John Nicholas Wurm (December 6, 1927 – April 27, 1984) was an American prelate 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 ...

. He served as the fifth bishop of the

Diocese of Belleville The Diocese of Belleville ( la, Diœcesis Bellevillensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the southern Illinois region of the United States. It comprises the southern counties of the state of Ill ...

in Illinois from 1981 to 1984. He previously serve as an auxiliary bishop of the

Archdiocese of St. Louis The Archdiocese of St. Louis ( la, Archidiœcesis Sancti Ludovici) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church that covers the City of St. Louis and the Missouri counties of Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Perr ...

in Missouri from 1976 to 1981.

Biography

John Wurm was born the seventh of fourteen children of Anthony and Rose Wurm on December 6, 1927, in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

. He was baptized on December 18, 1927, at All Souls Church in

Overland, Missouri Overland is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 16,062 at the 2010 census. History The area south of the King's Road to St. Charles was first settled in the early 1820s, when travelers westward from St. Louis ...

. Wurm attended All Souls Catholic School, the Cathedral Latin School, and Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis. Wurm was ordained a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

for the Archdiocese of St. Louis on April 3, 1954, by Cardinal

Joseph Ritter Joseph Elmer Ritter (July 20, 1892 – June 10, 1967) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis in Missouri from 1946 until his death in 1967, and was created a cardinal in 1 ...

. Wurm was appointed

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 an ...

of alestia and as an auxiliary bishop of St. Louis on June 25, 1976 by

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...

. Wurm was consecrated

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 ca ...

on August 17, 1976, by Cardinal

John Carberry John Joseph Cardinal Carberry (July 31, 1904 – June 17, 1998) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis in Missouri from 1968 to 1979, and was created a cardinal in 1969. ...

. On September 19, 1981, Wurm was appointed as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Belleville by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

. Wurm was installed on November 4, 1981. Bishop Wurm died on April 27, 1984, in Belleville of cancer.

References

External links

A biography of Bp. Wurm from Knights of Columbus Council #1376, in Bp. Wurm's hometown
1927 births 1984 deaths People from Belleville, Illinois Clergy from St. Louis Kenrick–Glennon Seminary alumni Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States Roman Catholic bishops of Belleville Religious leaders from Missouri {{US-RC-bishop-stub