William FeinerSJ (born Wilhelm Feiner; December 27, 1792 – June 9, 1829) was a German Catholic priest and Jesuit who became a missionary to the United States and eventually the president of Georgetown College, now known as Georgetown University.
Despite being the leader of an American university, he never mastered the English language. Long plagued by poor health due to tuberculosis, his short-lived presidency ended after three years, just weeks before his death.
Feiner was sent to the United States in 1822 to assist the American Jesuits in re-establishing their work following the worldwide restoration of the Society of Jesus in 1814.[9][10] After his move, he anglicized his name to William Feiner.[2][3] From 1823 to 1826, he was assigned as an assistant to Matthew Lekue at the Conewago Chapel in the town of Conewago, Adams County, Pennsylvania,[11][12] where there was a large German-speaking population.[13] In addition to his pastoral work, Feiner taught theology in Conewago in 1824.[14]Peter Kenney, the Jesuit visitor to the United States, returned to Europe and appointed Feiner to the position in his stead; by this time Feiner was already in very poor health,[15] suffering from tuberculosis.[9]
Feiner was prefect of studies at Georgetown College in the District of Columbia from 1825 to 1826,[a][16] during which time he also served as a professor of theology and German.[17] James A. Neill took over as prefect at the end of his term.[18] In 1825, Feiner became the second official librarian of the Georgetown College Library when Thomas C. Levins, who had filled the position since 1824, was dismissed from the Society of Jesus and left for New York City. When Feiner relinquished the office in 1826, James Van de Velde succeeded him.[19]
When the president of Georgetown College, Stephen Larigaudelle Dubuisson, was permitted to resign the office, he eagerly sailed to Europe, specifically France.[20][21] Feiner was appointed president on May 4, 1826,[4] by the Jesuit provincial superior, Francis Dzierozynski. He assumed the office on July 8, 1826,[22] despite suffering from advanced tuberculosis and being unable to speak even basic English;[23] indeed, he never mastered the English language.[24] When he learned of the provincial's order, he is said to have entered Dubuisson's room sobbing and declaring that he was neither competent to hold the office nor desirous of it.[23] While president, Feiner ministered to the congregation at Holy Trinity ChurchinGeorgetown.[9] He also worked as a professor of moral theology in 1828 and of dogmatic theology in 1829.[25]
Given Feiner's failing health, John W. Beschter left Baltimore for the college, anticipating that he would have to succeed Feiner as president.[26] Two historians of the university, John Gilmary Shea and Robert Emmett Curran, judged Feiner's administration, like others of the decade, to be lackluster.[27][22] He resigned on March 30, 1829,[28] and died at Georgetown College on June 9 of that year.[2]
Kruszka, X. Wacław (1905). Historya Polska w Ameryce [Polish History in America] (PDF) (in Polish). Vol. 1. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Spółka Wydawnicza Kuryera. OCLC830348789. Archived(PDF) from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2019 – via Polish-American Liturgical Center.
Catholicism
Education
Holy Roman Empire
Pennsylvania
United States
