Bishop Mathias Loras
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Pierre-Jean-Mathias Loras (August 30, 1792 – February 19, 1858) was a
French Catholic The Catholic Church in France, Gallican Church, or French Catholic Church, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in communion with the Pope in Rome. Established in the 2nd century in unbroken communion with the bishop of Rome, it was sometim ...
priest in the United States who served as the first Bishop of Dubuque, in what would become the state of
Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
. He was the first president of
Spring Hill College Spring Hill College is a private Jesuit college in Mobile, Alabama. It was founded in 1830 by Bishop Michael Portier of Mobile. Along with being the oldest private college or university in the state of Alabama, it was the first Catholic college ...
in
Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. After a successful vote to annex areas west of the city limits in July 2023, Mobil ...
, from 1830 to 1832, and is the founder of what is now known as
Loras College Loras College is a private Catholic college in Dubuque, Iowa, United States. It has an enrollment of approximately 1,600 students and is the oldest post-secondary institution in the state of Iowa. Loras offers both undergraduate and graduat ...
in
Dubuque Dubuque (, ) is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 59,667 at the 2020 United States census. The city lies along the Mississippi River at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a region ...
.


Early life and ministry

Mathias Loras was born to an
aristocratic Aristocracy (; ) is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. Across Europe, the aristocracy exercised immense economic, political, and social influence. In Western Christian co ...
family in
Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
, France, on August 30, 1792. He was a descendant of a French noble of the robe family. During the
Reign of Terror The Reign of Terror (French: ''La Terreur'', literally "The Terror") was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the French First Republic, First Republic, a series of massacres and Capital punishment in France, nu ...
in France, Loras' father and 16 other members of his family were put to death by
guillotine A guillotine ( ) is an apparatus designed for effectively carrying out executions by Decapitation, beheading. The device consists of a tall, upright frame with a weighted and angled blade suspended at the top. The condemned person is secur ...
. As a young man, he studied for the priesthood, along with St.
John Vianney John Vianney (born Jean-Marie Vianney and later Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney; 8 May 1786 – 4 August 1859) was a Catholic Church in France, French Catholic priest often referred to as the ''Curé d'Ars'' ("the parish priest of Ars"). He is known ...
(the ''Curé d'Ars''). He was
ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...
a priest around 1817 by Cardinal
Joseph Fesch Joseph Cardinal Fesch, Prince of the Empire (3 January 1763 – 13 May 1839) was a French priest and diplomat, who was the maternal half-uncle of Napoleon Bonaparte (half-brother of Letizia Ramolino, Napoleon's mother Laetitia). In the wake of h ...
for the
Archdiocese of Lyon The Archdiocese of Lyon (; ), formerly the Archdiocese of Lyon–Vienne–Embrun, is a Latin Church metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. The archbishops of Lyon are also called primates of Gaul. The oldest diocese in Fran ...
. He soon became the Superior of the ecclesiastical
Seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...
of
Largentière Largentière (; Occitan language, Occitan: ''L'Argentièira'') is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture and Communes of France, commune of the Ardèche Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, regio ...
. He subsequently resigned from this position to join a group of priests conducting parish missions in the Archdiocese of Lyon. Bishop-elect Michael Portier of the Diocese of Mobile had gone to France to recruit priests for his diocese. On November 1, 1829, he left with Portier for Alabama. They reached New Orleans on Christmas Eve. Upon arrival at Mobile on January 3, Loras assisted with Portier's installation. Loras was appointed
vicar general A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop or archbishop of a diocese or an archdiocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vica ...
for the Diocese of Mobile and assigned the task of completing the training of the seminarians who had accompanied Portier to America. He was also named rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile, and held these positions for seven years, helping Portier recruit priests to serve the diocese. From 1830 to 1832 he served as the first president of
Spring Hill College Spring Hill College is a private Jesuit college in Mobile, Alabama. It was founded in 1830 by Bishop Michael Portier of Mobile. Along with being the oldest private college or university in the state of Alabama, it was the first Catholic college ...
.


