Information from "A Romance of Lady Poverty" by Celestine N. Bittle, O.F.M. Cap. and "The History of Mt Calvary" by Fr. Corbinian Vieracker, O.F.M. Cap. translated by Ronald Jansch, O.F.M. Cap. in 2007.
Father Francis Haas, O.F.M. Cap. was born with the name of Gregory Haas, the son of Joseph Haas and Catherine Karrer. Along with Fr. Bonaventure Frey, Father Francis founded the Capuchin Order in the United States.
The two men from Switzerland arrived in Mt Calvary via horseback on October 15, 1856. Haas was described as slender, erect and strong as an oak, with raven black hair and open fiery eyes. Haas had been pastor in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They had left Milwaukee that morning and traveled to Fond du Lac, where they hired two horses. The bishop had asked them to inspect Mt Calvary to see if it was a suitable place to erect the first Capuchin friary.
They followed a pioneer road from Calumet Harbor on Lake Winnebago toward the east. The going was hard through woods, skirting marshes, and through very hilly terrain. After some mistakes in direction and backtracking they finally arrived at the edge of what is now Mt. Calvary. They were impressed by the quiet solitude of the area, its sacred name, the hill, and on its peak the little church, amidst the towering oak trees. "Here we will build the first monastery" they said.
The following bio is added with permission from Find A Grave contributor Aavedt:
Gregory was born in Metzerlen, Solothurn, Switzerland on November 25, 1826, to Joseph and Catherine (Karrer) Haas. Rev Haas was ordained on December 28, 1851 and came to the United States on September 2, 1856, along with Rev John Frey (1831-1912). They arrived ten days later in Milwaukee, where they were kindly received by the Most Rev Archbishop John Martin Henni and given charge of Saint Nicholas Parish Church, which they renamed Mount Calvary, twelve miles east of Fond du Lac. On December 2, 1857, they received their habits and religious names of Fr Francis Haas and Fr Bonaventure Frey, from Fr Antoine Gauchet O.F.M.Cap, of the Swiss Province, who had been sent to admit them, thus establishing the Capuchin Order in the United States. Fr Haas had always been at the head of the Order of Capuchins in this country, until it was canonically raised to the dignity of an independent province, August 7, 1882, he having been successively guardian, commissary, custodian and provincial.
He was the founder, of Saint Lawrence College at Mount Calvary, Fond du Lac County, in 1861. In 1866, he sent the Rev Father Bonaventure Frey to found a house in New York, and the same year he bought property in Milwaukee to erect a convent, and subsequently erected St. Francis’ Church and Convent, at the corner of Fourth and Harmon Streets. In June, 1877, he founded a house in Appleton. In 1878, by a unanimous vote of the Definitors General of the order, he was appointed Definitor General by Pope Leo XIII. This necessitated his residence at Rome, Italy.
About 1893, he returned to the United States on a visit and was taken sick. He tendered his resignation as Definitor General, but it was not accepted. Permission, however, was granted him to remain in the states until he should recover his health. He remained at Saint Agnes' Convent, Fond du Lac, as spiritual director of that community. After Easter he grew worse, and had been so low that he was several times prepared for death. Right Rev Francis Haas, died at Saint Agnes' Convent, Fond du Lac WI, on June 21, 1895, at 5:45 p.m.
Father Francis Haas, O.F.M. Cap. was born with the name of Gregory Haas, the son of Joseph Haas and Catherine Karrer. Along with Fr. Bonaventure Frey, Father Francis founded the Capuchin Order in the United States.
The two men from Switzerland arrived in Mt Calvary via horseback on October 15, 1856. Haas was described as slender, erect and strong as an oak, with raven black hair and open fiery eyes. Haas had been pastor in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They had left Milwaukee that morning and traveled to Fond du Lac, where they hired two horses. The bishop had asked them to inspect Mt Calvary to see if it was a suitable place to erect the first Capuchin friary.
They followed a pioneer road from Calumet Harbor on Lake Winnebago toward the east. The going was hard through woods, skirting marshes, and through very hilly terrain. After some mistakes in direction and backtracking they finally arrived at the edge of what is now Mt. Calvary. They were impressed by the quiet solitude of the area, its sacred name, the hill, and on its peak the little church, amidst the towering oak trees. "Here we will build the first monastery" they said.
