Winand Wigger
Encyclopedia
Winand Michael Wigger was a German American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Bishop of Newark
from 1881 until his death in 1901.
to John Joseph and Elizabeth (née Strucke) Wigger, who immigrated to the United States
from Westphalia
in the late 1830s. The second of four children, he had three brothers: Joseph John, Robert and Theodore. He was a sickly child and the family returned to Germany
in December 1843 in the hope that a sea
voyage might better his health. In August 1845, the family moved back to New York, where his father became prosperous and successful.
Wigger attended the parochial school
of St. Francis of Assisi Church, and in September 1853 entered St. Francis Xavier's College
, where he studied the classics
and distinguished himself as an accomplished student and skilled musician. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in July 1860. Deciding to follow a vocation to the priesthood
, he then applied to St. Joseph's Seminary
in Fordham but was rejected due to poor health. Wigger was instead accepted at Seton Hall Seminary
in the Diocese of Newark
, New Jersey
. In 1862, he went to further his studies at the seminary
of Brignole-Sale in Genoa
, Italy
, where he was ordained
a priest by Archbishop Andreas Charvaz on June 10, 1865. Before returning home, he spent several months in Rome
and Westphalia.
suffered an outbreak of cholera
among the passengers in steerage
; after docking at the Bay of New York
, the young priest remained on board for two weeks to administer to the sick and dying. After arriving in Newark, he was assigned as an assistant priest
at St. Patrick's Cathedral
. U.S. Senator
James Smith
(D
-New Jersey) later described his years at St. Patrick's by saying, "Other young priests found time for social diversion, but Dr. Wigger knew only one pleasure—to do his duty. He not only gave wise counsel to those who sought it, but from his own means he gave alms
to the needy; he was ever ready to aid the suffering and to offer the consolations of religion to the sick and the dying. Young as he was, he was regarded by the poor and the simple as a true father." In 1869 he returned to Rome and there earned a doctorate in sacred theology
from the University of the Sapienza.
Following his return to the Newark Diocese, Wigger was appointed pastor
of St. Vincent's Church at Madison
in April 1869. His financial abilities caught the attention of Bishop Michael Corrigan
, who transferred him in May 1873 to St. John's Church in Orange
, which was then over a quarter million dollars in debt. Wigger lessened the debt to some degree (raising about $2,000 every month), but his hard work caused his health to suffer. He was the founding pastor of St. Teresa's Church in Summit
from 1874 until 1876, when he returned to St. Vincent's in Madison. He constructed a new rectory
for St. Vincent's in 1877.
of New York
in October 1880, Wigger was appointed the third Bishop of Newark
by Pope Leo XIII
on July 11, 1881. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following October 18 from Archbishop Corrigan, with Bishops John Loughlin
and Bernard John McQuaid
serving as co-consecrators
, at St. Patrick's Cathedral. In August of that year, the Diocese of Trenton
was carved out of the Diocese of Newark, consisting of the southern part of the state. Shortly afterwards, Wigger declared, "In the Church of God
there is no distinction of race, color
or tongue
." At the time of his consecration as a bishop, there were 121 priests, 83 churches, 18,396 students enrolled in diocesan schools, and 145,000 Catholics in the diocese; by the time of his death nearly twenty years later, there were 256 priests, 153 churches, 34,817 students and 300,000 Catholics.
After making a survey of all the church property in the Newark Diocese, the Bishop negotiated a loan
of $2 million at a low interest rate
to cover the mortgages
on many churches. He also made Seton Hall Seminary one of the chief objects of his solicitude, and even established his residence there. In 1883, he removed the Catholic Protectory
to Arlington
and established the Sacred Heart Union to aid in its maintenance. Wigger was fiercely hostile to alcohol
abuse, and even ordered in 1884 that the last rites of the Church
be denied to those who sold alcohol to minors or drunkards. Given the drinking habits among the Irish
in New Jersey, some viewed Wigger's hostility to drink as an anti-Irish bias. He also met conflict with the German-speaking immigrant population who were attracted to non-Catholic societies and religions; the Bishop was committed to preserve the faith of the German immigrants. A central figure in the Cahensly
controversy, he also insisted on German parishes, with their own schools, and the preservation of German culture. Wigger appointed his first vicar general
in 1885, attended the Third Council of Baltimore
, and held the fifth diocesan synod
in November 1886, at which strict regulations were enacted in regard to funeral
s and attendance at parochial
and public schools. He even threatened excommunication
against Catholic parents who sent their children to non-Catholic schools, and unsuccessfully attempted to introduce state legislation
to secure the state's support for Catholic school
s.
One of Wigger's greatest achievements was the construction of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
. The City of Newark
wanted to buy the site for the new Newark High School
in 1896, but the Bishop rejected the idea. He broke ground
in January 1898, and laid the cornerstone
in June 1899.
