You may have heard of the phrase, "Jack of all trades, master of none." However, a better phrase describing our saint could be, "Jack of all trades, master of one--love." St. John Neumann was born in what is now the Czech Republic in 1811. He studied for the priesthood in Prague and then came over to the United States and was ordained when he was 25. He eventually joined the Redemptorist Order. His ability to speak seven languages, German, Czech, Italian, English, French, Spanish, and Gaelic, was helpful in his ministry to the immigrant Catholics. He became a naturalized citizen at the age of 37 and four years later was named Bishop of Philadelphia.
As bishop he transformed the parochial school system into a diocesan school system, increasing student enrollment from 500 to 9000 in less than three years. He added 73 churches and chapels to the diocese. He also introduced Forty Hours Devotion, wrote two catechisms, in German, a Bible history, and a handbook for priests, founded a religious order for women, and establish the first Italian Catholic parish in America. He died at the age of 48 in 1860.
St. John Neumann was blessed with many talents and skills. He used them to build up the kingdom of God by serving his people. We all have numerous talents and skills. How well do we use them? What about the one thing that St. John Neumann was master of? Love is the one gift that will always keep giving. St. John Neumann loved God and his people. We are called to love God and the people that God introduces to us. We, too, can be masters of the one talent that matters to the most. St. John Neumann, pray for us.
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