Benedict Joseph Flaget (1763–1850) was a French-U.S. bishop. He served as the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bardstown between 1808 and 1839, then as bishop of the Diocese of Louisville between 1839 and 1850 when the See was transferred to Louisville in 1839.
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At the age of 17 Flaget entered The Society of Saint-Sulpice, at Clermont-Ferrand, France. He was ordained a priest June 1, 1788. Flaget taught theology for two years at Nantes, and later was chairman of the seminary at Angers until the institution was closed by the French Revolution.
In 1792 he determined to devote his life to the American mission and arrived at Baltimore March 29, 1792. After spending but two months in America, the Bishop of Baltimore, John Carroll, sent him on his missionary work to Fort Vincennes in the Indiana Territory. His journey west on horseback was a route that took him through the Allegheny Mountains to Fort Pitt, the area now known as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A letter of introduction from bishop Carrol provided an introduction to General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. Travel was to be by flatboat down the Ohio River. Due to low water conditions he stayed at Fort Pitt for a few months, learning the English language and tending to persons afflicted by an outbreak of smallpox in the area. Flaget left Pittsburgh in November and travelled down the Ohio River to the Falls of the Ohio (Louisville), where he continued on his journey to Fort Vincennes with George Rogers Clark. They reached the fort on December 21.
At Vincennes he founded the Old Cathedral Library (now a Museum), the oldest library in Indiana. At Vincennes he ministered to the Catholics at the small parish located there and also tended to the Native Americans, especially nursing the Miamis and other Indian tribes, and baptized many of them.
On April 23, 1795 Flaget was recalled to Baltimore, returning by travelling down the river to New Orleans and returning to Baltimore by ship. He taught at Georgetown College for three years.
Flaget left Baltimore in 1798 bound for Cuba with other Sulpicians. They were not permitted to celebrate Mass in Havana. He contracted yellow fever and was left behind when the other Sulpicians returned to America. He recovered and acted as a tutor to the son of a wealthy Spaniard. Later he was permitted to celebrate Mass at the church of the Capuchin friars. While in Cuba, Louis Phillippe of France and his two brothers had made their way to Havana as part of their exile journey. The exiles were befriended by their fellow Frenchman, Flaget, in 1800.[1] He returned to Baltimore in November 1801.
He was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Bardstown April 8, 1808 and ordained November 4, 1810. This was the largest diocese ever formed in the United States and comprised the area equivalent to 10 states, including Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana and others. Today this area comprises 35 dioceses.
Returning from Bordeaux, France after his appointment, he brought other early missionaries to America: Simon Bruté, Guy Ignatius Chabrat, Anthony Deydier, James Derigaud and Julian Romeuf. The first two became bishops in America.
He built St. Joseph Cathedral in Bardstown as the center of the diocese. He was one of only two bishops of Bardstown (along with John Baptist Mary David), since the diocese was removed to Louisville, though Bardstown remains a Titular See.
Eventually the diocese was subdivided, the first being the Diocese of Cincinnati. Flaget was the principal consecrator of the new diocese's first bishop, Bishop Edward Dominic Fenwick, O.P.
Though he resigned May 7, 1832 as bishop he was appointed again March 17, 1833. The Bardstown See was transferred to Louisville, Kentucky on February 13, 1841, becoming the Diocese of Louisville.
Bishop Benedict Joseph Flaget died February 12, 1850 and was buried two days later after a Requiem Mass celebrated by Rt. Rev. Dr. Spalding and a homily by Rt. Rev. Dr. Purcell, bishop of Cincinnati.[2] He was buried in the Undercroft of the Cathedral of the Assumption in Louisville, KY.
Several Institutions have been named for Benedict Joseph Flaget:
| Preceded by none |
Bishop of Bardstown April 8, 1808–May 7, 1832 |
Succeeded by John Baptist Mary David |
| Preceded by John Baptist Mary David |
Bishop of Bardstown March 17, 1833–February 13, 1841 |
Succeeded by none (transfer of See) |
| Preceded by none (transfer of See) |
Bishop of Louisville February 13, 1841–February 11, 1850 |
Succeeded by Martin John Spalding |