Mass
at St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1900, Wigger was stricken with pneumonia
and went abroad in search of rest and health. On his return he resumed his duties but later died in his bedroom at Seton Hall, aged 59. His funeral Mass
was celebrated by Archbishop Corrigan, and his remains were buried in the priests' plot in the Cemetery of the Holy Sepulcher in East Orange
.
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 Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
from 1881 until his death in 1901.
Early life and education
Winand Wigger was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to John Joseph and Elizabeth (née Strucke) Wigger, who immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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"...
in the late 1830s. The second of four children, he had three brothers: Joseph John, Robert and Theodore. He was a sickly child and the family returned to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in December 1843 in the hope that a sea
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
voyage might better his health. In August 1845, the family moved back to New York, where his father became prosperous and successful.
Wigger attended 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. Francis of Assisi Church, and in September 1853 entered St. Francis Xavier's College
Xavier High School (New York City)
Xavier High School is a independent Jesuit university-preparatory high school for young men located at 30 West 16th Street, in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It was founded in 1847, as the College of St. Francis Xavier by Father John Larkin, S.J...
, where he studied the classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
and distinguished himself as an accomplished student and skilled musician. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in July 1860. Deciding to follow a vocation 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....
, he then applied to St. Joseph's Seminary
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
in Fordham but was rejected due to poor health. Wigger was instead accepted at Seton Hall Seminary
Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology
The Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology is part of Seton Hall University, the Roman Catholic university of New Jersey, and is located in South Orange. ICCST is one of the oldest Catholic seminaries in the United States. The university is the oldest diocesan university in the country....
in the Diocese of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. In 1862, he went to further his studies at 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...
of Brignole-Sale in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where 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 priest by Archbishop Andreas Charvaz on June 10, 1865. Before returning home, he spent several months 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...
and Westphalia.
Priesthood
During Wigger's voyage back to the United States in 1866, his steamshipSteamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
suffered an outbreak of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
among the passengers in steerage
Steerage
Steerage is the act of steering a ship. "Steerage" also refers to the lowest decks of a ship.-Steerage and steerage way:The rudder of a vessel can only steer the ship when water is passing over it...
; after docking at the Bay of New York
New York Bay
New York Bay is the collective term for the marine areas surrounding the entrance of the Hudson River into the Atlantic Ocean. Its two largest components are Upper New York Bay and Lower New York Bay, which are connected by The Narrows...
, the young priest remained on board for two weeks to administer to the sick and dying. After arriving in Newark, he was assigned as an assistant priest
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. Patrick's Cathedral
Pro-Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Newark
The Pro-Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Newark is a former cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It was built in 1846. It served as the seat of its prelate bishop until the completion of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Clifton Ave. It is located in Newark, New Jersey on...
. U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
James Smith
James Smith, Jr.
James Smith, Jr. was a newspaper publisher and US Senator from New Jersey.-Biography:Born in Newark, New Jersey, Smith attended private schools and St. Mary's College, in Wilmington, Delaware. He was engaged in the dry-goods and importing business, and later became a manufacturer of leather in...
(D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-New Jersey) later described his years at St. Patrick's by saying, "Other young priests found time for social diversion, but Dr. Wigger knew only one pleasure—to do his duty. He not only gave wise counsel to those who sought it, but from his own means he gave alms
Alms
Alms or almsgiving is a religious rite which, in general, involves giving materially to another as an act of religious virtue.It exists in a number of religions. In Philippine Regions, alms are given as charity to benefit the poor. In Buddhism, alms are given by lay people to monks and nuns to...
to the needy; he was ever ready to aid the suffering and to offer the consolations of religion to the sick and the dying. Young as he was, he was regarded by the poor and the simple as a true father." In 1869 he returned to Rome and there earned a doctorate in sacred theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
from the University of the Sapienza.
Following his return to the Newark Diocese, Wigger 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. Vincent's Church at Madison
Madison, New Jersey
Madison is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the population was 16,530. It also is known as "The Rose City".-Geography:Madison is located at ....
in April 1869. His financial abilities caught the attention of Bishop Michael Corrigan
Michael Corrigan
Michael Augustine Corrigan was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, who served as the third archbishop of New York from 1885 to 1902.-Early life:...
, who transferred him in May 1873 to St. John's Church in Orange
Orange, New Jersey
The City of Orange is a city and township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 30,134...
, which was then over a quarter million dollars in debt. Wigger lessened the debt to some degree (raising about $2,000 every month), but his hard work caused his health to suffer. He was the founding pastor of St. Teresa's Church in Summit
Summit, New Jersey
Summit is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 21,457. Summit had the 16th-highest per capita income in the state as of the 2000 Census....
from 1874 until 1876, when he returned to St. Vincent's in Madison. He constructed a new rectory
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...
for St. Vincent's in 1877.
