Charles Herman Helmsing
Encyclopedia
The Most Reverend Charles Herman Helmsing (23 March 1908, Shrewsbury, Missouri
– 20 December 1993) was an American
Roman Catholic bishop.
before being ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis on June 10, 1933. His priestly example and faithful service earned him the appointment as papal chamberlain (monsignor
) on February 15, 1946. Soon after he was consecrated auxiliary bishop of St. Louis under Cardinal Ritter on April 19, 1949. He took a marked interest in the propagation of the faith, the instruction of converts, the work of the Legion of Mary
, as well as both foreign and home missions. He worked as secretary and master of ceremonies for Cardinal Ritter and took on a number of other positions, including Director of the Diocesan Society for the Propagation of the Faith. In 1956, when Pope Pius XII
divided Missouri into four dioceses, Bishop Helmsing was appointed first bishop
of the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
. He was installed as bishop there on November 28, 1956.
After the Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph
was left vacant upon the appointment of Bishop Cody
as coadjutor of the Archdiocese of New Orleans
, Pope John XXIII
looked south for his successor. Bishop Helmsing was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph on January 31, 1962.
In his installation homily
on April 3, 1962, Bishop Helmsing explained his motto:
which was to convene for its first session that coming fall. Bishop Helmsing took with him (future Cardinal) the Rev. William Wakefield Baum, who was vice chancellor at the time, as a peritus
(expert). Although it is difficult to trace Bishop Helmsing's activities at the council, some incidents are recorded in various histories and commentaries. During the initial debate on the schema for liturgy (De Sacra Liturgia), a note is made of his intervention on point no. 39 on the importance of the homily in the liturgy.
Mathijis Lamberigts notes that Bishop Helmsing argued that the homily ought to be systematic and theologically well founded. Bishop Helmsing took part in all five sessions of the Second Vatican Council and was most influential in the composition of the Decree on Ecumenism(Unitatis Redintegratio). In November 1963, Bishop Helmsing was elected with eight other bishops to the Secretariat for Christian Unity which worked under Cardinal Bea to collect statements to the secretariat concerning the schema. The result was 1,063 pages published in six volumes. This helped to prepare revisions to the schema which were returned to council fathers.
was officially condemned by Bishop Helmsing. When the paper was first founded, Bishop Helmsing provided diocesan office space and funds until the paper was able to move to the building where it continues to this day. In the late 1960s, Bishop Helmsing objected most specifically to the paper’s strong stands on birth control, priestly celibacy and criticism of the hierarchy, citing an imbalance in news coverage. A total of 66 Catholic journalists signed a petition during this time to support the stances of NCR.
, Bishop Helmsing led the diocese through one of the most influential periods of its half-century history. He helped to usher in the era of civil rights for Americans of any color. He brought home the documents of the Second Vatican Council
and was responsible for implementing them in the diocese. He was dedicated to easing tensions between Catholics and separated Protestant brethren. He was described as "a loyal son of the Church".
Bishop Helmsing served as bishop of Kansas City – St. Joseph until 1977. He died December 20, 1993, aged 85.
Shrewsbury, Missouri
Shrewsbury is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri. The population was 6,254 at the 2010 census.The city is home to the broadcast towers of KSDK- and KDNL-TV.-Geography:Shrewsbury is located at ....
– 20 December 1993) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Roman Catholic bishop.
History
Helmsing was born to George and Louisa Helmsing. He entered St. Louis Preparatory Seminary and then went on to Kenrick-Glennon SeminaryKenrick-Glennon Seminary
Kenrick–Glennon Seminary is a private not-for-profit Roman Catholic Seminary located in Shrewsbury, Missouri in St. Louis County. The Seminary is named after Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick and Cardinal John J. Glennon, former Archbishops of Saint Louis. The Seminary traces its origins to the...
before being ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis on June 10, 1933. His priestly example and faithful service earned him the appointment as papal chamberlain (monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
) on February 15, 1946. Soon after he was consecrated auxiliary bishop of St. Louis under Cardinal Ritter on April 19, 1949. He took a marked interest in the propagation of the faith, the instruction of converts, the work of the Legion of Mary
Legion of Mary
The Legion of Mary is an association of Catholic laity who serve the Church on a voluntary basis. It was founded in Dublin, Ireland, as a Roman Catholic Marian Movement by layman Frank Duff. Today between active and auxiliary members there are in excess of 10 million members worldwide making it...
