James Blenk
Encyclopedia
James Hubert Herbert Blenk, S.M.
(July 28, 1856—April 20, 1917) was a German American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Puerto Rico
(1899–1906) and Archbishop of New Orleans
(1906–1917).
, Rhenish Palatinate, to James and Catherine (née Wigman) Blenk. Born and raised in a Protestant
family, he was the youngest of seventeen children and also a twin
but his twin brother died at six months. In 1866 he and his family emigrated from Germany and moved to New Orleans
, Louisiana
, in the United States
. His parents died only some weeks later and the orphan James Blenk was brought up in a Catholic family. Converting to Catholicism
at age 12, Blenk was baptized
at St. Alphonsus Church in 1869 and later confirmed by Archbishop Napoléon-Joseph Perché
. After completing his primary education
in New Orleans, he entered Jefferson College
in Convent
and eventually joined the Society of Mary
(more commonly known as the Marist Fathers) 1878. He was then sent to the Marist House of Studies in Belley
, France
, and completed his probationary studies at the novitiate
in Lyon
s before being sent to further his studies at the Catholic University of Ireland
in Dublin. While in Ireland, he also taught mathematics
at St. Mary's College in Dundalk
(1881–1882).
Blenk was ordained
to the priesthood
by Archbishop Francis Redwood
, S.M., on August 16, 1885. Upon his return to Louisiana in October 1885, he served as professor
of humanities
, rhetoric
, philosophy
, mathematics, and natural science
at his alma mater
of Jefferson College, where he later served as president from 1891 to 1897. In 1896, at the invitation of the superior general
of the Marist Fathers, he visited all the houses of the congregation
in Europe
. He returned to New Orleans in February 1897, and was named rector
of the Church of the Holy Name of Mary in Algiers. When Archbishop Placide Louis Chapelle
was chosen as Apostolic Delegate
to Cuba
and the Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines
in 1899, Blenk became audit
or and secretary
of the Apostolic Delegation
.
On June 12, 1899, Blenk was appointed Bishop of Puerto Rico
by Pope Leo XIII
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following July 2 from Archbishop Chapelle, with Bishops Gustave Rouxel and Theophile Meerschaert
serving as co-consecrators
. Before his departure for Puerto Rico
, the island was struck by Hurricane San Ciriaco
; through his personal efforts he raised $30,000 to take with him to alleviate the sufferings of his new congregation. During his tenure, Blenk established a college
and founded several schools
and convent
s. He was, however, forced to suppress the seminary
due to a lack of resources and seminarians. He also renovated the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista
for over $12,000.
Blenk was promoted to the seventh Archbishop of New Orleans
on April 20, 1906. He received the pallium
, a vestment
worn by metropolitan bishop
s, on April 24, 1907. During his tenure, Blenk systematized the Catholic school
system in New Orleans, unifying and standardizing the Catholic educational board and insisting upon the establishment of parochial school
s in each parish
. He also continued the practice of segregated
parishes for African American
s and established several himself, including St. Dominic Church in 1909. He believed it was through segregated churches that "racial feelings and natural differences can be best adjusted."
He also organized the Louisiana State Federation of Catholic Societies
(1908), Catholic Societies of Women of Louisiana (1911), Knights of Peter Claver at Opelousas
(1912), and Catholic Women's Club (1916). His final years were marked by the 1915 New Orleans hurricane and the outbreak of World War I
. Furthermore, he successfully campaigned against the tax
ation of church rectories
and for the abolition of race track
gambling
.
Blenk died eleven years after his appointment to New Orleans, aged 60.
Archbishop Belnk was the principal consecrator of Bishops John William Shaw
(1863–1934), Joseph Patrick Lynch
(1872–1954), John Edward Gunn
S.M. (1863–1924) and John Marie Laval (1854–1937), the Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans. John William Shaw becyame his successor as Archbishop of New Orleans.
