Walter Steins
Encyclopedia
Walter Hermanus Jacobus Steins SJ
(1810–1881) was a Dutch Jesuit
priest, Vicar Apostolic of Bombay
, India
(1860–1867), Vicar Apostolic of West Bengal (1867–1877) and (under the personal title of "Archbishop), third Catholic Bishop of Auckland
(1879–1881).
, Netherlands
. He was educated there, at St Acheul, Amiens
and at Fribourg, Switzerland. In 1832 he entered the Belgian province of the Society of Jesus
, was ordained a priest on 8 September 1842 (in Louvain
), and made his final profession
as a Jesuit in 1849.
(at that time part of a Dutch colony) but went instead to Bombay
where he exercised his priestly ministry until 29 June 1861 when he was consecrated a Bishop and assumed the office of Vicar Apostolic. He founded the college of St Francis-Xavier In 1867 he was translated
to become Vicar Apostolic of West Bengal, based in Calcutta
. He brought to Bengal the French religious order of the Daughters of the Cross
, founded the St Vincent's home refuge and many schools and orphanages. He began also the Bengali mission and missions to the Santals
and other eastern tribes. Because of ill-health caused by a fall he was advised to return to Europe and he spent time recuperating at Conflans-sur-Seine
, the novitiate of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart
in Paris.
, as he was, once again, returning to Europe. Archbishop Steins " ... was a distinguished theologian and linguist; broadminded and tolerant". He attended the First Vatican Council
in 1870.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
(1810–1881) was a Dutch Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
priest, Vicar Apostolic of Bombay
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in India. The archdiocese has been a metropolitan see since the time it was elevated by Pope Leo XIII on September 1, 1886. The ecclesiastical province of Bombay includes the suffragan dioceses of Nashik,...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(1860–1867), Vicar Apostolic of West Bengal (1867–1877) and (under the personal title of "Archbishop), third Catholic Bishop of Auckland
Roman Catholic Diocese of Auckland
The Latin Rite Catholic Diocese of Auckland is one of the two original dioceses in New Zealand. Although formally a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Wellington, both were erected on 20 June 1848...
(1879–1881).
Early life
Walter Steins was born on 1 July 1810 in AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He was educated there, at St Acheul, Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
and at Fribourg, Switzerland. In 1832 he entered the Belgian province of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, was ordained a priest on 8 September 1842 (in Louvain
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
), and made his final profession
Profession (religious)
The term religious profession is defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church in relation to members of religious institutes as follows:By religious profession members make a public vow to observe the three evangelical counsels...
as a Jesuit in 1849.
Vicar Apostolic in India
Steins obtained permission from his superiors to proceed to BorneoBorneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
(at that time part of a Dutch colony) but went instead to Bombay
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bombay is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in India. The archdiocese has been a metropolitan see since the time it was elevated by Pope Leo XIII on September 1, 1886. The ecclesiastical province of Bombay includes the suffragan dioceses of Nashik,...
where he exercised his priestly ministry until 29 June 1861 when he was consecrated a Bishop and assumed the office of Vicar Apostolic. He founded the college of St Francis-Xavier In 1867 he was translated
Translation (ecclesiastical)
Translation is the technical term when a Bishop is transferred from one diocese to another.This can be* From Suffragan Bishop status to Diocesan Bishop*From Coadjutor bishop to Diocesan Bishop*From one country's Episcopate to another...
to become Vicar Apostolic of West Bengal, based in Calcutta
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Calcutta is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in India. It was erected as the Apostolic Vicariate of Bengal in 1834 by Pope Gregory XVI, and renamed as the Apostolic Vicariate of Western Bengal in 1850 by Gregory's...
. He brought to Bengal the French religious order of the Daughters of the Cross
Daughters of the Cross
Daughters of the Cross is a religious congregation of the Catholic Church founded in Liège in 1833. The foundress, Mère Marie Therese , sent her Sisters over to England in 1863. Its formal title is The Congregation of the Daughters of the Cross of Liège.Daughters of the Cross is constituted as a...
, founded the St Vincent's home refuge and many schools and orphanages. He began also the Bengali mission and missions to the Santals
Santals
The Santhal , are the largest tribal community in India, who live mainly in the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, and Assam. There is also a significant Santal minority in neighboring Bangladesh, and a small population in Nepal....
and other eastern tribes. Because of ill-health caused by a fall he was advised to return to Europe and he spent time recuperating at Conflans-sur-Seine
Conflans-sur-Seine
Conflans-sur-Seine is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.-Administration:-Demography:-External links:* * * * * *...
, the novitiate of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart
Society of the Sacred Heart
The Society of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic religious congregation established in France by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat in 1800. It has presence in 45 countries. Membership to the Society is restricted to women only. Its members do many works, but focus on education, particularly girls'...
in Paris.
Bishop of Auckland
Steins recovered sufficiently to request a further appointment and on 16 May 1879 he was appointed as Bishop of Auckland. He arrived on 3 December 1879 and was 15 months in the country. He died on 7 September 1881 in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, as he was, once again, returning to Europe. Archbishop Steins " ... was a distinguished theologian and linguist; broadminded and tolerant". He attended the First Vatican Council
First Vatican Council
The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...
in 1870.
External links
- Catholic Hierarchy website http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bsteins.html
- Archbishop Walter Herman Jacobus Steins SJ, Catholic Hierarchy website (retrieved 12 February 2011)