Arthur Jerome Drossaerts
Encyclopedia
Arthur Jerome Drossaerts (September 11, 1862—September 8, 1940) was a Dutch
-born American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Archbishop of San Antonio
from 1918 until his death.
to Cornelius and Sophie (née de Fraiture) Drossaerts, and studied at a several seminaries
in the Netherlands
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Bishop
Adrian Godschalk on June 15, 1889, and then traveled to the United States
at the request of Archbishop
Francis Janssens, who assigned Drossaerts to pastoral
work in Lake Charles
, Louisiana
. He initiated the religious education
of African-American Catholics, and also served as a pastor
in New Orleans
, Broussard
, and Baton Rouge
.
On July 18, 1918, Drossaerts was appointed the fifth Bishop of San Antonio
, Texas
, by Pope Benedict XV
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following December 18 from Archbishop Giovanni Bonzano
, with Bishops Theophile Meerschaert
and John Laval serving as co-consecrators
, in St. Louis Cathedral
. Drossaerts was later made an Archbishop
upon San Antonio
's elevation to the rank of an archdiocese
on August 3, 1926.
Throughout his tenure in San Antonio, he provided refuge to numerous clergymen who fled from persecution
during the Mexican Revolution
, raising over $21,000 for this cause between 1926 and 1929. At the funeral Mass
for the late Bishop of Aguascalientes
, Drossaerts condemned the perceived lack of American interest in the Church's persecution in Mexico
, saying, "Liberty is being crucified at our very door, and the United States looks on with perfect indifference. Despotism
seems to have become popular amongst us. Are we not sending endless goodwill parties to Mexico? Are we not courting the friendship and favor of the very men whose hands are simply dripping with the blood of their innocent victims?...The ominous silence of the American press
and pulpit
is not understandable". Pope Pius XI
made him an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
for these efforts on August 19, 1934.
Drossaerts also denounced the women's fashions of his time
, which he described as "formerly the exclusive badge of the scarlet woman
". He lamented the "degrading spectacle of young women being exhibited and appraised like dogs and cattle."
The Archbishop died at Santa Rosa Hospital
, only three days shy of his seventy-eighth birthday. He was buried at San Fernando Archdiocesan Cemetery in San Antonio.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-born American
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 Archbishop of San Antonio
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio encompasses in Texas.The archdiocese includes the city of San Antonio and the following counties: Val Verde, Edwards, Kerr, Gillespie, Kendall, Comal, Guadalupe, Gonzales, Uvalde, Kinney, Medina, Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, Frio, Atascosa, and McMullen.On...
from 1918 until his death.
Biography
Arthur Drossaerts was born in BredaBreda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
to Cornelius and Sophie (née de Fraiture) Drossaerts, and studied at a several seminaries
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. 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....
by Bishop
Roman Catholic Diocese of 's-Hertogenbosch
The Roman Catholic Diocese of 's Hertogenbosch is a diocese of the Catholic church in the Netherlands. The diocese was historically called Bois-le-Duc. The modern diocese was created in 1853. It is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Utrecht. It is currently led by bishop Hurkmans. Its see is St...
Adrian Godschalk on June 15, 1889, and then traveled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the request of Archbishop
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, officially in Latin Archidioecesis Novae Aureliae, is an ecclesiastical division of the Roman Catholic Church administered from New Orleans, Louisiana...
Francis Janssens, who assigned Drossaerts to pastoral
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
work in Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. He initiated the religious education
Religious education
In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion and its varied aspects —its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles...
of African-American Catholics, and also served as a pastor
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...
in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Broussard
Broussard, Louisiana
Broussard is a small city in Lafayette and St. Martin parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 6,754 from the 2005 Census Est.Broussard is part of the Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, and Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
.
On July 18, 1918, Drossaerts was appointed the fifth Bishop of San Antonio
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio encompasses in Texas.The archdiocese includes the city of San Antonio and the following counties: Val Verde, Edwards, Kerr, Gillespie, Kendall, Comal, Guadalupe, Gonzales, Uvalde, Kinney, Medina, Bexar, Wilson, Karnes, Frio, Atascosa, and McMullen.On...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, by Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV , born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, reigned as Pope from 3 September 1914 to 22 January 1922...
. He received his episcopal consecration
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....
on the following December 18 from Archbishop Giovanni Bonzano
Giovanni Bonzano
Giovanni Vincenzo Cardinal Bonzano PIME was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Apostolic Delegate to United States from 1912 to 1922, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1922.-Biography:...
, with Bishops Theophile Meerschaert
Theophile Meerschaert
Theophile Meerschaert was a Belgian-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Oklahoma in the United States from 1891 until his death in 1924.-Biography:...
and John Laval 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 St. Louis Cathedral
St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans
Saint Louis Cathedral , also known as the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans; it has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States...
. Drossaerts was later made an Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
upon San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
's elevation to the rank of an archdiocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
on August 3, 1926.
Throughout his tenure in San Antonio, he provided refuge to numerous clergymen who fled from persecution
Persecution of Christians in Mexico
The modern history of Mexico has often been characterized by deep conflicts between the government and the Catholic Church, sometimes including outright persecution of Catholics in Mexico.- Beginning of Anticlericalism and Persecution :...
during the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
, raising over $21,000 for this cause between 1926 and 1929. At the funeral Mass
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
for the late Bishop of Aguascalientes
Roman Catholic Diocese of Aguascalientes
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Aguascalientes is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara.-Ordinaries:*José María de Jesús Portugal y Serratos, O.F.M...
, Drossaerts condemned the perceived lack of American interest in the Church's persecution in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, saying, "Liberty is being crucified at our very door, and the United States looks on with perfect indifference. Despotism
Despotism
Despotism is a form of government in which a single entity rules with absolute power. That entity may be an individual, as in an autocracy, or it may be a group, as in an oligarchy...
seems to have become popular amongst us. Are we not sending endless goodwill parties to Mexico? Are we not courting the friendship and favor of the very men whose hands are simply dripping with the blood of their innocent victims?...The ominous silence of the American press
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
and pulpit
Religion in the United States
Religion in the United States is characterized by both a wide diversity in religious beliefs and practices, and by a high adherence level. According to recent surveys, 83 percent of Americans claim to belong to a religious denomination, 40 percent claim to attend services nearly every week or...
is not understandable". Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
made him an Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
Assistant at the Pontifical Throne
Assistant at the Pontifical Throne is an ecclesiastical title in the Roman Catholic Church. It signifies a prelate belonging to the papal chapel, who stands near the throne of the Pope at solemn functions....
for these efforts on August 19, 1934.
Drossaerts also denounced the women's fashions of his time
1920s in fashion
The 1920s is the decade in which fashion entered the modern era. It was the decade in which women first liberated themselves from constricting fashions and began to wear more comfortable clothes . Men likewise abandoned overly formal clothes and began to wear sport clothes for the first time...
, which he described as "formerly the exclusive badge of the scarlet woman
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
". He lamented the "degrading spectacle of young women being exhibited and appraised like dogs and cattle."
The Archbishop died at Santa Rosa Hospital
Christus Santa Rosa health system
CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System, or CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care , is a health care organization in South Texas. Established in 1869, CSRHC is a part of and is the only faith-based, not-for-profit health care system in San Antonio....
, only three days shy of his seventy-eighth birthday. He was buried at San Fernando Archdiocesan Cemetery in San Antonio.