Joseph Gabriel Pinten (October 3, 1867 – November 6, 1945) was an American

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 'pref ...

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 third bishop of the

Diocese of Superior The Diocese of Superior ( la, Dioecesis Superiorensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church that encompasses the city of Superior and the counties of Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, L ...

in Wisconsin (1922–1926), and as the fourth bishop of the

Diocese of Grand Rapids The Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids ( la, Dioecesis Grandcataractensis) is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in western Michigan, in the United States. It comprises 80 parishes in 11 counties in West Michigan. It is a suffragan see to ...

in Michigan (1926–1940).

Biography

Early years

Joseph Pinten was born in

Rockland, Michigan Rockland is a census-designated place (CDP) and the primary community in Rockland Township, Ontonagon County, Michigan, United States. It is along US Highway 45, which leads north to its terminus at Ontonagon on Lake Superior, and south to Ea ...

, the son of Joseph and Anna Pinten. He grew up in

Calumet, Michigan Calumet ( or ) is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. Also known as Red Jacket, the village includes the C ...

.''Our Journey through Faith; A History of the Diocese of Superior''. Ireland: Booklink, 2005, pp. 28-30. In 1881, he entered

Saint Francis de Sales Seminary Saint Francis de Sales Seminary is a seminary for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, located in the Milwaukee suburb of St. Francis, Wisconsin. Its main building, called Henni Hall, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places ...

in St. Francis, Wisconsin. Pinten traveled to Rome in 1885 to attend the Propaganda Fide University in Rome.

Priesthood

Pinten was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal

Lucido Parocchi Lucido Maria Parocchi (13 August 1833 – 15 January 1903) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Secretary of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office from 5 August 1896 until his death. Biography Luci ...

on November 1, 1890 at Trinità dei Monti Church in Rome for the Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie-Marquette. After returning to Michigan, Pinten was assigned as an assistant pastor at St. Paul's Parish in

Negaunee, Michigan Negaunee ( or ) is a city in Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,568 at the 2010 census. The city is located at the southwest corner of Negaunee Township, which is administratively separate, in the Upper Peni ...

in 1892 and then assistant pastor of St. Fidelis Parish in Detour, Michigan. Pinten spent 1893 on medical leave, then had the following parish assignments: * Administrator at St Fidelis (1894) * Pastor at Holy Rosary (Assumption) in Iron Mountain (1894 to 1895) * Pastor at St. Barbara's in

Vulcan Vulcan may refer to: Mythology * Vulcan (mythology), the god of fire, volcanoes, metalworking, and the forge in Roman mythology Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * Vulcan (''Star Trek''), name of a fictional race and their home p ...

(1895 to 1898) * Pastor at St. Joseph's in L'Anse (1898)Scott Jamieson
History of St. Peter Cathedral: Joseph Gabriel Pinten
* Rector at St. Peter's Cathedral (1899) In 1912, Pinten was named

vicar general A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ...

of the diocese. Later that year

Pope Pius X Pope Pius X ( it, Pio X; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of C ...

designated him as a

domestic prelate Monsignor (; it, monsignore ) is an honorific form of address or title for certain male clergy members, usually members of the Roman Catholic Church. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian ''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" ca ...

, with the honorific title of

monsignor Monsignor (; it, monsignore ) is an honorific form of address or title for certain male clergy members, usually members of the Roman Catholic Church. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian ''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" ca ...

. He directed the construction of Holy Family Orphan's Home in Marquette, and headed the orphanage from 1916 to 1922. In 1919, Pinten used his own funds to purchase the dormitory property of Northern Normal College in

Marquette, Michigan Marquette ( ) is a city in Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,629 at the 2020 United States Census, which makes it the largest city in the Upper Peninsula. Marquette serves as the seat of government of Marquett ...

. Pinten then donated it to the diocese to use as a church, requiring it be named Saint Michael and that it would have a parish school.

Bishop of Superior

On November 30, 1921,

Pope Benedict XV Pope Benedict XV (Latin: ''Benedictus XV''; it, Benedetto XV), born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, name=, group= (; 21 November 185422 January 1922), was head of the Catholic Church from 1914 until his death in January 1922. His ...

appointed Pinten as the third bishop of the Diocese of Superior. He was ordained bishop on May 3, 1922 at St. Peter Cathedral with Archbishop

Sebastian Messmer Sebastian Gebhard Messmer (August 29, 1847 – August 4, 1930) was a Switzerland, Swiss-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop (Catholic Church), bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, Diocese of Green Bay (189 ...

presiding. The next day, an enthronement ceremony was held at Sacred Heart

pro-cathedral A pro-cathedral or procathedral is a parish church that temporarily serves as the cathedral or co-cathedral of a diocese, or a church that has the same function in a Catholic missionary jurisdiction (such as an apostolic prefecture or apostolic ...

Superior, Wisconsin , native_name_lang = oj , nickname = , total_type = , motto = , image_skyline = Tower Avenue.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Downtown Superior , ima ...

.Diocese of Superior
Bishop Pinten (1922-1926)
Retrieved October 14, 2014. After his arrival in Superior, Pinten purchased a home for himself. When he learned that a local community of sisters was living in an overcrowded residence, he remodeled the house and quietly turned it over to them. He oversaw numerous building and expansion projects throughout the diocese. Ground breaking for the new cathedral began on June 23, 1926. In his last act as bishop of Superior, Pinten blessed and laid the cornerstone for the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior on October 24, 1926. The next day he left for his new appointment at Grand Rapids.

Bishop of Grand Rapids

On June 25, 1926,

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 ...

appointed Pinten as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids. He was installed there on October 28, 1926.

Death and legacy

On November 1, 1940,

Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...

accepted Pinten's resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Superior and appointed him as titular bishop of Sela. In poor health after his retirement, Joseph Pinter moved back to

where he died at St. Mary's Hospital on November 6, 1945.

References

External links

GCatholic Reference, Diocese of Superior, list of Bishops

GCatholic Reference, Diocese of Grand Rapids, list of Bishops

Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids

Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinten, Joseph G. 1867 births 1945 deaths 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States People from Ontonagon County, Michigan People from Marquette, Michigan Religious leaders from Wisconsin Roman Catholic bishops of Grand Rapids Roman Catholic bishops of Superior