Philip George Scher
Philip George Scher (February 22, 1880—January 3, 1953) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Monterey-Fresno from 1933 until his death in 1953.
Biography
Philip Scher was born in Belleville, Illinois, to Philip Joseph and Catherine (née Wagner) Scher, who were German immigrants.[1] He received his early education at the parochial school of St. Peter's Church in his native city.[1] He then attended the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, from 1893 to 1896.[1] He continued his studies at the Propaganda College in Rome, where he was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Pietro Respighi on June 6, 1903.[2] Upon his return to the United States in 1903, he served as a teacher at the Josephinum for a year.[1]
Scher then went to California due to ill health and was incardinated into the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles in October 1904.[1] He served as a curate at St. Vibiana's Cathedral in Los Angeles (1904-05) and at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Santa Barbara (1905-08) before receiving his first pastorate at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Montecito in 1908.[1] He then served at St. Brigid Church in Hanford (1911-18) and St. Francis Church in Bakersfield (1918-24), and was transferred to St. Joseph Church in Capitola after requesting a small parish due to a return to ill health.[1] In 1930, he became a pastor in Monterey and vicar general of the diocese.[1]
On April 28, 1933, Scher was appointed Bishop of Monterey-Fresno by Pope Pius XI.[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following June 29 from Archbishop Edward Joseph Hanna, with Bishops John Joseph Cantwell and Thomas Kiely Gorman serving as co-consecrators.[2] After suffering a stroke in 1946, he was confined to a hospital in Fresno, and received Aloysius Joseph Willinger as his coadjutor bishop. He later died at age 72.
References
Burial at Holy Cross Cemetery, Fresno, CA.; Great Mausoleum, Central Alcove at the foot of the altar.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
