Joseph C. Plagens

Joseph Casimir Plagens (January 29, 1880 – March 31, 1943) was a Polish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Sault Sainte Marie-Marquette (1935–1940) and then Bishop of Grand Rapids (1940–1943).

Biography[]

Joseph Plagens was born in Czeszewo, near Poznań, to Andrew and Constance (née Grygier) Plagens.^[1] At a young age he came to the United States, where he settled in Michigan.^[2] He earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Detroit in 1899, and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from St. Mary's Seminary at Baltimore, Maryland in 1903.^[1]

He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John Samuel Foley on July 4, 1903.^[3] Plagens then served as a curate at Sweetest Heart of Mary Church in Detroit until 1906, when he became pastor of St. Michael Church in Port Austin.^[1] He was named pastor of St. Florian Church at Hamtramck in 1911, and returned to Sweetest Heart of Mary as its pastor in 1919.^[1] He was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate of His Holiness in June 1923.^[1]

On May 22, 1924, Plagens appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Rhodiopolis by Pope Pius XI.^[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following September 30 from Bishop Michael Gallagher, with Bishops Paul Peter Rhode and Edward Francis Hoban serving as co-consecrators.^[3] As an auxiliary, he remained pastor of Sweetest Heart of Mary. He was named the sixth Bishop of Sault Sainte Marie-Marquette on November 16, 1935, and later Bishop of Grand Rapids on December 16, 1940.^[3]

Plagens died at St. Mary's Hospital, age 63, of coronary thrombosis.^[4] He was originally buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Grand Rapids, but was later removed to Resurrection Cemetery in

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