Vincent de Paul Wehrle

Vincent de Paul Wehrle, O.S.B., (December 19, 1855 – November 2, 1941) was a Swiss-born Benedictine monk and prelate of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. He was the first Bishop of Bismarck (1910–1939).

Biography

He was born Johann Baptist Wehrle in Berg, St. Gallen, to Johann Baptist and Elisabeth (née Hafner) Wehrle.^[1] He had studied at the minor seminary of St. Gallen for four years, when it was closed down by an anti-clerical state government. He then studied at Einsiedeln Abbey for two years.^[2] He made his profession as a member of the Order of St. Benedict (more commonly known as the Benedictines) at Einsiedeln on December 3, 1876.^[3] He was later ordained to the priesthood on April 23, 1882.^[4] That same year he was sent by his superiors to the United States, where he joined Subiaco Abbey in Logan County, Arkansas. He later went to St. Meinrad Abbey in Spencer County, Indiana.^[1]

In 1887 Wehrle came to the Dakota Territory and was named chancellor by Bishop Martin Mary.^[1] After laboring as a missionary among the Native Americans in Yankton, he was assigned as pastor of Devils Lake. He there founded St. Gall's Priory in 1893, and was elected as its first prior.^[2] He later established Assumption Abbey at Richardton, where he was abbot, in 1903.^[3] He also established new parishes in the surrounding towns of Mott, Richardton, Lefor, and Strasburg.^[1]

On April 9, 1910, Wehrle was appointed the first Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota, by Pope Pius X. He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 19 from Archbishop John Ireland, with Bishops James McGolrick and James Trobec serving as co-consecrators, at the chapel of St. Paul Seminary in Minnesota.^[4] His installation took place on June 16, 1910, and was attended by Governor John Burke. During his 29-year-long tenure, Wehrle presided over a period of great growth for the church. From 1910 to 1939, the number of Catholics increased from 25,000 to 55,000; and 55 churches, 115 congregations, 18 parochial schools, and four hospitals were established. He also began construction on the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, but was forced to abandon his efforts due to the Great Depression.^[1]

By 1937 Wehrle's health had begun to fail and he became a patient at St. Alexius Hospital.^[1] He resigned as Bishop of Bismarck on December 11, 1939 and was appointed Titular Bishop of Teos on the same date.^[4] Wehrle later died at age 85.

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