Herman Joseph Alerding
Encyclopedia
Herman Joseph Alerding was a German
-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Fort Wayne
from 1900 until his death in 1924.
and, during his infancy, came with his parents to the United States
, where they settled in Newport
, Kentucky
. He received his early education at the parochial school
of Corpus Christi Church. His local bishop, George Aloysius Carrell
, did not accept him as a seminarian
for the Diocese of Covington
because he was unable to provide for his seminary expenses, and Alerding was instead accepted by Bishop Jacques-Maurice De Saint Palais
of the Diocese of Vincennes
. He attended St. Charles Borromeo Seminary near Vincennes
from 1858 until 1859, when the seminary was closed. He then studied at St. Thomas Seminary in Bardstown
, Kentucky
, for a year before returning to Indiana in 1860 and entering St. Meinrad Seminary
in Spencer County
. At the seminary he mentored student Paul Dresser
and taught him to play a variety of musical instruments. Dresser later became among the most popular composers in the United States and authored the state song of Indiana.
After receiving the tonsure
and minor orders
in September 1865, Alerding was ordained
to the subdiaconate
on June 18, 1867, and to the diaconate
on the following June 21. He was finally ordained to the priesthood
by Bishop Saint Palais on September 22, 1868. He then served as a curate
at St. Joseph Church in Terre Haute
, while also attending to several missions
throughout Parke
and Sullivan Counties
. From 1871 to 1874, he was pastor
of St. Elizabeth Church in Cambridge City
. While at Cambridge City, Alerding calmed a turbulent congregation which had been under interdict
for several months, liquidated the parish debt, and purchased a site for a new church.
He was transferred to St. Joseph Church in Indianapolis
in 1874, there overseeing the construction of a church, rectory
, and parochial school. He briefly served as procurator
of the adjoining St. Joseph Seminary until it was closed the following year. In 1883, he published A History of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Vincennes. He was striken by typhoid fever
and took a trip to Europe
in 1884.
On August 30, 1900, Alerding was appointed the fourth Bishop of Fort Wayne
by Pope Leo XIII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following November 30 from Archbishop William Henry Elder
, with Bishops Denis O'Donaghue
and Henry K. Moeller
serving as co-consecrators
, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. He presided over a diocesan synod
in November 1903. His pew-rent policy was expressly opposed by Archbishop Diomede Falconio
, the Apostolic Delegate to the United States. During World War I
, he established the Fort Wayne Diocesan War Council. In a pastoral letter issued in December 1918, Alerding declared, "We deserved the infliction of this terrible war and its awful consequences." Under Alerding's administration, the number of diocesan priests nearly doubled from 109 in 1900 to 210 in 1925. In 1900, the diocese had 102 churches with resident pastors, 39 mission churches, and 73 parochial schools; in 1924, there were 148 churches with resident pastors, 31 mission churches, and 106 parochial schools.
Alerding later died at age 79. He had been in critical condition since he was injured in an automobile accident the previous November.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Bishop of Fort Wayne
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is a Roman Catholic diocese in north-central and northeastern Indiana. The Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades was appointed diocesan bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on November 14, 2009, and was installed on January 13, 2010...
from 1900 until his death in 1924.
Biography
Herman Alerding was born in WestphaliaWestphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
and, during his infancy, came with his parents to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where they settled in Newport
Newport, Kentucky
Newport is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States, at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking rivers. The population was 15,273 at the 2010 census. Historically, it was one of four county seats of Campbell County. Newport is part of the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio Metro Area which...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. He received his early education at the parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
of Corpus Christi Church. His local bishop, George Aloysius Carrell
George Aloysius Carrell
George Aloysius Carrell, S.J. was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Covington, serving between 1853 and his death in 1868.-Early life and education:...
, did not accept him as a seminarian
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
for the Diocese of Covington
Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington is a Roman Catholic diocese in Northern Kentucky, covering that includes the city of Covington and the following Kentucky counties: Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Gallatin, Carroll, Grant, Owen, Pendleton, Harrison, Bracken, Robertson, Mason, Fleming, and Lewis. ...
because he was unable to provide for his seminary expenses, and Alerding was instead accepted by Bishop Jacques-Maurice De Saint Palais
Jacques-Maurice De Saint Palais
Jacques-Maurice des Landes d’Aussac De Saint Palais was a French-born American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Vincennes, currently known as the Archbishop of Indianapolis, from 1848 until his death.De Saint Palais was born in La Salvetat, and ordained to the...
of the Diocese of Vincennes
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis is a division of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It was originally erected as the Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana on May 6, 1834, and encompassed all of Indiana as well as the eastern third of Illinois...
