Kilian Caspar Flasch

Kilian Caspar Flasch (July 16, 1831—August 3, 1891) was a German-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin from 1881 until his death in 1891.

Most Reverend

Kilian Caspar Flasch
Bishop of La Crosse
Engraving published in Die Katholischen Missionen
SeeLa Crosse
InstalledSeptember 1, 1881
Term endedAugust 3, 1891
PredecessorMichael Heiss
SuccessorJames Schwebach
Orders
OrdinationDecember 16, 1859
ConsecrationAugust 24, 1881
Personal details
Born(1831-07-16)July 16, 1831
Retzstadt, Kingdom of Bavaria
DiedAugust 3, 1891(1891-08-03) (aged 60)
La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States
DenominationCatholic Church

Biography

Early life and education

Kilian Flasch was born at Retzstadt, in the Main-Spessart district of Bavaria, to Andreas and Anna Margareta (née Giesuebel) Flasch.[1] One of ten children, he was his parents' fourth child and second son; he was the only son who survived infancy.[2] He was raised on his family's farm and received his early education at neighboring schools.[3] In 1847, his family sold their farm and immigrated to the United States, settling in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.[4]

Flasch entered the College of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, and continued his studies at St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.[1] In 1856, he returned to Wisconsin and enrolled at the newly opened St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee.[3] He completed his studies at St. Francis, where he was a member of the first graduating class.[1]

Priesthood and ministry

Flasch was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John Henni on December 16, 1859.[5] He celebrated his first Mass at the chapel of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, of which three of his sisters were members, in Milwaukee the following Sunday.[2] His first assignment was as pastor of St. Stephen Church in New Coeln, which included the mission of St. James Church in Oak Creek.[1] From 1860 to 1863, he served as the first resident pastor of St. Louis Church in Caledonia.[6]

In October 1860, Flasch was appointed professor of moral theology and master of discipline at St. Francis Seminary.[3] He remained at the seminary until the spring of 1865, when he became a chaplain and instructor at a convent of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Jefferson due to ill health.[1] He briefly resumed his duties at the seminary before being named pastor of St. Mary's Visitation Church in Elm Grove in May 1867.[2] During his seven-year tenure, he constructed a new church building and rectory, and ministered to an orphanage.[1] He returned to St. Francis Seminary in November 1874, where he resumed his post as professor of moral theology in addition to becoming spiritual director.[3] From 1879 to 1881, he served as rector of the seminary.[4]

Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin

On June 14, 1881, Flasch was appointed the second Bishop of La Crosse by Pope Leo XIII.[5] He received his episcopal consecration on the following August 24 from Archbishop Michael Heiss, with Bishops Francis Krautbauer and Rupert Seidenbusch serving as co-consecrators, at the chapel of St. Francis Seminary.[5] He was installed on September 1.[4]

Flasch made his first ad limina visit to Rome in 1883.[1] He attended the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1884, serving as a member of the Committee on Schools.[4] An outspoken supporter of Catholic education, he established 36 new schools during his tenure and, at the Plenary Council, unsuccessfully sought to require Catholic parents to send their children to parochial schools.[4] However, he originally opposed creating a national Catholic university but later served on the Board of Trustees for the Catholic University of America.[2] He presided over the second diocesan synod of La Crosse in 1887, and created over 60 new parishes.[1]

Because of his poor health, Flasch traveled to Chatawa, Mississippi, in March 1891 for a change of climate.[2] The trip proved unsuccessful and he returned to La Crosse, where he died two months later at age 60. He was originally buried in the Catholic Cemetery Chapel, but his remains were later transferred to the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman.[2]

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See also

References
  1. Biechler, James E. (1958). Kilian C. Flasch, Second Bishop of La Crosse. St. Paul.
  2. "Rev Fr Kilian Kaspar Flasch". Find A Grave.
  3. Shea, John Gilmary (1886). The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church in the United States. New York: Catholic Publications.
  4. "Past Bishops of La Crosse" (PDF). The Catholic Times. 2010-08-10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-10.
  5. Cheney, David M. "Bishop Kilian Casper Flasch". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
  6. "Parish History". St. Louis Catholic Church. Archived from the original on 2012-03-21.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Michael Heiss		 Bishop of La Crosse
1881–1891		 Succeeded by
James Schwebach
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