Venerable Frederic Baraga

Irenaeus Frederic Baraga (June 29, 1797 – January 19, 1868; Slovene: Irenej Friderik Baraga) was a Slovenian Catholic missionary to the United States, grammarian and author of Christian poetry and hymns in Native American languages. He served as the first bishop of Sault Sainte Marie and Marquette in Michigan from 1865 to 1868. He previously served as bishop of Sault Sainte Marie from 1857 to 1865 and as vicar apostolic of Upper Michigan from 1853 to 1857. Baraga's letters about his missionary work were published widely in Europe, inspiring the priests John Neumann and Francis Xavier Pierz to emigrate to the United States. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI declared Baraga as "venerable." Frederic Baraga was born on June 29, 1797, in the manor house at Mala Vas (German: Kleindorf) near the village of Dobrnič in Lower Carniola, a province of the Duchy of Carniola in the Austrian Empire. Today it is part of the Municipality of Trebnje in Slovenia. He was baptized Irenaeus Fridericus Paraga at Saint George's Church in Dobrnič, but never used the name "Irenaeus". Frederic was the fourth of five children born to Janez Baraga and Marija Katarina Jožefa née Jenčič. His sister Antonija Höffern became the first Slovenian woman to immigrate to the United States. Upon her father's death, Baraga's mother inherited an estate at Mala Vas and substantial fortune. She died in 1808, and her husband in 1812. Frederic spent his childhood in the house of Jurij Dolinar, a lay professor at the diocesan seminary at Ljubljana. Between 1809 and 1815, during the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, France controlled Carniola. As a result, Baraga became fluent in French, Slovenian and German at an early age. In addition, he learned Latin and Greek, both required subjects in the local schools. By age 16, Baraga was multilingual. Baraga attended law school at the University of Vienna in Austria, graduating in 1821.