John Neraz
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John Claude Neraz | |
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| Born | January 12, 1828 |
| Died | November 15, 1894 (aged 66) |
John Claude Neraz (January 12, 1828 – November 15, 1894) was a French-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of San Antonio from 1881 until his death in 1894.
Biography[]
John Claude Neraz was born in Anse, Rhône, to Jean and Marie Anne (née Bottet) Neraz.[1] He studied at the minor seminaries in Saint-Jodard, Anse and Alix before entering the Grande Seminary of St. Irenée in Lyons.[1] In 1852, he accepted an invitation from Bishop Jean-Marie Odin to serve as a missionary in the U.S. state of Texas.[1] After reaching the Diocese of Galveston, he was ordained to the priesthood on February 19, 1853.[2]
Neraz was then stationed in Nacogdoches, where he remained until he was sent to Liberty County in 1864.[1] He was assigned to San Antonio in 1866, and afterward was sent to Laredo, where he built St. Augustine's Church.[1] He served as pastor of San Fernando Church in San Antonio (1873–1881) as well as vicar general to Bishop Anthony Dominic Pellicer (1874–1881).[1]
On February 18, 1881, Neraz was appointed the second Bishop of San Antonio by Pope Leo XIII.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 8 from Bishop Edward Fitzgerald, with Bishops Dominic Manucy and Claude Marie Dubuis serving as co-consecrators, in the Cathedral of San Fernando.[2] In 1884, he attended the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, where he was active in discussions on the evangelization of the African American community.[1] During his tenure, he oversaw the establishment of St. Edward's College, the first parochial school in the diocese, a new chancery building, and a church for the black Catholics of San Antonio.[1] Between 1884 and 1890, he also served as apostolic administrator of the Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville.[2]
Neraz died after a brief illness at age 66. He was buried in San Fernando Cemetery.[1]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i "NERAZ, JEAN CLAUDE (1828–1894)". Handbook of Texas Online.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Bishop John Claude Neraz". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.[self-published source]
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- 1828 births
- 1894 deaths
- People from Rhône (department)
- French Roman Catholic missionaries
- French emigrants to the United States
- 19th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
- Roman Catholic bishops of San Antonio
- Roman Catholic missionaries in the United States