John Alexander Floersh (October 5, 1886 – June 11, 1968) was an American bishop of the
Roman Catholic Church. Becoming
Bishop of Louisville
The Archdiocese of Louisville is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church that consists of twenty-four counties in the central United States, American state of Kentucky, covering . As of 2018, the archdiocese ...
in 1924, he was elevated to the rank of
archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
in 1937 and served until his retirement in 1967.
Early life and priesthood
John Floersh was born in
Nashville, Tennessee, the fourth of eight children of John and Minnie (née Alexander) Floersh.
His father was a
cigar
A cigar is a rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco leaves made to be smoked. Cigars are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes. Since the 20th century, almost all cigars are made of three distinct components: the filler, the binder l ...
manufacturer.
[ He began his studies for the priesthood at age sixteen, and earned his Doctor of Philosophy (1907) and ]Doctor of Divinity
A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity.
In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ran ...
(1911) degrees from the Propaganda College in Rome.Diocese of Nashville
The Diocese of Nashville ( la, Dioecesis Nashvillensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church that encompasses 38 counties spread over 16,302 square miles of Middle Tennessee. The Catholic population of the d ...
for a year before becoming secretary to Archbishop Giovanni Bonzano
Giovanni Vincenzo Cardinal Bonzano PIME (27 September 1867 – 26 November 1927) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholicism), Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Nunciature of the Holy See in Washington DC, Apostolic Delegate to Uni ...
, the Apostolic Delegate in Washington, D.C.[ He was named a Monsignor by Pope Benedict XV in 1917.][
]
Episcopal ministry
On February 6, 1923, Floersh was appointed coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co ...
of the Diocese of Louisville
The Archdiocese of Louisville is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church that consists of twenty-four counties in the central American state of Kentucky, covering . As of 2018, the archdiocese contains app ...
, Kentucky, and titular bishop of '' Lycopolis'' by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City fro ...
.[ He received his ]episcopal
Episcopal may refer to:
*Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church
*Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese
*Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name
** Episcopal Church (United State ...
consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
on the following April 8 from Archbishop Bonzano, with Archbishop Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani
Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani (1 October 1871 – 13 January 1951) was an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as Secretary of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, Vicar General of Rome, Secretary of the Holy Of ...
and Bishop Michele Cerrati
Michele (), is an Italian male given name, akin to the English male name Michael.
Michele (pronounced ), is also an English female given name that is derived from the French Michèle. It is a variant spelling of the more common (and identically ...
serving as co-consecrators
A consecrator is a bishop who ordains someone to the episcopacy. A co-consecrator is someone who assists the consecrator bishop in the act of ordaining a new bishop.
The terms are used in the canon law of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, ...
.[ Following the retirement of Bishop ]Denis O'Donaghue
Denis O'Donaghue (November 30, 1848 – November 7, 1925) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Louisville from 1910 to 1924.
Biography Early life
O'Donaghue was born on a farm in Daviess County, Indiana, to ...
, Floersh succeeded him as Bishop of Louisville on July 26, 1924.[ When the Diocese of Louisville was elevated to the rank of an ]archdiocese
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
on December 10, 1937, Floersh became its first Archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
.[
During his tenure, he greatly increased the number of parishes, schools, and other institutions. He established ]Bellarmine University
Bellarmine University (BU; ) is a private Catholic university in Louisville, Kentucky. It opened on October 3, 1950, as Bellarmine College, established by Archbishop John A. Floersh of the Archdiocese of Louisville and named after Saint Rober ...
, Catholic Charities
The Catholic Church operates numerous charitable organizations.
Catholic spiritual teaching includes spreading the Gospel, while Catholic social teaching emphasises support for the sick, the poor and the afflicted through the corporal and spir ...
, annual Corpus Christi processions, and St. Thomas Seminary (which was open from 1952 to 1970).[ In 1941, he criticized '' The Courier-Journal'' for featuring a full-page advertisement for ]birth control
Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...
.[ He also called on Kentucky Catholics to support the civil rights movement.][ Between 1962 and 1965, he attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council, where he was the 21st ranking bishop.
]
Later life
After forty-three years as head of the Diocese of Louisville, Floersh resigned on March 1, 1967,[ after Pope Paul VI called for the voluntary retirement of resident bishops older than 75. He died just over a year later, on June 11, 1968, at age 81.][UPI]
"Archbishop John A. Floersh Of Louisville Is Dead at 81"
''The New York Times''. June 12, 1968. p. 47. Retrieved March 15, 2011. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery.[
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Floersh, John A.
1886 births
1968 deaths
Participants in the Second Vatican Council
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville
20th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in the United States
Religious leaders from Kentucky