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His Excellency, The Most Reverend Joseph Maria Koudelka
Bishop of Superior
Bishop Koudelka, November, 1913
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Bishop of Superior
In office	November 5, 1913 – June 24, 1921
Predecessor	Augustine Francis Schinner
Successor	Joseph Gabriel Pinten
Other post(s)	Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland 1907–1911 Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee 1911–1913
Orders
Ordination	November 29, 1875 by Tobias Mullen
Consecration	November 9, 1907
Personal details
Born	(1852-12-07)December 7, 1852 Chlistov, Bohemia, Austrian Empire (now the Czech Republic)
Died	June 24, 1921(1921-06-24) (aged 68) Superior, Wisconsin, US
Buried	St. Mary Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio, US
Parents	Marek Koudelka Anna Janoušková
Education	St. Francis Seminary

Joseph Maria Koudelka (December 7, 1852 – June 24, 1921) was a Czech-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the second bishop of the Diocese of Superior in Wisconsin from 1913 until his death in 1921.

Koudelka previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1908 to 1911 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in Wisconsin from 1911 to 1913.

Biography

Early life

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.

Priesthood

Koudelka was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Cleveland on November 29, 1875, by Bishop Tobias Mullen 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.

Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland

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.

Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee

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. In a 1912 trip to Rome, Koudelka had a private meeting with the pope.

Bishop of Superior

On August 6, 1913, Pope Pius X appointed Koudelka the second bishop of the Diocese of Superior. He was installed at the pro-cathedral of Sacred Heart in Superior, Wisconsin by Archbishop Sebastian Messmer

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. 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. 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.

Death and legacy

Joseph Koudelka died on June 24, 1921, at his residence in Superior. 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.

See also

• 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

References

1. ^ Our Journey through Faith; A History of the Diocese of Superior. Ireland: Booklink, 2005, p. 26.
2. ^ History of Diocese of Superior, Bishop Koudelka at www.catholicdos.org
3. ^ Bishop Joseph M. Koudelka biography at catholic-hierarchy.org
4. Catholic Encyclopedia, Cleveland Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland
5. Milwaukee Archdiocese, affiliated Bishops at catholic-hierarchy.org
6. "Pope Receives Bishop Koudelka". The New York Times. July 26, 1912. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
7. "NEW BISHOP OF SUPERIOR.; Pope Appoints the Rev. J.M. Koudelka of Cleveland". The New York Times. August 3, 1913. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
8. 1920 published book 'Forty Hours Adoration, Diederich-Schaefer Co. Milwaukee
9. Our Journey, p. 28.

External links

• GCatholic Reference, Diocese of Cleveland, former prelates
• GCatholic Reference, Diocese of Superior, list of Bishops

