Joseph Maria Koudelka

Joseph Koudelka was born on December 7, 1852, to Markus and Anna Jonoushek Koudelka at Chlistov, Bohemia in the Austrian Empire. He attended college at Klatovy in Bohemia. In 1868, his family emigrated to the United States. In preparation for the priesthood, Koudelka attended St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Our Journey through Faith; A History of the Diocese of Superior. Ireland: Booklink, 2005, p. 26.

Koudelka was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Cleveland on November 29, 1875, by Bishop Tobias Mullen[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bkoudelka.html Bishop Joseph M. Koudelka biography] at catholic-hierarchy.org He was ordained under a special dispensation due to a pressing need for a Czech-speaking pastor at St. Procop's Parish in that city. In 1882, Koudelka was transferred to St. Louis, Missouri, for one year to edit Klas (The Voice), a Czech-language Catholic newspaper. Koudelka returned to Cleveland in 1883 to found St. Michael the Archangel Parish in that city and serve as its pastor.

On November 29, 1907, Pope Pius X appointed Koudelka as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland. He was ordained on February 25, 1908, with a special ministry to the Slavic community.[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04055a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia, Cleveland] Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland

On June 24, 1911, Pius X appointed Koudelka as the first auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He was ordained on September 4, 1911.[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dmilw.html Milwaukee Archdiocese, affiliated Bishops] at catholic-hierarchy.org In a 1912 trip to Rome, Koudelka had a private meeting with the pope.{{Cite news |date=1912-07-26 |title=Pope Receives Bishop Koudelka. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1912/07/26/archives/pope-receives-bishop-koudelka.html |access-date=2022-07-05 |issn=0362-4331}}

On August 6, 1913, Pope Pius X appointed Koudelka the second bishop of the Diocese of Superior.{{Cite news |date=1913-08-03 |title=NEW BISHOP OF SUPERIOR.; Pope Appoints the Rev. J.M. Koudelka of Cleveland. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1913/08/03/archives/new-bishop-of-superior-pope-appoints-the-rev-jm-koudelka-of.html |access-date=2022-07-05 |issn=0362-4331}} He was installed at the pro-cathedral of Sacred Heart in Superior, Wisconsin by Archbishop Sebastian Messmer

File:JM Koudelka.jpg

In 1912, Koudelka ordained Philip B. Gordon, the first Ojibwa priest and the second Native American Catholic priest in the country. Fluent in eight languages, Koudelka authored books in Czech, German and English.[http://www.lib.cua.edu/rarebook/taxonomy/term/3041 1920 published book 'Forty Hours Adoration, Diederich-Schaefer Co. Milwaukee] As bishop, he also learned to speak the Ojibwe language. He commissioned works of art for several church properties.

Koudelka created the Catholic Charities Bureau in Superior.[http://www.catholicdos.org/bishop-koudelka#projects History of Diocese of Superior, Bishop Koudelka] at www.catholicdos.org On September 12, 1917, he dedicated St. Joseph's Children's Home in Superior, an orphanage that housed up to 200 children. He conducted over 100 parish missions around the country and contributed donations to help finance the orphanage.

In 1918, during World War I, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) investigated Koudelka - some priests had accused him of being pro-German. Two DOJ investigators interviewed him in Superior. After speaking with Koudelka and viewing some of his writings that supported US involvement in the war, the investigators concluded that these suspicions were groundless.

Joseph Koudelka died on June 24, 1921, at his residence in Superior.Our Journey, p. 28. The funeral Mass was celebrated at the chapel of St. Joseph's Children's Home by his nephew Reverend Charles Koudelka of Cleveland. The next day, a solemn burial Mass was held at Sacred Heart pro-cathedral. Final services were at St. Michael Church in Cleveland where he was pastor with burial at St. Mary Cemetery.

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• Catholic Church hierarchy
• Catholic Church in the United States
• Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
• List of Catholic bishops of the United States
• Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops

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• [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/clev0.htm GCatholic Reference, Diocese of Cleveland, former prelates] Wikipedia:SPS
• [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/supe0.htm GCatholic Reference, Diocese of Superior, list of Bishops] Wikipedia:SPS

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{{succession box | title=Bishop of Superior | before=Augustine Francis Schinner | after=Joseph G. Pinten | years=1913–1921}}

{{succession box | title=Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee | before=None | after=– | years=1911–1913}}

{{succession box | title=Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland | before=– | after=– | years=1907–1911}}

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{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior}}

{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee}}

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland}}

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Category:1852 births

Category:1921 deaths

Category:American people of Bohemian descent

Category:Emigrants from Austria-Hungary to the United States

Category:Religious leaders from Cleveland

Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States

Category:Religious leaders from Wisconsin

Category:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Category:Catholic Church in Ohio

Category:Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland

Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Superior

Category:Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior

Category:St. Francis Seminary (Wisconsin) alumni

Category:American people of Czech descent