The Most Rev. John N. Wurm

The Most Rev. John Nicholas Wurm was born on St. Nicholas Day, December 6, 1927, to Anthony and Rose Wurm. John was the seventh child of fourteen children.

John was baptized at All Souls' Church in Overland on December 18, 1927. He was named "John Nicholas;" John for his grandfather and Nicholas for the great saint and bishop on whose feast day he was born.

As John grew up, the family prayed the Rosary every evening after supper. The children made a little altar with two candles and a crucifix. With beads in hand they knelt on the floor and took turns saying the mysteries.

John loved school, playing ball, being a scout and occasionally pulling a stunt. But he most loved the church. He would spend his recesses, and lunch breaks helping at the parish rectory. And he very much loved to sing. His sister Virginia remembers, "Some Sunday mornings, when the family was getting ready for Mass, John would be singing the Mass in Latin over and over again. Jimmy, our brother, often remarked that he didn't think he needed to go to Mass... he'd heard it at least three times already."

John graduated from the eighth grade and went to the Cathedral Latin School and on to Kenrick seminary. John was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis by Joseph Cardinal Ritter on April 3, 1954.

John was ordained an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis on August 17, 1976. Five years later, on November 4, 1981, he was installed as the Fifth Bishop of Belleville at Saint Peter Cathedral.

Bishop Wurm was a very active Bishop. In his first eight months as Bishop of Belleville, he made 235 Pastoral Visits, visiting 130 parishes, 60 schools, 7 hospitals, 5 prisons and several nursing homes. His travels rolled up 20,000 miles.

Bishop Wurm felt the breaking of bread is a very important source of life. His affection and piety for the Eucharist can be seen during Holy Week and Easter Week, which immediately preceded his passing into Eternity. On Palm Sunday, assisted by his loyal staff and using the full and long ceremonial of the Church, he glories to walk with Christ into Jerusalem. And his last Mass, on Easter Sunday, 1984, was celebrated by him being propped up in his hospital bed. Bishop John Nicholas Wurm died from cancer on April 27, 1984.

From The Messenger, the newspaper of the Diocese of Belleville, September 13, 1985.

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