, as well as both foreign and home missions. He worked as secretary and master of ceremonies for Cardinal Ritter and took on a number of other positions, including Director of the Diocesan Society for the Propagation of the Faith. In 1956, when Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
divided Missouri into four dioceses, Bishop Helmsing was appointed first bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau is a Roman Catholic diocese in Missouri. It was founded on August 24, 1956. The current bishop is the Most Reverend James Vann Johnston, Jr., appointed January 24, 2008, and installed March 31, 2008....
. He was installed as bishop there on November 28, 1956.
After the Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the state of Missouri in the United States, erected on September 10, 1880, as the Diocese of Kansas City, with territories taken from the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. ...
was left vacant upon the appointment of Bishop Cody
John Cardinal Cody
John Patrick Cardinal Cody was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. A native of St. Louis, he served as Bishop of Kansas City-Saint Joseph , Archbishop of New Orleans , and Archbishop of Chicago . He was created a cardinal in 1967.-Early life and education:John Cody was born in St...
as coadjutor of the Archdiocese of New Orleans
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, officially in Latin Archidioecesis Novae Aureliae, is an ecclesiastical division of the Roman Catholic Church administered from New Orleans, Louisiana...
, Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
looked south for his successor. Bishop Helmsing was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph on January 31, 1962.
In his installation homily
Homily
A homily is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture. In Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox Churches, a homily is usually given during Mass at the end of the Liturgy of the Word...
on April 3, 1962, Bishop Helmsing explained his motto:
"In the sacrifice of the Cross, Christ our Lord identified Himself with the Old Testament servant of Yahweh, the slave of Almighty God, foretold by the prophets. It was this realization that impelled me to take as the motto of my life and work as a Bishop, the inspired words of the 115th Psalm,
Servus tuus, filius anciliae
“O Lord, I am Thy slave and the son of Thy handmaid”.
It is in this spirit that I come to you with humble determination aided by our Lord’s grace to imitate Him as the slave of the Lord Who became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross; and also in imitation of His Mother, Mary, who when the greatest possible task was given to her of mothering the Son of God, referred to herself “Behold the slave-girl of the Lord”.
Participation in Vatican II
At the time of his installation, Bishop Helmsing was already making preparations for his participation in the Second Vatican CouncilSecond Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
which was to convene for its first session that coming fall. Bishop Helmsing took with him (future Cardinal) the Rev. William Wakefield Baum, who was vice chancellor at the time, as a peritus
Peritus
Peritus is the title given to Roman Catholic theologians who are present to give advice at an ecumenical council. At the most recent council, the Second Vatican Council, some periti accompanied individual bishops or groups of bishops from various countries...
(expert). Although it is difficult to trace Bishop Helmsing's activities at the council, some incidents are recorded in various histories and commentaries. During the initial debate on the schema for liturgy (De Sacra Liturgia), a note is made of his intervention on point no. 39 on the importance of the homily in the liturgy.
Mathijis Lamberigts notes that Bishop Helmsing argued that the homily ought to be systematic and theologically well founded. Bishop Helmsing took part in all five sessions of the Second Vatican Council and was most influential in the composition of the Decree on Ecumenism(Unitatis Redintegratio). In November 1963, Bishop Helmsing was elected with eight other bishops to the Secretariat for Christian Unity which worked under Cardinal Bea to collect statements to the secretariat concerning the schema. The result was 1,063 pages published in six volumes. This helped to prepare revisions to the schema which were returned to council fathers.
National Catholic Reporter
In 1968, the National Catholic ReporterNational Catholic Reporter
The National Catholic Reporter is the second largest Catholic newspaper in the United States; its circulation reaches ninety-seven countries on six continents. Based in midtown Kansas City, Missouri, NCR was founded by Robert Hoyt in 1964 as an independent newspaper focusing on the Catholic Church...
was officially condemned by Bishop Helmsing. When the paper was first founded, Bishop Helmsing provided diocesan office space and funds until the paper was able to move to the building where it continues to this day. In the late 1960s, Bishop Helmsing objected most specifically to the paper’s strong stands on birth control, priestly celibacy and criticism of the hierarchy, citing an imbalance in news coverage. A total of 66 Catholic journalists signed a petition during this time to support the stances of NCR.
Legacy
Returning to Kansas CityKansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Bishop Helmsing led the diocese through one of the most influential periods of its half-century history. He helped to usher in the era of civil rights for Americans of any color. He brought home the documents of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
and was responsible for implementing them in the diocese. He was dedicated to easing tensions between Catholics and separated Protestant brethren. He was described as "a loyal son of the Church".
Bishop Helmsing served as bishop of Kansas City – St. Joseph until 1977. He died December 20, 1993, aged 85.