John Linus Paschang
John Linus Paschang (October 5, 1895 – March 21, 1999) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island, Nebraska from 1951 to 1972.
John Linus Paschang | |
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Bishop emeritus of Grand Island | |
In office | 1951-1972 |
Orders | |
Ordination | June 12, 1921 |
Consecration | October 9, 1952 by Archbishop Gerald Thomas Bergan |
Personal details | |
Born | Hemingford, Nebraska | October 5, 1895
Died | March 25, 1999 103) | (aged
Nationality | American |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Parents | Casper and Gertrude (née Fisher) Paschang |
Education | Conception Seminary College |
Alma mater | St. John's Seminary |
Biography
One of nine children, John Paschang was born in Hemingford, Nebraska, to Casper and Gertrude (née Fisher) Paschang.[1] Drawn to the religious life from high school,[2] he studied at Conception Seminary College in Conception, Missouri, and at St. John's Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota.[1]
He was ordained to the priesthood on June 12, 1921.[3] After serving as pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Hooper (1921-1923), he furthered his studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., from where he earned a doctorate in canon law.[1] He then served as pastor of Holy Cross Church in Omaha from 1927 to 1951.[1]
On July 28, 1951, Paschang was appointed the fourth Bishop of Grand Island by Pope Pius XII.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following October 9 from Archbishop Gerald Thomas Bergan, with Bishops Louis Benedict Kucera and Edward Joseph Hunkeler serving as co-consecrators.[3] During his tenure, he ordained 55 priests and established 33 churches, 15 parish houses, 13 schools, 11 parish centers, six convents, several rectories, and four hospital additions.[2] He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), but was privately opposed to some of the Council's more liberal reforms.[2] He also earned a stockbroker's license to better his knowledge of financial investments for the church.[2]
After twenty-one years as bishop, Paschang retired on July 25, 1972.[3] He founded the Damian Leper Relief Society in 1976.[2] He moved to St. Joseph's Retirement Home in West Point in 1993, and said Mass every day in his room until he was hospitalized at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in 1999.[2] At the time of his death, at age 103, he was the world's oldest living Catholic bishop.
References
- Curtis, Georgina Pell (1961). The American Catholic Who's Who. XIV. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.
- "Most Reverend John L. Paschang". Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island. Archived from the original on 2009-02-14.
- "Bishop Vincent Madeley Harris". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
Catholic Church titles | ||
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Preceded by Edward Joseph Hunkeler |
Bishop of Grand Island 1951—1972 |
Succeeded by John Joseph Sullivan |