Society of Mary (Marists)
The Society of Mary , is a Roman Catholic religious congregation or order, founded by Father Jean-Claude Colin and a group of other seminarians in France in 1816...
(July 28, 1856—April 20, 1917) was a German American
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
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 Puerto Rico
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, comprising the northeast portion of the island of Puerto Rico, a commonwealth of the United States...
(1899–1906) and Archbishop of New Orleans
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...
(1906–1917).
Biography
James Blenk was born in EdenkobenEdenkoben
Edenkoben is a municipality in the Südliche Weinstraße district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It lies approximately halfway between Landau and Neustadt an der Weinstraße. Edenkoben is one of the towns situated along the German Wine Route...
, Rhenish Palatinate, to James and Catherine (née Wigman) Blenk. Born and raised in a Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
family, he was the youngest of seventeen children and also a twin
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
but his twin brother died at six months. In 1866 he and his family emigrated from Germany and moved to 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...
, 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...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His parents died only some weeks later and the orphan James Blenk was brought up in a Catholic family. Converting to Catholicism
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...
at age 12, Blenk 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...
at St. Alphonsus Church in 1869 and later confirmed by Archbishop Napoléon-Joseph Perché
Napoléon-Joseph Perché
Archbishop Napoléon-Joseph Perché was the third Archbishop of New Orleans . The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans is the second-oldest diocese in the present-day United States....
. After completing his primary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
in New Orleans, he entered Jefferson College
Jefferson College
Jefferson College is a public, two-year community college located in Hillsboro, Missouri. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Jefferson College was founded in 1963. It is coeducational and has a semester-based academic calendar. It was granted a Phi Theta Kappa chapter in 1965...
in Convent
Convent, Louisiana
Convent is an unincorporated community in and the parish seat of St. James Parish, Louisiana, United States.It has been the parish seat since 1869.The town took damage during Hurricane Katrina, disrupting parish government activities for several months....
and eventually joined the Society of Mary
Society of Mary (Marists)
The Society of Mary , is a Roman Catholic religious congregation or order, founded by Father Jean-Claude Colin and a group of other seminarians in France in 1816...
(more commonly known as the Marist Fathers) 1878. He was then sent to the Marist House of Studies in Belley
Belley
Belley is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.-History:Belley is of Roman origin, and in the 5th century became an episcopal see. It was the capital of the province of Bugey, which was a dependency of Savoy till 1601, when it was ceded to France...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and completed his probationary studies at the novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
s before being sent to further his studies at the Catholic University of Ireland
Catholic University of Ireland
The Catholic University of Ireland was a Catholic university in Dublin, Ireland and was founded in 1851 following the Synod of Thurles in 1850, and in response to the Queen's University of Ireland and its associated colleges which were nondenominational...
in Dublin. While in Ireland, he also taught mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
at St. Mary's College in Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
(1881–1882).
Blenk 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 Archbishop Francis Redwood
Francis Redwood
Francis William Mary Redwood SM , was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington, Metropolitan of New Zealand.Redwood was born on 8 April 1839 on the Tixall estate, Staffordshire, England. In 1842 he sailed to New Zealand with his parents on the George Fyfe...
, S.M., on August 16, 1885. Upon his return to Louisiana in October 1885, he served as 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...
of humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
, rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
, 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...
, mathematics, and natural science
Natural science
The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods...
at his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
of Jefferson College, where he later served as president from 1891 to 1897. In 1896, at the invitation of the superior general
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
of the Marist Fathers, he visited all the houses of the congregation
Roman Catholic religious order
Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular ; monastics ; mendicants Catholic religious orders are, historically, a category of Catholic religious institutes.Subcategories are canons regular (canons and canonesses regular...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He returned to New Orleans in February 1897, and was named rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the Church of the Holy Name of Mary in Algiers. When Archbishop Placide Louis Chapelle
Placide Louis Chapelle
Archbishop Placide Louise Chapelle was a French-American Roman Catholic archbishop....
was chosen as Apostolic Delegate
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and the Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines
Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines
The Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines is a top-level diplomatic mission of the Holy See to the Republic of the Philippines. An apostolic nuncio is equivalent to an ambassador. He is often an archbishop.-History:...
in 1899, Blenk became audit
Audit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
or and secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
of the Apostolic Delegation
Apostolic Nunciature
An Apostolic Nunciature is a top-level diplomatic mission of the Holy See, equivalent to an embassy.The head of the Apostolic Nunciature is called nuncio. A nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin nuntius, meaning messenger...
