December 3 -- Feast of Blessed Johann Nepomuk von Tschiderer

Bishop Johann (the Also-Chaste)

To be honest, I was hoping to write about Saint Lucy the Chaste, who shares this feast. Since she was a Dominican tertiary, we know she's not the same Lucy that is celebrated on December 13.   I tried to look her up on-line, but quit when I came across a website called "Kept Chaste" which posted an interview with a woman who called herself Mistress Lucy.   It didn't seem to be a site about saints, but it seemed to suggest that I should move on to another subject for today. 

Johann Nepomuk von Tschiderer was a nineteenth century Austrian bishop.  He started out as an assistant priest, then became a professor of theology (moral and pastoral).  He was then given several parishes of his own, but eventually rose through the ranks to be the Prince-Bishop of Trent. 

Prince-Bishop sounds like a grand title, but Blessed Johann spent every pfennig he had on those under his care.  The construction, renovation, and maintenance of over sixty churches is one facet of his legacy.  The purchase of books for the chaplains, parsons, and vicars is another.  Direct aid to the poor is yet another, and his bequest of property for a seminary and an institute for the deaf and dumb is yet another.  If he wore one of those big jeweled rings in his lifetime, you can bet it was hocked at some point to pay for some worthy project.