Bishop of Dubuque

In 1837, the
third Provincial Council of Baltimore The Provincial Councils of Baltimore were councils of Roman Catholic bishops that set the pattern for Catholic organisation in the United States. They took place in Baltimore. They were seen as having a unique importance for the Church in the Uni ...
recommended to the pope that new dioceses be created due to the expansion of the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Pope
Gregory XVI Pope Gregory XVI (; ; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in June 1846. He had adopted the name Mauro upon enteri ...
established the Diocese of Dubuque on July 28, 1837, and Loras was named its first bishop. He was
consecrate Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
d on December 10, 1837, by Portier in Mobile. The principal co-consecrator was the bishops
Antoine Blanc Antoine Blanc (11 October 1792 – 20 June 1860) was the fifth Bishop and first Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans. His tenure, during which the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese, was at a time of growth in the city ...
of
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, assisted by John Stephen Bazin of
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. Loras knew little of his new diocese and wrote to
Joseph Rosati Joseph Rosati, CM (30 January 1789 – 25 September 1843) was an Italian-born Catholic missionary to the United States who served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Saint Louis in the Missouri Territory from 1826 to 1843. He built the first ...
of
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to inquire what he might find there. Rosati, whose diocese the territory was taken from, probably knew little as the territory was mostly wilderness. The diocese probably had fewer than 3,000 people in its area that were
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. There were three parishes, an Indian
mission Mission (from Latin 'the act of sending out'), Missions or The Mission may refer to: Geography Australia *Mission River (Queensland) Canada *Mission, British Columbia, a district municipality * Mission, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * ...
, and one priest,
Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, Order of Preachers, OP (November 4, 1806 – February 23, 1864) was a pioneer Italian Dominican Order, Dominican friar and Catholic missionary priest who helped bring the Church to the Iowa-Illinois-Wisconsin tri-stat ...
. The diocesan territory consisted of present-day Iowa, most of
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, and
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and
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east of the
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. On July 4, 1838, the area would become the
Iowa Territory The Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Iowa. The remai ...
. Loras named Mazzuchelli vicar general and administrator of the diocese because Loras was not traveling to his new diocese just yet.Kempker, John F. Catholic Missionaries in the Early and the Territorial Days of Iowa ''Annals of Iowa'' vol X, number 1. April 1911. 3rd Series
/ref> Loras traveled to France to recruit
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and gather funds for his diocese. Upon returning, he spent the late winter and early spring in St. Louis waiting for more favorable conditions to travel to Dubuque. There he met notable explorer Joseph Nicolas Nicollet who gave Loras insights on his new diocese. On April 19, 1839, Loras arrived in Dubuque for the first time. He brought with him
Joseph Crétin Joseph Crétin (December 19, 1799 – February 22, 1857) was an American Catholic prelate who was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Cretin Avenue in St. Paul, Cretin-Derham Hall High School, and Cretin Hall at the Univer ...
, who was consecrated first Bishop of St. Paul in 1851, Jean-Antoine-Marie Pelamourgues, who would spend his career in the diocese based at St. Anthony's Church in
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, and seminarians
Augustin Ravoux Augustin Ravoux (January 11, 1815 – January 17, 1906) was a French priest and missionary who served in the area preceding Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, in Minnesota. Biography Ravoux was born in Langeac, Auvergn ...
who would become a noted missionary among the Native Americans,
Lucien Galtier Lucien Galtier ( – February 21, 1866) was a French Catholic priest. He was the first Catholic priest to serve in Minnesota. He was born in southern France in the town of Saint-Affrique, department of Aveyron. The year of his birth is somewhat u ...
, Remigius Petiot, and James Causse who were pioneer priests in Minnesota.Dubuque ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' (1911)
/ref> Later that year, he consecrated St. Raphael's Church, Iowa's first church congregation of any denomination, as his
cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
. His connections and influence in Europe had enabled him to secure necessary financial assistance from the
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of Lyons, France, the
Leopoldine Society The Leopoldine Society was an organization established in Vienna for the purpose of aiding Catholic missions in North America. Based on the French model of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, the Leopoldine Society was founded in 1829 in ...
of
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,
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, and the Foreign Mission Society of
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,
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. In 1846 when Loras discovered German Catholic immigrants thirty miles west of Dubuque, he convinced them to name their community New Vienna in honor of the Austrian capital and home of one of his benefactors. Over the next 19 years, Loras guided the Dubuque Diocese during its formative years. He established several missions among the Native American tribes. Loras also established several schools, as well as parishes in every populated area of the diocese. In 1839 he established St. Raphael's Seminary, a forerunner of
