Vincent de Paul Wehrle, O.S.B., (December 19, 1855 – November 2, 1941) was a Swiss-born
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
monk
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
and
prelate
A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pre ...
of the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. His birth name was Johann Baptist Wehrle.
Wehrle served as the first bishop of the new
Diocese of Bismarck
The Diocese of Bismarck ( la, Dioecesis Bismarckiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in North Dakota. The current bishop of the diocese is Bishop David Kagan. It is a suffragan diocese in the eccles ...
in North Dakota from 1910 to 1939.
Biography
Early life
Vincent Wehrle was born on December 19, 1855, in
Berg Berg may refer to:
People
*Berg (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
*Berg Ng (born 1960), Hong Kong actor
* Berg (footballer) (born 1989), Brazilian footballer
Former states
* Berg (state), county and duchy of the Hol ...
,
St. Gallen
, neighboring_municipalities = Eggersriet, Gaiserwald, Gossau, Herisau (AR), Mörschwil, Speicher (AR), Stein (AR), Teufen (AR), Untereggen, Wittenbach
, twintowns = Liberec (Czech Republic)
, website = ...
, Switzerland to Johann Baptist and Elisabeth (née Hafner) Wehrle.
He studied at the
minor seminary
A minor seminary or high school seminary is a secondary day or boarding school created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming Catholic priests. They are generally Catholic institutions, and de ...
of St. Gallen for four years, when it was closed down by an
anti-clerical
Anti-clericalism is opposition to religious authority, typically in social or political matters. Historical anti-clericalism has mainly been opposed to the influence of Roman Catholicism. Anti-clericalism is related to secularism, which seeks to ...
state government. He then studied at
Einsiedeln Abbey
Einsiedeln Abbey (german: Kloster Einsiedeln) is a Benedictine Catholic monastery in the village of Einsiedeln in the canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, in recognition of Meinrad of Einsiedeln, a he ...
for two years.
He made his
profession
A profession is a field of work that has been successfully ''professionalized''. It can be defined as a disciplined group of individuals, '' professionals'', who adhere to ethical standards and who hold themselves out as, and are accepted by ...
as a member of the
Order of St. Benedict
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, found ...
(more commonly known as the Benedictines) at Einsiedeln on December 3, 1876.
Priesthood
Wehrle was later
ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...
to the
priesthood on April 23, 1882.
That same year he was sent by his
superiors to the United States, where he joined
Subiaco Abbey
The Abbey of Saint Scholastica, also known as Subiaco Abbey (Italian: ''Abbazia di Santa Scolastica''), is located just outside the town of Subiaco in the Province of Rome, Region of Lazio, Italy; and is still an active Benedictine abbey, ter ...
in
Logan County, Arkansas
Logan County (formerly Sarber County) is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,353. Its two county seats are Booneville and Paris.
History
The Arkansas General Assembly defined the stat ...
. He later went to
St. Meinrad Abbey in
Spencer County,
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
.
In 1887, Wehrle came to the
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of N ...
and was named
chancellor by Bishop
Martin Mary.
After laboring as a
missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
among the
Native Americans in
Yankton, South Dakota
Yankton is a city in and the county seat of Yankton County, South Dakota, United States.
The population was 15,411 at the 2020 census, and it is the principal city of the Yankton Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the entirety of Y ...
, he was assigned as pastor of
Devils Lake, North Dakota
Devils Lake is a city in Ramsey County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Ramsey County. The population was 7,192 at the 2020 census. It is named after the nearby body of water called Devils Lake. The first house in Devils ...
. He there founded St. Gall's Priory in 1893, and was elected as its first
prior.
He later established
Assumption Abbey at
Richardton, North Dakota
Richardton is a city in Stark County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 692 at the 2020 census. Richardton was founded in 1883. It is part of the Dickinson Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Richardton is home to Assumption Abbey, ...
, where he was
abbot
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The ...
, in 1903.
He also established new
parishes in the surrounding towns of
Mott
Mott is both an English surname and given name. Notable people with the name include:
Surname B
*Basil Mott (1859–1938), British civil engineer
*Bitsy Mott (1918–2001), American baseball player C
* Charles James Mott (1880–1918), British bar ...
, Richardton,
Lefor, and Strasburg, all in North Dakota
Bishop of Bismarck
On April 9, 1910, Wehrle was appointed the first
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
of the newly erected Diocese of Bismarck by
Pope Pius X. He received his
episcopal consecration on May 19, 1910, from Archbishop
John Ireland
John Benjamin Ireland (January 30, 1914 – March 21, 1992) was a Canadian actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in ''All the King's Men'' (1949), making him the first Vancouver-born actor to receive an Oscar nomin ...
, with Bishops
James McGolrick
James McGolrick (May 1, 1841 – January 23, 1918) was an Irish-born American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the first bishop of the Diocese of Duluth in Minnesota, serving from 1889 until his death.
Biography Early life
James McGolr ...
and
James Trobec serving as
co-consecrators, at the
chapel
A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...
of
St. Paul Seminary in
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
.
His
installation
Installation may refer to:
* Installation (computer programs)
* Installation, work of installation art
* Installation, military base
* Installation, into an office, especially a religious (Installation (Christianity) Installation is a Christian li ...
took place on June 16, 1910, and was attended by North Dakota Governor
John Burke.
During his 29-year-long tenure, Wehrle presided over a period of great growth for the church. From 1910 to 1939, the number of Catholics increased from 25,000 to 55,000; and 55 churches, 115 congregations, 18
parochial schools, and four
hospitals were established. He also began construction on the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, but was forced to abandon his efforts due to the
Great Depression.
By 1937, Wehrle's health had begun to fail and he became a patient at
St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck.
Retirement and legacy
Pope Pius XII accepted Wehrle's resignation as resigned as Bishop of Bismarck on December 11, 1939 and appointed him
Titular Bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.
By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox ...
of
Teos
Teos ( grc, Τέως) or Teo was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, on a peninsula between Chytrium and Myonnesus. It was founded by Minyans from Orchomenus, Ionians and Boeotians, but the date of its foundation is unknown. Teos was ...
on the same date.
Vincent Wehrle died on November 2, 1941, at age 85. He is interred at the Assumption Abbey Church Crypt in
Richardton, North Dakota
Richardton is a city in Stark County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 692 at the 2020 census. Richardton was founded in 1883. It is part of the Dickinson Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Richardton is home to Assumption Abbey, ...
.
References
Episcopal succession
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wehrle, Vincent De Paul
1855 births
1941 deaths
People from the canton of St. Gallen
Swiss Benedictines
Swiss Roman Catholic missionaries
Swiss emigrants to the United States
American Benedictines
Benedictine bishops
Roman Catholic bishops of Bismarck
20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States