John Claude Neraz
Encyclopedia
John Claude Neraz was a French
-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of San Antonio
from 1881 until his death in 1894.
, Rhône, to Jean and Marie Anne (née Bottet) Neraz. He studied at the minor seminaries in Saint-Jodard
, Anse and Alix
before entering the Grande Seminary of St. Irenée in Lyon
s. In 1852, he accepted an invitation from Bishop Jean-Marie Odin
to serve as a missionary
in the U.S. state
of Texas
. After reaching the Diocese of Galveston
, he was ordained
to the priesthood
on February 19, 1853.
Neraz was then stationed in Nacogdoches
, where he remained until he was sent to Liberty County
in 1864. He was removed to San Antonio
in 1866, and afterward was sent to Laredo
, where he built St. Augustine's Church. He served as pastor
of San Fernando Church in San Antonio (1873-1881) as well as vicar general
to Bishop Anthony Dominic Pellicer (1874-1881).
On February 18, 1881, Neraz was appointed the second Bishop of San Antonio
by Pope Leo XIII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following May 8 from Bishop Edward Fitzgerald
, with Bishops Dominic Manucy
and Claude Marie Dubuis
serving as co-consecrators
, in the Cathedral of San Fernando
. In 1884, he attended the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore
, where he was active in discussions on the evangelization of the African American
community. During his tenure, he oversaw the establishment of St. Edward's College
, the first parochial school in the diocese, a new chancery
building, and a church for the black Catholics of San Antonio. Between 1884 and 1890, he also served as apostolic administrator
of the Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville
.
Neraz died after a brief illness at age 66. He was buried in San Fernando Cemetery.
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...
-born clergyman 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 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 1881 until his death in 1894.
Biography
John Claude Neraz was born in AnseAnse
Anse is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.It is situated on the river Saône, approx. 7 km south of Villefranche-sur-Saône .-Councils of Anse:Several medieval councils were held in this French town....
, Rhône, to Jean and Marie Anne (née Bottet) Neraz. He studied at the minor seminaries in Saint-Jodard
Saint-Jodard
Saint-Jodard is a commune in the Loire department in central France.-References:*...
, Anse and Alix
Alix, Rhône
Alix is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.-References:*...
before entering the Grande Seminary of St. Irenée 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. In 1852, he accepted an invitation from Bishop Jean-Marie Odin
Jean-Marie Odin
Jean-Marie Odin, C.M. was a French Roman Catholic missionary, first Bishop of Galveston , and second Archbishop of New Orleans .-Biography:...
to serve as a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. After reaching the Diocese of Galveston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston encompasses of ten counties in the southeastern area of Texas: Galveston; Harris; Austin; Brazoria; Fort Bend; Grimes; Montgomery; San Jacinto; Walker; and Waller.The chancery of the diocese is located in Downtown Houston. The Archdiocese's...
, 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 February 19, 1853.
Neraz was then stationed in Nacogdoches
Nacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.Nacogdoches is the home of...
, where he remained until he was sent to Liberty County
Liberty County, Texas
Liberty County is a county located in Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 75,643. Its county seat is Liberty.-Geography:According to the U.S...
in 1864. He was removed to 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,...
in 1866, and afterward was sent to Laredo
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
, where he built St. Augustine's Church. He served as 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 San Fernando Church in San Antonio (1873-1881) as well as vicar general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
to Bishop Anthony Dominic Pellicer (1874-1881).
On February 18, 1881, Neraz was appointed the second 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...
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 May 8 from Bishop Edward Fitzgerald
Edward Fitzgerald (bishop)
Edward Mary Fitzgerald was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Little Rock from 1867 until his death in 1907.-Biography:...
, with Bishops Dominic Manucy
Dominic Manucy
Bishop Dominic Manucy was a Roman Catholic bishop and the third Bishop of Mobile. He was a member of a prominent Minorican family from St. Augustine, Florida, and a first cousin of Bishop Anthony Dominic Pellicer of San Antonio, Texas...
and Claude Marie Dubuis
Claude Marie Dubuis
Claude Marie Dubuis was a French-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Galveston from 1862 to 1892....
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 the Cathedral of San Fernando
Cathedral of San Fernando
The Cathedral of San Fernando is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church located in San Antonio, Texas, in the United States. It is the mother church of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the seat of its archbishop. The cathedral is also known as the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y...
. In 1884, he attended the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore
Plenary Councils of Baltimore
The Plenary Councils of Baltimore were three national meetings of Roman Catholic bishops in the 19th century in Baltimore, Maryland.During the early history of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States all of the dioceses were part of one ecclesiastical province under the Archbishop of Baltimore...
, where he was active in discussions on the evangelization of the 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...
community. During his tenure, he oversaw the establishment of St. Edward's College
St. Edward's University
St. Edward's University is a private Roman Catholic institution of higher learning located south of Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. The university offers a liberal arts education and its campus is located on a hill overlooking the city of Austin. The campus's most notable landmark is Main...
, the first parochial school in the diocese, a new chancery
Diocesan chancery
A diocesan chancery is the branch of administration which handles all written documents used in the official government of a Roman Catholic or Anglican diocese....
building, and a church for the black Catholics of San Antonio. Between 1884 and 1890, he also served as apostolic administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
of the Vicariate Apostolic of Brownsville
Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi is a Roman Catholic diocese in Texas. It was founded on March 23, 1912.The past bishops of the diocese are:*Dominic Manucy *Peter Verdaguer y Prat...
.
Neraz died after a brief illness at age 66. He was buried in San Fernando Cemetery.