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Peter Henry Lemke was born 27 July 1796 at Rehna in Mecklenburg. His father was a magistrate. His maternal grandfather was the village schoolmaster and lived with the family, as did the elderly village doctor. With the aid of his grandfather and the doctor, who supplied him with story books, he received a good basic education. After the death of his grandfather, Peter ran away at the age of fourteen and applied for admission to the school at Shwerin. His father, who admired his initiative, wished him well, but due to reduced circumstances was unable to provide any financial assistance. Peter supported himself by giving music lessons, supplemented by the charity of the townspeople.<ref name=flick>[https://www.jstor.org/stable/44208845?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents Flick, Lawrence F. “Biographical Sketch Of Rev. Peter Henry Lemke, O. S. B. 1796-1882.” ''Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia'', vol. 9, no. 2, 1898, pp. 129–192. JSTOR]{{PD-notice}}</ref>
Peter Henry Lemke was born 27 July 1796 at Rehna in Mecklenburg. His father was a magistrate. His maternal grandfather was the village schoolmaster and lived with the family, as did the elderly village doctor. With the aid of his grandfather and the doctor, who supplied him with story books, he received a good basic education. After the death of his grandfather, Peter ran away at the age of fourteen and applied for admission to the school at Shwerin. His father, who admired his initiative, wished him well, but due to reduced circumstances was unable to provide any financial assistance. Peter supported himself by giving music lessons, supplemented by the charity of the townspeople.<ref name=flick>[https://www.jstor.org/stable/44208845?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents Flick, Lawrence F. “Biographical Sketch Of Rev. Peter Henry Lemke, O. S. B. 1796-1882.” ''Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia'', vol. 9, no. 2, 1898, pp. 129–192. JSTOR]{{PD-notice}}</ref>


In 1813, at the age of eighteen, Lemke enlisted in the army to fight against [[Napoleon]]. He served until the end of war, after which he enrolled in the Lutheran seminary at the [[University of Rostock]]. When not indulging in student dissipation, he read [[Friedrich Leopold zu Stolberg-Stolberg|Stolberg]]'s ''Religion of Jesus Christ'', which made a lasting impression. In 1819, he passed his examinations for the ministry and accepted a position as tutor in a wealthy family near his hometown. Having developed religious reservations, he resigned his position and travelled for a while. In Ratisbon, through a former schoolfellow, he met and became friends with [[Melchior von Diepenbrock]]. They were of the same age and both war veterans. After Diepenbrock was ordained a Catholic priest, Lemke attended Father Diepenbrock's first Mass. Eight months later, Lemke applied to Bishop [[Johann Michael Sailer]] for admission to the Catholic Church. Sailer went him to the Ratisbon diocesan seminary where he studied under [[Georg Michael Wittman]]. On 21 April 1824, he was received into the Church, Diepenbrock standing as godfather.<ref name=flick/> Sailer sent him to one of his old parish priests, Father Buchner, pastor of a country parish near Ratsbon, to study theology, and on 11 April 1826 he was ordained. For the next three years, Father Lemke served as assistant to Buchner.<ref name=flick/>
In 1813, at the age of eighteen, Lemke enlisted in the army to fight against [[Napoleon]]. He served until the end of war, after which he enrolled in the Lutheran seminary at the [[University of Rostock]]. When not indulging in student dissipation, he read [[Friedrich Leopold zu Stolberg-Stolberg|Stolberg]]'s ''Religion of Jesus Christ'', which made a lasting impression. In 1819, he passed his examinations for the ministry and accepted a position as tutor in a wealthy family near his hometown. Having developed religious reservations, he resigned his position and travelled for a while. In [[Regensburg|Ratisbon]], through a former schoolfellow, he met and became friends with [[Melchior von Diepenbrock]]. They were of the same age and both war veterans. After Diepenbrock was ordained a Catholic priest, Lemke attended Father Diepenbrock's first Mass. Eight months later, Lemke applied to Bishop [[Johann Michael Sailer]] for admission to the Catholic Church. Sailer went him to the Ratisbon diocesan seminary where he studied under [[Georg Michael Wittman]]. On 21 April 1824, he was received into the Church, Diepenbrock standing as godfather.<ref name=flick/> Sailer sent him to one of his old parish priests, Father Buchner, pastor of a country parish near Ratsbon, to study theology, and on 11 April 1826 he was ordained. For the next three years, Father Lemke served as assistant to Buchner.<ref name=flick/>


