Louis Joseph Reicher (June 14, 1890—February 23, 1984) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Austin, Texas (1948-1971).
Louis Reicher was born in Piqua, Ohio, to Jacob and Marie (née Krebsbach) Reicher.[1] He attended St. James's College in Ontario, Canada, from 1905 to 1911.[2] After returning to Ohio, he studied at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati for a year before going into work for U.S. Steel.[2] In 1916, he was accepted as a seminarian in the Diocese of Galveston, Texas, and entered St. Mary's Seminary in La Porte.[2] He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Christopher Edward Byrne on December 6, 1918.[3]
Reicher then served as chancellor of the Diocese of Galveston from 1918 to 1947.[1] During this period, he also served as chaplain to Dominican Sisters in Galveston, vicar for religious, member of the Administrative Council, and fouding pastor of St. Christopher's Church in Houston from 1923 to 1941.[1] He was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate in March 1935 and a Protonotary Apostolic in July 1940.[1] Using an initial capital of $3,000 saved from his career as a steelworker, he made several wise investments and eventually became a millionaire.[2] He used his personal assets to place the diocese on sound financial ground, and maintained those conditions throughout the Great Depression.[2]
On November 29, 1947, Reicher was appointed the first Bishop of the Diocese of Austin by Pope Pius XII.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on April 14, 1948 from Bishop Christopher Byrne, with Bishops Joseph H. Albers and Mariano Simon Garriga serving as co-consecrators.[3] On the following May 13, he was installed by Archbishop Robert Emmet Lucey at St. Mary's Church in Austin; in attendance were former Governor Dan Moody, Governor Beauford H. Jester, and Mayor Robert Thomas Miller.[2] During his tenure, he built or restored over 200 churches and facilities, including a chancery office, Holy Cross Hospital, Newman Centres on five college campuses, and six church-sponsored, low-rent housing projects.[2] Between 1962 and 1965, he attended the Second Vatican Council, where he contributed to the conciliar document on religious freedom, Dignitatis Humanae.[2] He was a strong opponent of communism and supporter of civil rights.[2]
After twenty-three years of service, Reicher resigned as bishop on November 15, 1971.[3] He retired to his ranch on Lake Austin, where he later died at age 93.[2]
| Preceded by none |
Bishop of Austin 1948—1971 |
Succeeded by Vincent Madeley Harris |