Albert Rudolph Zuroweste
Encyclopedia
Albert Rudolph Zuroweste (April 26, 1901—March 28, 1987) was an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Belleville
from 1948 to 1976.
, Illinois
, to Henry and Elizabeth (née Holten) Zuroweste. His uncle was Frank Holten, a longtime member of the Illinois House of Representatives
and the namesake of Frank Holten State Recreation Area
. He attended Quincy College
(1914-1918) before studying at Kenrick Seminary
in St. Louis
, Missouri
(1918-1924). He was ordained
to the priesthood
on June 8, 1924. Upon his return to Illinois, he served as a curate
at St. Joseph Church in East St. Louis until 1931, when he became superintendent of St. John Orphanage. He studied at the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
during the summer of 1934. He was both editor
of the diocesan newspaper
, The Messenger, and superintendent of Central Catholic High School from 1934 to 1947. He was named pastor
of St. Joseph Church in 1940 and a Domestic Prelate
in 1945.
On November 29, 1947, Zuroweste was appointed the third Bishop of Belleville
by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on January 29, 1948 from Bishop Joseph Schlarman
, with Bishops John Cody and Joseph Mueller
serving as co-consecrators
. In addition to his duties as bishop, he became president
of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in 1951 and chairman
of the Press Department of the National Catholic Welfare Council
in 1957. He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
between 1962 and 1965. After twenty-eight years as bishop, he resigned on August 30, 1976. He later died at age 85.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Bishop of Belleville
Roman Catholic Diocese of Belleville
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Belleville is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern Illinois region of the United States. It comprises the southern counties of the state of Illinois and is administered from the City of Belleville. The prelate is a...
from 1948 to 1976.
Biography
Albert Zuroweste was born in East St. LouisEast St. Louis, Illinois
East St. Louis is a city located in St. Clair County, Illinois, USA, directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 27,006, less than one-third of its peak of 82,366 in 1950...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, to Henry and Elizabeth (née Holten) Zuroweste. His uncle was Frank Holten, a longtime member of the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
and the namesake of Frank Holten State Recreation Area
Frank Holten State Recreation Area
Frank Holten State Recreation Area is an Illinois state park on in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States....
. He attended Quincy College
Quincy University
Quincy University a private liberal arts Catholic university in the Franciscan tradition. It is located in Quincy, Illinois and currently enrolls around 1,300 students.-History:...
(1914-1918) before studying at Kenrick Seminary
Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
Kenrick–Glennon Seminary is a private not-for-profit Roman Catholic Seminary located in Shrewsbury, Missouri in St. Louis County. The Seminary is named after Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick and Cardinal John J. Glennon, former Archbishops of Saint Louis. The Seminary traces its origins to the...
in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
(1918-1924). He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on June 8, 1924. Upon his return to Illinois, he served as a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at St. Joseph Church in East St. Louis until 1931, when he became superintendent of St. John Orphanage. He studied at the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
during the summer of 1934. He was both editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of the diocesan newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, The Messenger, and superintendent of Central Catholic High School from 1934 to 1947. He was named pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. Joseph Church in 1940 and a Domestic Prelate
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
in 1945.
On November 29, 1947, Zuroweste was appointed the third Bishop of Belleville
Roman Catholic Diocese of Belleville
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Belleville is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern Illinois region of the United States. It comprises the southern counties of the state of Illinois and is administered from the City of Belleville. The prelate is a...
by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He received his episcopal
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on January 29, 1948 from Bishop Joseph Schlarman
Joseph Henry Leo Schlarman
Joseph Henry Leo Schlarman was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Peoria from 1930 until his death in 1951.-Biography:...
, with Bishops John Cody and Joseph Mueller
Joseph Maximilian Mueller
Joseph Maximilian Mueller was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Sioux City from 1948 to 1970.-Biography:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. In addition to his duties as bishop, he became president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in 1951 and chairman
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of the Press Department of the National Catholic Welfare Council
National Catholic Welfare Council
The National Catholic Welfare Council was the annual meeting of the American Catholic hierarchy and its standing secretariat; it was established in 1919 as the successor to the emergency organization, the National Catholic War Council....
in 1957. He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
between 1962 and 1965. After twenty-eight years as bishop, he resigned on August 30, 1976. He later died at age 85.