The following bio is added with permission from Find A Grave contributor Aavedt:
Gregory was born in Metzerlen, Solothurn, Switzerland on November 25, 1826, to Joseph and Catherine (Karrer) Haas. Rev Haas was ordained on December 28, 1851 and came to the United States on September 2, 1856, along with Rev John Frey (1831-1912). They arrived ten days later in Milwaukee, where they were kindly received by the Most Rev Archbishop John Martin Henni and given charge of Saint Nicholas Parish Church, which they renamed Mount Calvary, twelve miles east of Fond du Lac. On December 2, 1857, they received their habits and religious names of Fr Francis Haas and Fr Bonaventure Frey, from Fr Antoine Gauchet O.F.M.Cap, of the Swiss Province, who had been sent to admit them, thus establishing the Capuchin Order in the United States. Fr Haas had always been at the head of the Order of Capuchins in this country, until it was canonically raised to the dignity of an independent province, August 7, 1882, he having been successively guardian, commissary, custodian and provincial.
He was the founder, of Saint Lawrence College at Mount Calvary, Fond du Lac County, in 1861. In 1866, he sent the Rev Father Bonaventure Frey to found a house in New York, and the same year he bought property in Milwaukee to erect a convent, and subsequently erected St. Francis’ Church and Convent, at the corner of Fourth and Harmon Streets. In June, 1877, he founded a house in Appleton. In 1878, by a unanimous vote of the Definitors General of the order, he was appointed Definitor General by Pope Leo XIII. This necessitated his residence at Rome, Italy.
About 1893, he returned to the United States on a visit and was taken sick. He tendered his resignation as Definitor General, but it was not accepted. Permission, however, was granted him to remain in the states until he should recover his health. He remained at Saint Agnes' Convent, Fond du Lac, as spiritual director of that community. After Easter he grew worse, and had been so low that he was several times prepared for death. Right Rev Francis Haas, died at Saint Agnes' Convent, Fond du Lac WI, on June 21, 1895, at 5:45 p.m.
Information from "A Romance of Lady Poverty" by Celestine N. Bittle, O.F.M. Cap. and "The History of Mt Calvary" by Fr. Corbinian Vieracker, O.F.M. Cap. translated by Ronald Jansch, O.F.M. Cap. in 2007.
Father Francis Haas, O.F.M. Cap. was born with the name of Gregory Haas, the son of Joseph Haas and Catherine Karrer. Along with Fr. Bonaventure Frey, Father Francis founded the Capuchin Order in the United States.
The two men from Switzerland arrived in Mt Calvary via horseback on October 15, 1856. Haas was described as slender, erect and strong as an oak, with raven black hair and open fiery eyes. Haas had been pastor in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They had left Milwaukee that morning and traveled to Fond du Lac, where they hired two horses. The bishop had asked them to inspect Mt Calvary to see if it was a suitable place to erect the first Capuchin friary.
They followed a pioneer road from Calumet Harbor on Lake Winnebago toward the east. The going was hard through woods, skirting marshes, and through very hilly terrain. After some mistakes in direction and backtracking they finally arrived at the edge of what is now Mt. Calvary. They were impressed by the quiet solitude of the area, its sacred name, the hill, and on its peak the little church, amidst the towering oak trees. "Here we will build the first monastery" they said.
The following bio is added with permission from Find A Grave contributor Aavedt:
Gregory was born in Metzerlen, Solothurn, Switzerland on November 25, 1826, to Joseph and Catherine (Karrer) Haas. Rev Haas was ordained on December 28, 1851 and came to the United States on September 2, 1856, along with Rev John Frey (1831-1912). They arrived ten days later in Milwaukee, where they were kindly received by the Most Rev Archbishop John Martin Henni and given charge of Saint Nicholas Parish Church, which they renamed Mount Calvary, twelve miles east of Fond du Lac. On December 2, 1857, they received their habits and religious names of Fr Francis Haas and Fr Bonaventure Frey, from Fr Antoine Gauchet O.F.M.Cap, of the Swiss Province, who had been sent to admit them, thus establishing the Capuchin Order in the United States. Fr Haas had always been at the head of the Order of Capuchins in this country, until it was canonically raised to the dignity of an independent province, August 7, 1882, he having been successively guardian, commissary, custodian and provincial.