Loras College Loras College is a private Catholic college in Dubuque, Iowa, United States. It has an enrollment of approximately 1,600 students and is the oldest post-secondary institution in the state of Iowa. Loras offers both undergraduate and graduat ...
. Mother
Mary Frances Clarke Mary Frances Clarke, B.V.M. (c. 15 December 1802 – 4 December 1887) was an Irish nun who founded the Catholic order of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Initially started in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to provide educational ...
and the
Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known by its initials BVM, is a Roman Catholic religious institute founded in the United States by Mother Mary Frances Clarke. Its founders were Irish Catholics. The BVM currently works in tw ...
came to Dubuque in 1843."Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary," ''The Catholic Church in the United States of America'', Catholic Editing Company, 1914, p. 88
/ref> Loras visited
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in Ireland in 1849 and expressed his desire to have the
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establish a monastery in his diocese. Clement Smyth and six monks came to Dubuque County that same year and established
New Melleray Abbey New Melleray Abbey (Abbey of Our Lady of New Melleray) is a Trappist monastery located near Dubuque, Iowa. The abbey is located about 15 miles southwest of Dubuque and is in the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Currently the Abbey is home to about 16 mon ...
. When they had completed the first buildings, another 16 monks arrived to join them. Not satisfied with St. Raphael's Seminary in Dubuque, Loras moved the school south of Dubuque to an area known today as
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. The new school, renamed St. Bernard's College and Seminary, was plagued with financial problems but managed to survive until Loras' death. Loras also encouraged immigrants to come to Iowa from the more crowded conditions in the eastern U.S. Soon, Dubuque had growing Irish and German populations. Even though he welcomed immigrants to the area, tensions between immigrant groups caused Loras some of his greatest difficulties. The Germans felt that Loras had not done enough to give them clergy of German descent. The Irish felt slighted when Loras provided the Germans with their parish, Holy Trinity (now Saint Mary's). Some immigrants threatened to withhold contributions to the church. Loras fled the city on two occasions and threatened to withdraw all the clergy from the city. However, tempers eventually cooled, and neither side followed through on their threats. On July 19, 1850, Pope
Pius IX Pope Pius IX (; born Giovanni Maria Battista Pietro Pellegrino Isidoro Mastai-Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878. His reign of nearly 32 years is the longest verified of any pope in hist ...
established the Diocese of Saint Paul. The Diocese of Dubuque had been reduced to the boundaries of the state of Iowa, which had been established in 1846. In the 1850s, under the direction of Loras, the present cathedral church was begun. This was the third building for St.Raphael's parish, and it was over three times the size of the old cathedral. Loras did not live long enough to see this cathedral completed, but he could offer the first mass in this new structure at Christmas, 1857. By the late 1850s, Loras found that his health was failing. He asked the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
to name a coadjutor bishop to assist him. On January 9, 1857, Clement Smyth,
prior The term prior may refer to: * Prior (ecclesiastical), the head of a priory (monastery) * Prior convictions, the life history and previous convictions of a suspect or defendant in a criminal case * Prior probability, in Bayesian statistics * Prio ...
at New Melleray, was appointed as coadjutor bishop. As the Dubuque Diocese grew in size Loras wrote to Pope Pius IX in May 1857, and in the letter stated that he was considering asking for the Dubuque Diocese to be divided, with Keokuk as the See city for the new diocese. However this was not done in his lifetime. Although he had been sick for some time, Loras' death still came suddenly on Friday, February 19, 1858, in Dubuque at 65. Before his death, Loras had been seriously ill but had seemed to be recovering well, even up to the evening of February 18. At about 8:30 on the 18th, he informed his staff that he was retiring for the evening. He ordered them not to disturb him unless necessary, as the divine office he wanted to pray was long, and he wanted to make sure he finished. Around 11:00 PM, his housekeeper heard Loras moaning and informed Father McCabe, who proceeded to the Bishop's room and found him collapsed on the floor. During the night, his condition worsened steadily, and sometime between five and six in the morning on February 19, he died. A funeral Mass was held the following Sunday at 9:00 am. The body of Loras was taken from the old cathedral to the new cathedral for a full service led by Smyth. After the Mass, Loras was buried within the mortuary chapel of the cathedral. At the time of his death, the Diocese of Dubuque had grown to 54,000 Catholics, in 60 parishes, served by 48 priests in a territory that now only covered the state of Iowa.


Legacy

Bishop Loras is still remembered as one of the pioneers of the Catholic Church in Iowa. The college run by the archdiocese in Dubuque, which had numerous name changes in its history, was named after Loras in 1939. Loras Boulevard in Dubuque was also named in his memory. In 2020, his statue was removed from Loras Boulevard after evidence surfaced that Loras had funded some of his missionary work using money earned from the labor of an enslaved person he owned in Alabama.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Loras, Mathias 1792 births 1858 deaths 19th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States French emigrants to the United States Clergy from Lyon Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile Roman Catholic bishops of Dubuque Religious leaders from Alabama Spring Hill College Loras College French nobility Catholicism-related controversies American slave owners