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior
Bishops	Augustine Francis Schinner Joseph Maria Koudelka Joseph G. Pinten Theodore H. Reverman William Patrick O'Connor Albert Gregory Meyer Joseph John Annabring George Albert Hammes Raphael Michael Fliss Peter F. Christensen James Patrick Powers
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Christ the King Former Saint Ann's Church, Greenwood St. Francis of Assisi Mission Church, Ladysmith
Priests	Philip B. Gordon
Media	Official publication The Superior Catholic Herald Catholic radio WWEN-Superior/Duluth (88.1 FM) WWMD-Ashland (95.3 FM)
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Archbishops	John Henni Michael Heiss Frederick Katzer Sebastian Gebhard Messmer Samuel Stritch Moses E. Kiley Albert Gregory Meyer William Edward Cousins Rembert Weakland Timothy M. Dolan Jerome Edward Listecki
Auxiliary bishops	Joseph Maria Koudelka Edward Kozłowski Roman Richard Atkielski Leo Joseph Brust Richard J. Sklba William P. Callahan Donald J. Hying Jeffrey Robert Haines James Thomas Schuerman
Churches	List List of churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee Cathedral Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Basilicas Basilica of St. Josaphat, Milwaukee Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, Hubertus Parishes St. John Vianney Church, Brookfield St. John the Baptist Church, Johnsburg Gesu Church, Milwaukee Holy Trinity Church, Milwaukee Old St. Mary's Church, Milwaukee St. Adalbert's Church, Milwaukee St. Hedwig's Church, Milwaukee St. Stanislaus Church, Milwaukee St. Patrick's Church, Milwaukee Saints Peter and Paul Church, Milwaukee St. Vincent de Paul Church, Milwaukee St. Mary's Church, Port Washington St. Patrick's Church, Racine St. Joseph's Church, Waukesha Former St. John of God Church, Kewaskum St. Patrick's Church, Adell St. Augustine Church, Trenton Chapel St. Joan of Arc Chapel, Milwaukee Shrine Archdiocesan Marian Shrine
Education	Higher education Alverno College Marian University Marquette University Mount Mary University Seminaries Saint Francis de Sales Seminary Sacred Heart School of Theology High schools Burlington Catholic Central High School, Burlington Catholic Memorial High School, Waukesha Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Milwaukee Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, Milwaukee Dominican High School, Whitefish Bay Marquette University High School, Milwaukee Messmer High School, Milwaukee Pius XI High School, Milwaukee St. Anthony High School, Milwaukee St. Catherine's High School, Racine St. Joan Antida High School, Milwaukee St. Joseph Catholic Academy, Kenosha (previously as St. Joseph High School) St. Lawrence Seminary High School, Mt. Calvary St. Mary's Springs Academy, Fond du Lac St. Thomas More High School, Milwaukee Former Cardinal Stritch University St. John's School for the Deaf
Priests	Peter Abbelen Dismas Becker Fabian Bruskewitz Jan Romuald Byzewski Kilian Caspar Flasch Raphael Michael Fliss Augustus F. Gearhard Boleslaus Goral James Groppi Hyacinth (Jacek) Gulski Francis J. Haas Jerome J. Hastrich James Michael Harvey Wacław Kruszka David John Malloy Aloisius Joseph Muench William Patrick O'Connor Joseph Perry Augustine Francis Schinner Charles Asa Schleck Paul Francis Tanner
Cemeteries	Calvary Cemetery, Milwaukee Mount Olivet Cemetery, Milwaukee
Miscellany	Saint Dismas Prison Ministry
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
Bishops	Ordinaries Louis Amadeus Rappe Richard Gilmour Ignatius Frederick Horstmann John Patrick Farrelly Joseph Schrembs Edward Francis Hoban Clarence George Issenmann James Aloysius Hickey Anthony Michael Pilla Richard Gerard Lennon Nelson J. Pérez Edward Charles Malesic Auxiliaries Joseph Maria Koudelka James A. McFadden William Michael Cosgrove John Raphael Hagan Floyd Lawrence Begin John Krol Clarence Edward Elwell John Francis Whealon Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon Michael Joseph Murphy James Anthony Griffin James Patterson Lyke Anthony Edward Pevec Alexander James Quinn Martin John Amos Roger William Gries Michael G. Woost
Churches	List List of churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Cathedral Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Parishes Holy Rosary Church, Cleveland Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Cleveland St. Barbara Church, Cleveland St. Casimir Church, Cleveland St. Elizabeth's Magyar Church, Cleveland St. Michael the Archangel Church, Cleveland St. Paul's Church, Cleveland St. Peter Church, Cleveland Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus, Cleveland St. Stephen Church, Cleveland St. Vitus's Church, Cleveland St. Mary's Church, Elyria Immaculate Conception Church, Grafton St. Martin's Church, Valley City St. Patrick's Church, Wellington Former parishes Annunciation Church, Cleveland Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Cleveland St. Joseph's Church, Cleveland St. Mary's on the Flats, Cleveland Transfiguration Church, Cleveland St. Ladislaus Church, Lorain
Higher education	Colleges & universities John Carroll University Ursuline College Seminary Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology Former colleges Notre Dame College St. John's College, Cleveland
Priests	Timothy P. Broglio John Dearden Raymond Joseph Gallagher Louis de Goesbriand Paul John Hallinan Joseph Patrick Hurley Charles Hubert Le Blond Edward Aloysius Mooney Thomas Charles O'Reilly Michael Joseph Ready John Patrick Treacy
Miscellany	St. Joseph Convent and Academy Complex 7th National Eucharistic Congress (United States)
Catholicism portal

• Biography
• Christianity
• United States

• 1852 births
• 1921 deaths
• American people of Bohemian descent
• Emigrants from Austria-Hungary to the United States
• Religious leaders from Cleveland
• 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States
• Religious leaders from Wisconsin
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee
• Catholic Church in Ohio
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
• Roman Catholic bishops of Superior
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior
• St. Francis Seminary (Wisconsin) alumni
• American people of Czech descent