6th Bishop of Grand Rapids Michigan Diocese (1943-1953)
Bishop Francis Joseph Haas devoted his life to the Catholic Church and the welfare of workers. Born in Racine, Wisconsin on March 18, 1889, he entered St. Francis Seminary in 1904. Ordained as a priest in 1913, Haas was assigned to Holy Rosary Parish in Milwaukee. In 1919 he left Milwaukee and pursued graduate studies at The Catholic University of America. Haas received his Ph.D. from CUA in 1922. For the next ten years (1922-1931) Haas was assigned to St Francis Seminary and taught at both St. Francis and Marquette University. He moved back to Washington, DC, in 1931 when he was appointed director of the National Catholic School of Social Service. Haas briefly returned to Wisconsin as the Rector of St. Francis Seminary in 1935. Two years later, in 1937, CUA appointed Haas the Dean of the School of Social Science. He continued as the Dean of the School of Social Science until elevated to the Episcopacy of the Diocese of Grand Rapids in 1943. Haas remained the Bishop of Grand Rapids until he died in 1953.
From the beginning of his clerical career Haas promoted social justice and worker rights as a public servant. Throughout the turbulent decade of the 1930's, with massive unemployment, sit-down strikes, and industrial violence, Fr. Francis J. Haas, a professor of economics in Washington and later bishop of Grand Rapids, Mich, served as one of the government's most effective labor mediators.
Six feet tall and over 200 pounds, newspapers called him "the big friend of the little guy . . . . a man who served his God by serving mankind."
Bishop Francis Joseph Haas devoted his life to the Catholic Church and the welfare of workers. Born in Racine, Wisconsin on March 18, 1889, he entered St. Francis Seminary in 1904. Ordained as a priest in 1913, Haas was assigned to Holy Rosary Parish in Milwaukee. In 1919 he left Milwaukee and pursued graduate studies at The Catholic University of America. Haas received his Ph.D. from CUA in 1922. For the next ten years (1922-1931) Haas was assigned to St Francis Seminary and taught at both St. Francis and Marquette University. He moved back to Washington, DC, in 1931 when he was appointed director of the National Catholic School of Social Service. Haas briefly returned to Wisconsin as the Rector of St. Francis Seminary in 1935. Two years later, in 1937, CUA appointed Haas the Dean of the School of Social Science. He continued as the Dean of the School of Social Science until elevated to the Episcopacy of the Diocese of Grand Rapids in 1943. Haas remained the Bishop of Grand Rapids until he died in 1953.
From the beginning of his clerical career Haas promoted social justice and worker rights as a public servant. Throughout the turbulent decade of the 1930's, with massive unemployment, sit-down strikes, and industrial violence, Fr. Francis J. Haas, a professor of economics in Washington and later bishop of Grand Rapids, Mich, served as one of the government's most effective labor mediators.
Six feet tall and over 200 pounds, newspapers called him "the big friend of the little guy . . . . a man who served his God by serving mankind."
6th Bishop of Grand Rapids Michigan Diocese (1943-1953)
Bishop Francis Joseph Haas devoted his life to the Catholic Church and the welfare of workers. Born in Racine, Wisconsin on March 18, 1889, he entered St. Francis Seminary in 1904. Ordained as a priest in 1913, Haas was assigned to Holy Rosary Parish in Milwaukee. In 1919 he left Milwaukee and pursued graduate studies at The Catholic University of America. Haas received his Ph.D. from CUA in 1922. For the next ten years (1922-1931) Haas was assigned to St Francis Seminary and taught at both St. Francis and Marquette University. He moved back to Washington, DC, in 1931 when he was appointed director of the National Catholic School of Social Service. Haas briefly returned to Wisconsin as the Rector of St. Francis Seminary in 1935. Two years later, in 1937, CUA appointed Haas the Dean of the School of Social Science. He continued as the Dean of the School of Social Science until elevated to the Episcopacy of the Diocese of Grand Rapids in 1943. Haas remained the Bishop of Grand Rapids until he died in 1953.
From the beginning of his clerical career Haas promoted social justice and worker rights as a public servant. Throughout the turbulent decade of the 1930's, with massive unemployment, sit-down strikes, and industrial violence, Fr. Francis J. Haas, a professor of economics in Washington and later bishop of Grand Rapids, Mich, served as one of the government's most effective labor mediators.
Six feet tall and over 200 pounds, newspapers called him "the big friend of the little guy . . . . a man who served his God by serving mankind."
Bishop Francis Joseph Haas devoted his life to the Catholic Church and the welfare of workers. Born in Racine, Wisconsin on March 18, 1889, he entered St. Francis Seminary in 1904. Ordained as a priest in 1913, Haas was assigned to Holy Rosary Parish in Milwaukee. In 1919 he left Milwaukee and pursued graduate studies at The Catholic University of America. Haas received his Ph.D. from CUA in 1922. For the next ten years (1922-1931) Haas was assigned to St Francis Seminary and taught at both St. Francis and Marquette University. He moved back to Washington, DC, in 1931 when he was appointed director of the National Catholic School of Social Service. Haas briefly returned to Wisconsin as the Rector of St. Francis Seminary in 1935. Two years later, in 1937, CUA appointed Haas the Dean of the School of Social Science. He continued as the Dean of the School of Social Science until elevated to the Episcopacy of the Diocese of Grand Rapids in 1943. Haas remained the Bishop of Grand Rapids until he died in 1953.
From the beginning of his clerical career Haas promoted social justice and worker rights as a public servant. Throughout the turbulent decade of the 1930's, with massive unemployment, sit-down strikes, and industrial violence, Fr. Francis J. Haas, a professor of economics in Washington and later bishop of Grand Rapids, Mich, served as one of the government's most effective labor mediators.
Six feet tall and over 200 pounds, newspapers called him "the big friend of the little guy . . . . a man who served his God by serving mankind."
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