He was a Bohemian & they wouldn't ordain him

So, John went overseas and dropped in unannounced on a local bishop.

The bishop was so desperate and John presented himself so well that he ordained John a priest 25 days later and assigned him to work alone on the outskirts of the diocese.

Four years later, John left the diocese to join a religious order. Once again, he presented himself so well that within ten years he was the Provincial.

Five years after that, John was named bishop of one of the largest cities in the country.

He ended up doing very well as bishop: building up the flock as well as building nearly 100 schools and 50 parishes.

Then, eight years after being ordained bishop, on this very day 147 years ago, John Neumann dropped dead at the age of 48 on a snowy street near the new cathedral he had been building in Philadelphia.

St. John Neumann, native of Bohemia, was the first male American citizen ever to be canonized, on June 19, 1977.

(adapted from an earlier post)