. He attended St. Charles Borromeo Seminary near Vincennes
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
from 1858 until 1859, when the seminary was closed. He then studied at St. Thomas Seminary in Bardstown
Bardstown, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, for a year before returning to Indiana in 1860 and entering St. Meinrad Seminary
Saint Meinrad School of Theology
The Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology is located in Saint Meinrad in southern Indiana and is affiliated with the St. Meinrad Archabbey, which itself is affiliated with Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland...
in Spencer County
Spencer County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,391 people, 7,569 households, and 5,752 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 8,333 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
. At the seminary he mentored student Paul Dresser
Paul Dresser
Johann Paul Dresser, Jr. was a popular American songwriter of the late 19th century and early 20th century. As a child and adolescent he was frequently in trouble and spent several months in jail before joining a band of traveling minstrels...
and taught him to play a variety of musical instruments. Dresser later became among the most popular composers in the United States and authored the state song of Indiana.
After receiving the tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
and minor orders
Minor orders
The minor orders are the lowest ranks in the Christian clergy. The most recognized minor orders are porter, lector, exorcist, and acolyte. In the Latin rite Catholic Church, the minor orders were in most cases replaced by "instituted" ministries of lector and acolyte, though communities that use...
in September 1865, Alerding was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the subdiaconate
Subdeacon
-Subdeacons in the Orthodox Church:A subdeacon or hypodeacon is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Orthodox Church. This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon.-Canonical Discipline:...
on June 18, 1867, and to the diaconate
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
on the following June 21. He was finally ordained to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by Bishop Saint Palais on September 22, 1868. He then served as a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St. Joseph Church in Terre Haute
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, while also attending to several missions
Catholic missions
As the church normally organizes itself along territorial lines, and because they had the human and material resources, religious orders—some even specializing in it—undertook most missionary work, especially in the early phases...
throughout Parke
Parke County, Indiana
Parke County is a county in the western part of the U.S. state of Indiana. It was formed in 1821 out of a portion of Vigo County. The county seat is Rockville....
and Sullivan Counties
Sullivan County, Indiana
Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana, and determined by the U.S. Census Bureau to include the mean center of U.S. population in 1940. As of 2010, the population was 21,475. The county seat is Sullivan. Sullivan County is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana,...
. From 1871 to 1874, he was pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. Elizabeth Church in Cambridge City
Cambridge City, Indiana
Cambridge City is a town in Jackson Township, Wayne County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,870 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Cambridge City is located at ....
. While at Cambridge City, Alerding calmed a turbulent congregation which had been under interdict
Interdict (Roman Catholic Church)
In Roman Catholic canon law, an interdict is an ecclesiastical censure that excludes from certain rites of the Church individuals or groups, who nonetheless do not cease to be members of the Church.-Distinctions in canon law:...
for several months, liquidated the parish debt, and purchased a site for a new church.
He was transferred to St. Joseph Church in Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
in 1874, there overseeing the construction of a church, rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
, and parochial school. He briefly served as procurator
Procurator
Procurator may refer to:*Procurator , the title of various officials of the Roman Empire...
of the adjoining St. Joseph Seminary until it was closed the following year. In 1883, he published A History of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Vincennes. He was striken by typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
and took a trip to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1884.
On August 30, 1900, Alerding was appointed the fourth Bishop of Fort Wayne
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is a Roman Catholic diocese in north-central and northeastern Indiana. The Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades was appointed diocesan bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on November 14, 2009, and was installed on January 13, 2010...
by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
. He received his episcopal
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following November 30 from Archbishop William Henry Elder
William Henry Elder
William Henry Elder was a U.S. archbishop. He served as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Natchez from 1857 to 1880 and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Cincinnati between 1883 and 1904.-Early life and education:...
, with Bishops Denis O'Donaghue
Denis O'Donaghue
Denis O'Donaghue was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Louisville from 1910 to 1924....
and Henry K. Moeller
Henry K. Moeller
Henry K. Moeller was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Columbus and Archbishop of Cincinnati .-Early life and education:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. He presided over a diocesan synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
in November 1903. His pew-rent policy was expressly opposed by Archbishop Diomede Falconio
Diomede Falconio
Diomede Angelo Raffaele Gennaro Falconio, OFM was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Congregation for Religious from 1916 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1911.-Biography:Diomede Falconio was born in Pescocostanzo as one of the five...
, the Apostolic Delegate to the United States. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he established the Fort Wayne Diocesan War Council. In a pastoral letter issued in December 1918, Alerding declared, "We deserved the infliction of this terrible war and its awful consequences." Under Alerding's administration, the number of diocesan priests nearly doubled from 109 in 1900 to 210 in 1925. In 1900, the diocese had 102 churches with resident pastors, 39 mission churches, and 73 parochial schools; in 1924, there were 148 churches with resident pastors, 31 mission churches, and 106 parochial schools.
Alerding later died at age 79. He had been in critical condition since he was injured in an automobile accident the previous November.