Henry Joseph Richter
The Rt. Rev. Henry Joseph Richter, bishop of Grand Rapids, Mich., was born on the 9th of April, 1838, at Neuenkirchen, in the grand duchy of Oldenburg. After studying in the local schools and under private teacher, he came to the United States in 1854, and entered St. Paul’s school in Cincinnati in the succeeding year. This was followed by five years’ of study application at St. Xavier’s, St. Thomas, at Bardstwon, and Mount St. Mary’s college, in Cincinnati. He went to Rome in 1860, entered the American college, and, winning his doctor’s cap in 1865, was ordained n the 10th June by Cardinal Patrizi. Returning to Cincinnati in October, he filled the chair of dogma, philosophy and liturgy in Mount St. Mary’s seminary, and a year later was made vice-president of that institution. In 1870 he founded the church of St. Laurence and made it a thriving parish; was chaplain to the Sisters of Charity at Mount St. Vincent’s academy, and a member of the archbishop’s council, and one of the committee of investigation of the diocese.
When his Holiness, Pope Leo XIII, established the diocese of Grand Rapids on the 20th of May, 1882, the Rev. Dr. Richter was selected for the new see. He was consecrated and enthroned in St. Andrew’s, Grand Rapids, on the 22n of April, 1883, by the Most Rev. William Henry Elder, of Cincinnati. At the beginning of his administration Bishop Richter found thirty-six priests, thirty-three churches with resident pastors, and seventeen parochial schools with 2,867 pupils, out of a population of 50,000 Catholics. At present there are in his diocese ninety priests, sixty-six churches with resident pastors, and forty-five schools with 10, 383 pupils. At his request the Franciscan Fathers, the Fathers of the Holy Ghost and of the Most Holy Redeemer, have established houses in the diocese. Various new charitable institutions have been established, and substantial churches have been built and are in the course of erection in different parts of the diocese. Having taken part in the second provincial council of Cincinnati, in 1882, as one of the secretaries, he assisted as bishop at the third plenary council in Baltimore, in 1884. In the spring of 1885 he made his first official visit at Rome, and attended the provincial council of Cincinnati in 1889. Bishop Richter is of a very modest, quiet and retiring disposition. He has always had the reputation of being a very learned and able theologian. A man of principle and energy in the discharge of his duty, he always seeks the most unostentatious manner of performing it. Combining an unusual activity with such high talents, he labors with untiring zeal at the important work entrusted to his care.