Henry K. Moeller
Encyclopedia
Henry K. Moeller was an American
prelate
of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Columbus
(1900-03) and Archbishop of Cincinnati
(1904-25).
, to Bernard and Teresa (née Witte) Moeller, who were immigrants from Westphalia
. He was the oldest of seven children; one of his sisters became a nun
, and two brothers also became priests
. His father worked as a cabinet maker
and carpenter
before becoming a bricklayer
and building contractor
. He was baptized
by Father John Henry Luers
the day after his birth, and received his early education at the parochial school
of St. Joseph Church in the West End.
In 1863, Moeller entered St. Xavier College, from where he graduated with highest honors in 1869. He was then sent by Archbishop John Baptist Purcell
to study philosophy
and theology
at the Pontifical North American College
in Rome
. In his competitive examinations, he won three first prizes in theology. He was ordained
a subdeacon
on November 2, 1875, and a deacon
on the following November 10.
. That same year he received his Doctor of Divinity
degree from the Urban College of Propaganda
. Following his return to Ohio, he was appointed pastor
of St. Patrick Church in Bellefontaine
in September 1876. He then served as a professor
at Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West
in Norwood
from 1877 to 1879.
In November 1879, Moeller was granted a leave of absence from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
to assist Bishop Silas Chatard
of the Diocese of Vincennes
in Indiana
. He served as secretary to Bishop Chatard until 1880, when he was recalled to Cincinnati by Archbishop William Henry Elder
to serve as his own secretary. He served as chancellor
of the archdiocese from 1886 to 1900.
by Pope Leo XIII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following August 25 from Archbishop Elder, with Bishops Henry Richter
and Thomas Byrne
serving as co-consecrators
, at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral
in Cincinnati. He was installed at St. Joseph Cathedral in Columbus
on August 27. During his brief tenure, he worked to eliminate the debt the diocese incurred from building the cathedral, established parish boundaries for Franklin County
, and created three new parishes and four missions. In 1902, he presided over the fifth diocesan synod, which set regulations for the needs of the clergy and people of the diocese.
of Cincinnati and Titular Archbishop
of Areopolis
on April 27, 1903. As coadjutor, he assumed the administrative duties of the archdiocese. Upon the death of Archbishop Elder, Moeller succeeded him to become the fourth Archbishop of Cincinnati
on October 31, 1904. He was formally installed as archbishop and received the pallium
on February 15, 1905. In 1921, he condemned several forms of dancing (including the Shimmy
and Camel Walk
) as well as bare female shoulders at social functions.
Moeller later died in Cincinnati at age 75. He is buried in the mausoleum at St. Joseph Cemetery in Pine Hill.
, a parochial school
near Cincinnati, Ohio
, was named for Bishop Moeller.
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 Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Columbus
Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus is a Roman Catholic diocese in the Ecclesiastical Province of Cincinnati covering 23 counties in Ohio. The episcopal see of the diocese is situated at Columbus, Ohio. The diocese was erected on March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX out of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati...
(1900-03) and Archbishop of Cincinnati
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
(1904-25).
Early life and education
Henry Moeller was born in Cincinnati, OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, to Bernard and Teresa (née Witte) Moeller, who were immigrants from Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
. He was the oldest of seven children; one of his sisters became a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
, and two brothers also became priests
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....
. His father worked as a cabinet maker
Cabinet making
Cabinet making is the practice of using various woodworking skills to create cabinets, shelving and furniture.Cabinet making involves techniques such as creating appropriate joints, dados, bevels, chamfers and shelving systems, the use of finishing tools such as routers to create decorative...
and carpenter
Carpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
before becoming a bricklayer
Bricklayer
A bricklayer or mason is a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork. The term also refers to personnel who use blocks to construct blockwork walls and other forms of masonry. In British and Australian English, a bricklayer is colloquially known as a "brickie".The training of a trade in...
and building contractor
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
. He was baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
by Father John Henry Luers
John Henry Luers
John Henry Luers was nominated first bishop of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and consecrated in Cincinnati, Ohio, 10 January 1858....
the day after his birth, and received his early education at the parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
of St. Joseph Church in the West End.
In 1863, Moeller entered St. Xavier College, from where he graduated with highest honors in 1869. He was then sent by Archbishop John Baptist Purcell
John Baptist Purcell
John Baptist Purcell was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cincinnati from 1833 until his death in 1883, and was elevated to the rank of Archbishop in 1850.-Biography:...
to study philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In his competitive examinations, he won three first prizes in theology. 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....
a subdeacon
Subdeacon
-Subdeacons in the Orthodox Church:A subdeacon or hypodeacon is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Orthodox Church. This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon.-Canonical Discipline:...
on November 2, 1875, and a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
on the following November 10.
Priesthood
On June 10, 1876, Moeller was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Giulio Lenti at the Basilica of St. John LateranBasilica of St. John Lateran
The Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran , commonly known as St. John Lateran's Archbasilica and St. John Lateran's Basilica, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope...
. That same year he received his Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
degree from the Urban College of Propaganda
Pontifical Urbaniana University
The Pontifical Urbaniana University or Pontifical Urban University is a pontifical university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.-History:...