Episcopal ministry
Following Bishop Corrigan's promotion to 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 New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
in October 1880, Wigger was appointed the third Bishop of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
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...
on July 11, 1881. 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 October 18 from Archbishop Corrigan, with Bishops John Loughlin
John Loughlin (bishop)
John Loughlin was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Brooklyn, New York .-References:...
and Bernard John McQuaid
Bernard John McQuaid
Bernard John McQuaid was an American Catholic priest, the first Bishop of Rochester, U.S.A. and the first president of Seton Hall University...
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. Patrick's Cathedral. In August of that year, the Diocese of Trenton
Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes the counties of Burlington, Monmouth, Ocean, and Mercer ....
was carved out of the Diocese of Newark, consisting of the southern part of the state. Shortly afterwards, Wigger declared, "In the Church of God
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...
there is no distinction of race, color
Human skin color
Human skin color is primarily due to the presence of melanin in the skin. Skin color ranges from almost black to white with a pinkish tinge due to blood vessels underneath. Variation in natural skin color is mainly due to genetics, although the evolutionary causes are not completely certain...
or tongue
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
." At the time of his consecration as a bishop, there were 121 priests, 83 churches, 18,396 students enrolled in diocesan schools, and 145,000 Catholics in the diocese; by the time of his death nearly twenty years later, there were 256 priests, 153 churches, 34,817 students and 300,000 Catholics.
After making a survey of all the church property in the Newark Diocese, the Bishop negotiated a loan
Loan
A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....
of $2 million at a low interest rate
Interest rate
An interest rate is the rate at which interest is paid by a borrower for the use of money that they borrow from a lender. For example, a small company borrows capital from a bank to buy new assets for their business, and in return the lender receives interest at a predetermined interest rate for...
to cover the mortgages
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
on many churches. He also made Seton Hall Seminary one of the chief objects of his solicitude, and even established his residence there. In 1883, he removed the Catholic Protectory
Protectory
A protectory is a Roman Catholic institution for the shelter and training of the young, designed to afford neglected or abandoned children shelter, food, raiment and the rudiments of an education in religion, morals, science and manual training or industrial pursuits.Institutions of this character...
to Arlington
Mount Arlington, New Jersey
-History:While Mount Arlington is now mostly a suburban residential community, it was once a thriving resort town. In the era before the world wars and the advent of air travel, it was a welcome respite for the residents of nearby New York City and Newark....
and established the Sacred Heart Union to aid in its maintenance. Wigger was fiercely hostile to alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
abuse, and even ordered in 1884 that the last rites of the Church
Anointing of the Sick (Catholic Church)
Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of the Catholic Church that is administered to Catholics who because of sickness or old age are in danger of death, even if the danger is not proximate...
be denied to those who sold alcohol to minors or drunkards. Given the drinking habits among the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in New Jersey, some viewed Wigger's hostility to drink as an anti-Irish bias. He also met conflict with the German-speaking immigrant population who were attracted to non-Catholic societies and religions; the Bishop was committed to preserve the faith of the German immigrants. A central figure in the Cahensly
Peter Cahensly
Peter Paul Cahensly , a German merchant who lived in the Hessian town Limburg an der Lahn. He was a member of the German Reichstag and a wealthy lay officer of the Roman Catholic Church....
controversy, he also insisted on German parishes, with their own schools, and the preservation of German culture. Wigger appointed his first 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...
in 1885, attended the Third 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...
, and held the fifth diocesan synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
in November 1886, at which strict regulations were enacted in regard to funeral
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
s and attendance at parochial
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:...
and public schools. He even threatened excommunication
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
against Catholic parents who sent their children to non-Catholic schools, and unsuccessfully attempted to introduce state legislation
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
to secure the state's support for 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...
s.
One of Wigger's greatest achievements was the construction of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey
The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the fifth-largest cathedral in North America, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. It is located at 89 Ridge Street in Newark, New Jersey. Envisioned as a "fitting monument to the faith," construction began in 1899 and was finished in...
. The City of Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
wanted to buy the site for the new Newark High School
Barringer High School
Barringer High School, formerly Newark High School, is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Newark, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Newark Public Schools. Some consider it to be the third oldest public high school in the United States...
in 1896, but the Bishop rejected the idea. He broke ground
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
in January 1898, and laid the cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
in June 1899.
Later life and death
After celebrating ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
at St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1900, Wigger was stricken with pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and went abroad in search of rest and health. On his return he resumed his duties but later died in his bedroom at Seton Hall, aged 59. His 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...
was celebrated by Archbishop Corrigan, and his remains were buried in the priests' plot in the Cemetery of the Holy Sepulcher in East Orange
East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...
.