In 1829, he was called to Ratisbon to instruct the students of the high school, and to preach to the garrison. In 1831, he accepted the position of chaplain on an estate owned by [[Friedrich Christoph Schlosser]] near Heidelberg. As his duties there were not overtaxing, he soon took up the responsibilities of estate manager. In Heidelberg, he became friends with [[Clemens Brentano]]. A mutual friend, Dr. Raes, showed him a letter from [[Francis Kenrick|Bishop Kenrick]] of Philadelphia deploring the lack of German priests to serve his parishioners. With the prodding of Brentano, Lemke determined to go to Philadelphia. Sending his baggage ahead, he set out on foot for Paris, where he took a steamboat to Le Havre. However, his baggage not yet having arrived, his departure was delayed some weeks. He spent the time ministering to other German emigrants awaiting departure. He later learned that the first [[packet boat]] had been lost at sea.
In 1834 he came as missionary to the United States and after being stationed a short time at [[Holy Trinity Church, Philadelphia]], he was sent as assistant to the aged and infirm [[Prince Gallitzin]] at [[Loretto, Pennsylvania]].


He took up his residence in the neighbouring town of [[Ebensburg]], from where he attended to a portion of Father Gallitzin's district, about fifty miles in extent. In 1836 he bought some land on which two years later he laid out a town which, in honour of the first Catholic Bishop in the United States, [[John Carroll (bishop)|John Carroll]], he called [[Carrolltown, Pennsylvania|Carrolltown]]. He succeeded the deceased Father Gallitzin as pastor of Loretto in 1840.
In 1834 he emigrated to America and was stationed at Holy Trinity Church, Philadelphia, the first German national parish in the United States.<ref>[https://www.jppc.net/onlinebulletins/167template.pdf "Bulletin", Old St. Mary Church/Holy Trinity Church]</ref> he was sent as assistant to the aged and infirm [[Prince Gallitzin]] at [[Loretto, Pennsylvania]]. He took up his residence in the neighbouring town of [[Ebensburg]], from where he attended to a portion of Father Gallitzin's district, about fifty miles in extent. In 1836 he bought some land on which two years later he laid out a town which, in honour of the first Catholic Bishop in the United States, [[John Carroll (bishop)|John Carroll]], he called [[Carrolltown, Pennsylvania|Carrolltown]]. He succeeded the deceased Father Gallitzin as pastor of Loretto in 1840.<ref name=Ott>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09146a.htm Ott, Michael. "Henry Lemcke." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 2 August 2019{{PD-notice}}</ref>


Father Lemke was instrumental in bringing to the United States the first [[Benedictine]]s, under the leadership of Father [[Boniface Wimmer]], the future Archabbot of St. Vincent's, in Pennsylvania. Father Lemke himself joined the new Benedictine community in 1852.
Father Lemke was instrumental in bringing to the United States the first [[Benedictine]]s, under the leadership of Father [[Boniface Wimmer]], the future Archabbot of St. Vincent's, in Pennsylvania. Father Lemke himself joined the new Benedictine community in 1852.<ref name=Ott/>


In 1855 he went as missionary to [[Kansas]], and prepared the way for the foundation of St. Benedict's Abbey at [[Atchison, Kansas|Atchison]]. Lemke Hall, a residence hall at [[Benedictine College]] near St. Benedict's Abbey in Atchison, is named in his honor. From 1861 to 1877 he was stationed at [[Elizabeth, New Jersey]]. He was pastor of Sacred Heart Church, now Our Lady of Fatima Church from 1869 to 1877.
In 1855 he went as missionary to [[Kansas]], and prepared the way for the foundation of St. Benedict's Abbey at [[Atchison, Kansas|Atchison]]. Lemke Hall, a residence hall at [[Benedictine College]] near St. Benedict's Abbey in Atchison, is named in his honor. From 1861 to 1877 he was stationed at [[Elizabeth, New Jersey]]. He was pastor of Sacred Heart Church, now Our Lady of Fatima Church from 1869 to 1877.

Revision as of 18:50, 2 August 2019

Peter Henry Lemke (or Lemcke) (b. at Rehna, Mecklenburg, 27 July 1796; d. at Carrolltown, Pennsylvania, 29 November 1882) was a German Roman Catholic missionary in the United States.

