St. John Neumann
Patron of Catholic education, immigrants
Saint John Neumann (1811–1860), a Bohemian immigrant who became the fourth bishop of Philadelphia, is the first American male saint. Ordained for the missions of New York, he served German-speaking parishes along the Niagara frontier before joining the Redemptorists. As bishop he organized one of the first Catholic diocesan school systems in the United States, opening some eighty parish schools to serve waves of European immigrants. He spoke at least eight languages, walked from parish to parish hearing confessions, and wrote popular catechisms still printed today. His humility and zeal made him beloved of the poor of Philadelphia.