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Sebastian Gebhard Messmer
Sebastian Gebhard Messmer (August 29, 1847 – August 4, 1930) was a Swiss-born American Catholic prelate who served as archbishop of Milwaukee from 1903 to 1930. He previously served as bishop of Green Bay (1892–1903).
Messmer is largely remembered as a political moderate. As a progressive for his time, Messmer opposed segregationist church policies based on race or language, and he was a major supporter of expanding Catholic-run welfare programs. But he also pushed back against socialism as the movement was growing in Wisconsin, and he opposed women gaining the right to vote.
Sebastian Messmer was born in Goldach, Switzerland, the eldest of five children of Sebastian and Rosa (née Baumgartner) Messmer. His father, a farmer and innkeeper, also served in the Federal Assembly of Switzerland. His mother died when he was 10 years old. Messmer received his early education in Goldach, then attended the realschule in Rorschach for three years. From 1861 to 1866, he studied at the College of St. George, the diocesan preparatory seminary, in St. Gallen, Switzerland. He then studied philosophy and theology at the University of Innsbruck in Innsbruck, Austria-Hungary.
Messmer was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Atanasio Zuber on July 23, 1871. A week later, he offered his first mass in Goldach.
During this time period, American bishops were actively recruiting German-speaking clerics in Europe who could minister to German parishes in the United States. While visiting the University of Innsbruck, Bishop James Bayley from the Diocese of Newark in New Jersey convinced Messmer to join him.
After Messmer arrived in New Jersey in September 1871, Bayley appointed him as professor of theology at Seton Hall College in South Orange, remaining there until 1889. In addition to his academic duties, he served as one of the secretaries of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore (1884) and as pastor of St. Peter's Parish in Newark (1885 to 1886).
Messmer then went to Rome to study at the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum Saint Apollinare, where he received a Doctor of Canon Law degree in 1890. After finishing his degree, Messmer served as a professor of canon law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., for one year.
On December 14, 1891, Messmer was appointed the fourth bishop of Green Bay by Pope Leo XIII. He received his episcopal consecration on March 27, 1892, from Bishop Otto Zardetti (his former schoolmate in Rorschach), with Bishops Winand Wigger and John Keane serving as co-consecrators, at St. Peter's Church in Newark.
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Sebastian Gebhard Messmer
Sebastian Gebhard Messmer (August 29, 1847 – August 4, 1930) was a Swiss-born American Catholic prelate who served as archbishop of Milwaukee from 1903 to 1930. He previously served as bishop of Green Bay (1892–1903).
Messmer is largely remembered as a political moderate. As a progressive for his time, Messmer opposed segregationist church policies based on race or language, and he was a major supporter of expanding Catholic-run welfare programs. But he also pushed back against socialism as the movement was growing in Wisconsin, and he opposed women gaining the right to vote.
Sebastian Messmer was born in Goldach, Switzerland, the eldest of five children of Sebastian and Rosa (née Baumgartner) Messmer. His father, a farmer and innkeeper, also served in the Federal Assembly of Switzerland. His mother died when he was 10 years old. Messmer received his early education in Goldach, then attended the realschule in Rorschach for three years. From 1861 to 1866, he studied at the College of St. George, the diocesan preparatory seminary, in St. Gallen, Switzerland. He then studied philosophy and theology at the University of Innsbruck in Innsbruck, Austria-Hungary.
Messmer was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Atanasio Zuber on July 23, 1871. A week later, he offered his first mass in Goldach.
During this time period, American bishops were actively recruiting German-speaking clerics in Europe who could minister to German parishes in the United States. While visiting the University of Innsbruck, Bishop James Bayley from the Diocese of Newark in New Jersey convinced Messmer to join him.
After Messmer arrived in New Jersey in September 1871, Bayley appointed him as professor of theology at Seton Hall College in South Orange, remaining there until 1889. In addition to his academic duties, he served as one of the secretaries of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore (1884) and as pastor of St. Peter's Parish in Newark (1885 to 1886).
Messmer then went to Rome to study at the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum Saint Apollinare, where he received a Doctor of Canon Law degree in 1890. After finishing his degree, Messmer served as a professor of canon law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., for one year.
On December 14, 1891, Messmer was appointed the fourth bishop of Green Bay by Pope Leo XIII. He received his episcopal consecration on March 27, 1892, from Bishop Otto Zardetti (his former schoolmate in Rorschach), with Bishops Winand Wigger and John Keane serving as co-consecrators, at St. Peter's Church in Newark.