He was the founder, of Saint Lawrence College at Mount Calvary, Fond du Lac County, in 1861. In 1866, he sent the Rev Father Bonaventure Frey to found a house in New York, and the same year he bought property in Milwaukee to erect a convent, and subsequently erected St. Francis’ Church and Convent, at the corner of Fourth and Harmon Streets. In June, 1877, he founded a house in Appleton. In 1878, by a unanimous vote of the Definitors General of the order, he was appointed Definitor General by Pope Leo XIII. This necessitated his residence at Rome, Italy.
About 1893, he returned to the United States on a visit and was taken sick. He tendered his resignation as Definitor General, but it was not accepted. Permission, however, was granted him to remain in the states until he should recover his health. He remained at Saint Agnes' Convent, Fond du Lac, as spiritual director of that community. After Easter he grew worse, and had been so low that he was several times prepared for death. Right Rev Francis Haas, died at Saint Agnes' Convent, Fond du Lac WI, on June 21, 1895, at 5:45 p.m.
Father Francis Haas, O.F.M. Cap. was born with the name of Gregory Haas, the son of Joseph Haas and Catherine Karrer. Along with Fr. Bonaventure Frey, Father Francis founded the Capuchin Order in the United States.
The two men from Switzerland arrived in Mt Calvary via horseback on October 15, 1856. Haas was described as slender, erect and strong as an oak, with raven black hair and open fiery eyes. Haas had been pastor in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They had left Milwaukee that morning and traveled to Fond du Lac, where they hired two horses. The bishop had asked them to inspect Mt Calvary to see if it was a suitable place to erect the first Capuchin friary.
They followed a pioneer road from Calumet Harbor on Lake Winnebago toward the east. The going was hard through woods, skirting marshes, and through very hilly terrain. After some mistakes in direction and backtracking they finally arrived at the edge of what is now Mt. Calvary. They were impressed by the quiet solitude of the area, its sacred name, the hill, and on its peak the little church, amidst the towering oak trees. "Here we will build the first monastery" they said.
The following bio is added with permission from Find A Grave contributor Aavedt:
Gregory was born in Metzerlen, Solothurn, Switzerland on November 25, 1826, to Joseph and Catherine (Karrer) Haas. Rev Haas was ordained on December 28, 1851 and came to the United States on September 2, 1856, along with Rev John Frey (1831-1912). They arrived ten days later in Milwaukee, where they were kindly received by the Most Rev Archbishop John Martin Henni and given charge of Saint Nicholas Parish Church, which they renamed Mount Calvary, twelve miles east of Fond du Lac. On December 2, 1857, they received their habits and religious names of Fr Francis Haas and Fr Bonaventure Frey, from Fr Antoine Gauchet O.F.M.Cap, of the Swiss Province, who had been sent to admit them, thus establishing the Capuchin Order in the United States. Fr Haas had always been at the head of the Order of Capuchins in this country, until it was canonically raised to the dignity of an independent province, August 7, 1882, he having been successively guardian, commissary, custodian and provincial.
He was the founder, of Saint Lawrence College at Mount Calvary, Fond du Lac County, in 1861. In 1866, he sent the Rev Father Bonaventure Frey to found a house in New York, and the same year he bought property in Milwaukee to erect a convent, and subsequently erected St. Francis’ Church and Convent, at the corner of Fourth and Harmon Streets. In June, 1877, he founded a house in Appleton. In 1878, by a unanimous vote of the Definitors General of the order, he was appointed Definitor General by Pope Leo XIII. This necessitated his residence at Rome, Italy.
About 1893, he returned to the United States on a visit and was taken sick. He tendered his resignation as Definitor General, but it was not accepted. Permission, however, was granted him to remain in the states until he should recover his health. He remained at Saint Agnes' Convent, Fond du Lac, as spiritual director of that community. After Easter he grew worse, and had been so low that he was several times prepared for death. Right Rev Francis Haas, died at Saint Agnes' Convent, Fond du Lac WI, on June 21, 1895, at 5:45 p.m.
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