.
On June 12, 1899, Blenk was appointed Bishop of Puerto Rico
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, comprising the northeast portion of the island of Puerto Rico, a commonwealth of the United States...
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 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 July 2 from Archbishop Chapelle, with Bishops Gustave Rouxel and 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:...
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...
. Before his departure for Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, the island was struck by Hurricane San Ciriaco
1899 Hurricane San Ciriaco
1899 San Ciriaco hurricane, also known as the 1899 Puerto Rico Hurricane, was the longest-lived Atlantic hurricane and the eleventh deadliest tropical cyclone in the basin. It was an intense and long-lived Atlantic Cape Verde-type hurricane which crossed Puerto Rico over the two day period August 8...
; through his personal efforts he raised $30,000 to take with him to alleviate the sufferings of his new congregation. During his tenure, Blenk established a college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
and founded several schools
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
and convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
s. He was, however, forced to suppress the seminary
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...
due to a lack of resources and seminarians. He also renovated the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista
Cathedral of San Juan Bautista
The Cathedral of San Juan Bautista is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.The cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in San Juan, and is the second oldest cathedral in the Americas. The Catedral de Santa María la Menor in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic is the oldest...
for over $12,000.
Blenk was promoted to the seventh Archbishop of New Orleans
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...
on April 20, 1906. He 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...
, a vestment
Vestment
Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially among Latin Rite and other Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, and Lutherans...
worn by metropolitan bishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
s, on April 24, 1907. During his tenure, Blenk systematized the Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
system in New Orleans, unifying and standardizing the Catholic educational board and insisting upon the establishment of 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:...
s in each parish
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...
. He also continued the practice of segregated
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
parishes for African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s and established several himself, including St. Dominic Church in 1909. He believed it was through segregated churches that "racial feelings and natural differences can be best adjusted."
He also organized the Louisiana State Federation of Catholic Societies
American Federation of Catholic Societies
The American Federation of Catholic Societies was formed in 1901 to encourage Catholic unity and promote Catholic interests. Bishop James McFaul of Trenton was one of the key organizers of the federation. The Federation focused on social and economic questions as well as issues of public morality...
(1908), Catholic Societies of Women of Louisiana (1911), Knights of Peter Claver at Opelousas
Opelousas, Louisiana
Opelousas is a city in and the parish seat of St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies at the junction of Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 190. The population was 22,860 at the 2000 census. Although the 2006 population estimate was 23,222, a 2004 annexation should put the city's...
(1912), and Catholic Women's Club (1916). His final years were marked by the 1915 New Orleans hurricane and the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Furthermore, he successfully campaigned against the tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
ation of church rectories
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
and for the abolition of race track
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
.
Blenk died eleven years after his appointment to New Orleans, aged 60.
Archbishop Belnk was the principal consecrator of Bishops John William Shaw
John Shaw (archbishop)
John William Shaw was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of San Antonio and Archbishop of New Orleans .-Biography:...
(1863–1934), Joseph Patrick Lynch
Joseph Patrick Lynch
Joseph Patrick Lynch was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Dallas from 1911 until his death in 1954. He remains the longest-serving Catholic bishop in the United States....
(1872–1954), John Edward Gunn
John Edward Gunn
John Edward Gunn was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Natchez from 1911 until his death in 1924.-Early life and ordination:...
S.M. (1863–1924) and John Marie Laval (1854–1937), the Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans. John William Shaw becyame his successor as Archbishop of New Orleans.