Peter Joseph Hurth
Peter Joseph Hurth | |
|---|---|
| Titular Archbishop of Bosra | |
| In office November 12, 1926 – August 1, 1935 | |
| Preceded by | Martín García y Alcocer |
| Succeeded by | Iwannis Gandour |
| 24th Bishop of Nueva Segovia | |
| In office January 7, 1913 – November 12, 1926 | |
| Preceded by | James Jordan Carroll |
| Succeeded by | Santiago Caragnan Sancho |
| 2nd Bishop of Dhaka | |
| In office 1894–1909 | |
| Preceded by | Augustin Louage |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Linneborn |
| 2nd President of St. Edward's University | |
| In office 1886–1894 | |
| Preceded by | Peter J. Franciscus |
| Succeeded by | Edward Murphy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 30, 1857 |
| Died | August 1, 1935 (aged 78) |
| Resting place | Vigan Cathedral |
| Alma mater | University of Notre Dame |
Peter Joseph Hurth, C.S.C., S.T.D. (30 March 1857 – 1 August 1935) was a Catholic priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a diocesan bishop in the Philippines and British India, and a titular archbishop.
Of German nationality and later naturalized as an American, he was the first American Catholic bishop sent to Asia.
Throughout his life, Pierre-Joseph Hurth was a pioneer and a builder. Emigrating to the United States at the age of 17, he joined the French Congregation of Holy Cross at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana). He later directed two colleges, Saint Joseph’s (Cincinnati) and Saint Edward’s (Texas). He turned the latter into one of the pioneering educational institutions of the Southern states.
He continued his work as a builder as the second Bishop of Dacca (now Dhaka, Bangladesh). He became known for rebuilding his diocese, which had been destroyed by an earthquake and a cyclone in 1897. From 1913 to 1926, he served in the Diocese of Nueva Segovia in the Philippines, where he held an important place in the local Church. In 1916, he was even considered for the position of Archbishop of Manila, though unsuccessfully. Pierre-Joseph Hurth is best known for his devotion to the Eucharist. He organized the first National Eucharistic Congress of the United States in July 1894.
He died on Thursday, August 1, 1935, assisted by the Servant of God William Finnemann. His body rests in the sacristy of Saint Paul’s Cathedral in Vigan.