. Following his return to Ohio, he was appointed 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. Patrick Church in Bellefontaine
Bellefontaine, Ohio
Bellefontaine is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,069 at the 2000 census. It is the center of the Bellefontaine Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau in 2003...
in September 1876. He then served as a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West
Athenaeum of Ohio
The Athenaeum of Ohio – Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West, originally St. Francis Xavier Seminary, is the third-oldest Roman Catholic seminary in the United States and is currently located at 6616 Beechmont Avenue in the Cincinnati, Ohio neighborhood of Mt. Washington, in the former Saint...
in Norwood
Norwood, Ohio
Norwood is the second most populous city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The city is an enclave of the larger city of Cincinnati. The population was 21,675 at the 2000 census. Originally settled as an early suburb of Cincinnati in the wooded countryside north of the city, the area is...
from 1877 to 1879.
In November 1879, Moeller was granted a leave of absence from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
to assist Bishop Silas Chatard
Silas Chatard
Silas Francis Marean Chatard was a Roman Catholic Bishop of Indianapolis in the United States.He was born Francis Chatard in Baltimore, Maryland on December 13, 1834...
of the Diocese of Vincennes
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis is a division of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It was originally erected as the Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana on May 6, 1834, and encompassed all of Indiana as well as the eastern third of Illinois...
in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. He served as secretary to Bishop Chatard until 1880, when he was recalled to Cincinnati by Archbishop William Henry Elder
William Henry Elder
William Henry Elder was a U.S. archbishop. He served as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Natchez from 1857 to 1880 and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Cincinnati between 1883 and 1904.-Early life and education:...
to serve as his own secretary. He served as chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
of the archdiocese from 1886 to 1900.
Bishop of Columbus
On April 6, 1900, Moeller was appointed the third Bishop of ColumbusRoman Catholic Diocese of Columbus
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus is a Roman Catholic diocese in the Ecclesiastical Province of Cincinnati covering 23 counties in Ohio. The episcopal see of the diocese is situated at Columbus, Ohio. The diocese was erected on March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX out of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati...
by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
. 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 the following August 25 from Archbishop Elder, with Bishops Henry Richter
Henry Richter (bishop)
Henry Joseph Richter was a German-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Grand Rapids, Michigan .-Biography:...
and Thomas Byrne
Thomas Sebastian Byrne
Thomas Sebastian Byrne was an American Roman Catholic clergyman.Byrne was born in Hamilton, Ohio, and prepared for the priesthood at St. Thomas Seminary in Bardstown, Kentucky; Mount St. Mary's Seminary of the West in Cincinnati; and the Pontifical North American College in Rome...
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...
, at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral
Saint Peter in Chains Cathedral
Saint Peter in Chains Cathedral is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati. It is a Greek revival structure located at 8th and Plum Streets in downtown Cincinnati...
in Cincinnati. He was installed at St. Joseph Cathedral in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
on August 27. During his brief tenure, he worked to eliminate the debt the diocese incurred from building the cathedral, established parish boundaries for Franklin County
Franklin County, Ohio
Franklin County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. In 2010 the population was 1,163,414, making it the second largest county in Ohio and the 34th largest county in population in the United States. Franklin County is also the largest in the eight-county Columbus, Ohio...
, and created three new parishes and four missions. In 1902, he presided over the fifth diocesan synod, which set regulations for the needs of the clergy and people of the diocese.
Archbishop of Cincinnati
Moeller was named Coadjutor ArchbishopCoadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of Cincinnati and Titular Archbishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Areopolis
Areopoli
Areopoli is a town on the Mani Peninsula, Laconia, Greece. The word Areopoli means "city of Ares", the ancient Greek god of war. It was the seat of Oitylo municipality. Areopoli was called Tsimova by the invading Slavs during the 7th century AD...
on April 27, 1903. As coadjutor, he assumed the administrative duties of the archdiocese. Upon the death of Archbishop Elder, Moeller succeeded him to become the fourth Archbishop of Cincinnati
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
on October 31, 1904. He was formally installed as archbishop and received the pallium
Pallium
The pallium is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Roman Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the Pope, but for many centuries bestowed by him on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of the jurisdiction delegated to them by the Holy See. In that context it has always remained unambiguously...
on February 15, 1905. In 1921, he condemned several forms of dancing (including the Shimmy
Shimmy
A shimmy is a dance move in which the body is held still, except for the shoulders, which are alternated back and forth. When the right shoulder goes back, the left one comes forward. It may help to hold the arms out slightly bent at the elbow, and when the shoulders are moved, keep the hands in...
and Camel Walk
Camel Walk
The camel walk is a ragtime dance that was popular in the 1960s. James Brown often used this dance in his routine when he performed on stage.-Origin:The camel walk originated as a ragtime dance in the early 20th century...
) as well as bare female shoulders at social functions.
Moeller later died in Cincinnati at age 75. He is buried in the mausoleum at St. Joseph Cemetery in Pine Hill.
Legacy
Archbishop Moeller High SchoolMoeller High School
Archbishop Moeller High School , known as Moeller, is a private, all-male, college-preparatory high school in the suburbs of Cincinnati, in Hamilton County, Ohio...
, a parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
near Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, was named for Bishop Moeller.