. Elizabeth's, aged 59.

References
  1. White, Joseph M. (2007). Worthy of the Gospel of Christ: A History of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
  2. Alerding, Herman Joseph. "The Right Rev. Joseph Rademacher, D.D." The Diocese of Fort Wayne. Archived from the original on 2009-06-25.
  3. "Bishop Joseph Rademacher". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Patrick Feehan		 Bishop of Nashville
1883–1893		 Succeeded by
Thomas Sebastian Byrne
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