Life

Peter Henry Lemke was born 27 July 1796 at Rehna in Mecklenburg. His father was a magistrate. His maternal grandfather was the village schoolmaster and lived with the family, as did the elderly village doctor. With the aid of his grandfather and the doctor, who supplied him with story books, he received a good basic education. After the death of his grandfather, Peter ran away at the age of fourteen and applied for admission to the school at Shwerin. His father, who admired his initiative, wished him well, but due to reduced circumstances was unable to provide any financial assistance. Peter supported himself by giving music lessons, supplemented by the charity of the townspeople.[1]

In 1813, at the age of eighteen, Lemke enlisted in the army to fight against Napoleon. He served until the end of war, after which he enrolled in the Lutheran seminary at the University of Rostock. When not indulging in student dissipation, he read Stolberg's Religion of Jesus Christ, which made a lasting impression. In 1819, he passed his examinations for the ministry and accepted a position as tutor in a wealthy family near his hometown. Having developed religious reservations, he resigned his position and travelled for a while. In Ratisbon, through a former schoolfellow, he met and became friends with Melchior von Diepenbrock. They were of the same age and both war veterans. After Diepenbrock was ordained a Catholic priest, Lemke attended Father Diepenbrock's first Mass. Eight months later, Lemke applied to Bishop Johann Michael Sailer for admission to the Catholic Church. Sailer went him to the Ratisbon diocesan seminary where he studied under Georg Michael Wittman. On 21 April 1824, he was received into the Church, Diepenbrock standing as godfather.[1] Sailer sent him to one of his old parish priests, Father Buchner, pastor of a country parish near Ratsbon, to study theology, and on 11 April 1826 he was ordained. For the next three years, Father Lemke served as assistant to Buchner.[1]

In 1829, he was called to Ratisbon to instruct the students of the high school, and to preach to the garrison. In 1831, he accepted the position of chaplain on an estate owned by Friedrich Christoph Schlosser near Heidelberg. As his duties there were not overtaxing, he soon took up the responsibilities of estate manager. In Heidelberg, he became friends with Clemens Brentano. A mutual friend, Dr. Raes, showed him a letter from Bishop Kenrick of Philadelphia deploring the lack of German priests to serve his parishioners. With the prodding of Brentano, Lemke determined to go to Philadelphia. Sending his baggage ahead, he set out on foot for Paris, where he took a steamboat to Le Havre. However, his baggage not yet having arrived, his departure was delayed some weeks. He spent the time ministering to other German emigrants awaiting departure. He later learned that the first packet boat had been lost at sea.

In 1834 he emigrated to America and was stationed at Holy Trinity Church, Philadelphia, the first German national parish in the United States.[2] he was sent as assistant to the aged and infirm Prince Gallitzin at Loretto, Pennsylvania. He took up his residence in the neighbouring town of Ebensburg, from where he attended to a portion of Father Gallitzin's district, about fifty miles in extent. In 1836 he bought some land on which two years later he laid out a town which, in honour of the first Catholic Bishop in the United States, John Carroll, he called Carrolltown. He succeeded the deceased Father Gallitzin as pastor of Loretto in 1840.[3]

Father Lemke was instrumental in bringing to the United States the first Benedictines, under the leadership of Father Boniface Wimmer, the future Archabbot of St. Vincent's, in Pennsylvania. Father Lemke himself joined the new Benedictine community in 1852.[3]

In 1855 he went as missionary to Kansas, and prepared the way for the foundation of St. Benedict's Abbey at Atchison. Lemke Hall, a residence hall at Benedictine College near St. Benedict's Abbey in Atchison, is named in his honor. From 1861 to 1877 he was stationed at Elizabeth, New Jersey. He was pastor of Sacred Heart Church, now Our Lady of Fatima Church from 1869 to 1877.

Works

He is the author of a life of Prince Gallitzin: "Leben und Wirken des Prinzen Demetrius Augustin von Gallitzin" (Münster, 1861).

References

  1. ^ a b c Flick, Lawrence F. “Biographical Sketch Of Rev. Peter Henry Lemke, O. S. B. 1796-1882.” Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, vol. 9, no. 2, 1898, pp. 129–192. JSTORPublic Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "Bulletin", Old St. Mary Church/Holy Trinity Church
  3. ^ a b Ott, Michael. "Henry Lemcke." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 2 August 2019Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
Attribution
  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Henry Lemcke". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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