Saint John Neumann was born on March 28, 1811, in Bohemia, a region that is now part of the Czech Republic. He was the son of Philip and Agnes Neumann and grew up in a family with four sisters and one brother. After completing his college studies, John entered the seminary to prepare for the priesthood.
At the time he was ready for ordination, his local bishop fell ill, and the ceremony was never rescheduled, as Bohemia already had many priests. Inspired by accounts of missionary work in the United States, John made a courageous decision to travel to America in the hope of being ordained there. He walked much of the journey to France and then sailed across the Atlantic to New York.
Saint John arrived in Manhattan on June 9, 1836. He was warmly received by Bishop John Dubois, who was responsible for the pastoral care of about 200,000 Catholics in New York State and part of New Jersey, with only 36 priests to serve them. Just sixteen days after his arrival, John was ordained a priest and assigned to serve in the Buffalo region.
Living a life of deep simplicity and sacrifice, Father John stayed in a small log parish house, rarely lighting a fire and often surviving on bread and water.
He later joined the Redemptorist order and continued his tireless missionary efforts. In 1852, he was chosen as Bishop of Philadelphia.
As bishop, Saint John Neumann worked with remarkable energy. He oversaw the building of fifty churches and began the construction of a cathedral. He also placed great importance on Catholic education, opening nearly one hundred schools. Under his leadership, the number of children in parochial schools grew from about 500 to nearly 9,000.
Saint John Neumann died suddenly on January 5, 1860, leaving behind a lasting legacy of faith, education, and service to the Church.