Frederic Baraga, (June 29, 1797–January 19, 1868) was a missionary, bishop and grammarian.

Friderik Irenej Baraga was born at castle Mala vas, Austria (by Dobrnič (Lower Carniola (Dolenjska)), in present-day Slovenia). He attended law school at the University of Vienna, and was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on September 21, 1823, in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Ljubljana. As a young priest, he was a staunch opponent of Jansenism. During this time his also wrote “Dushna Pasha” (Soul’s Pasture), a spiritual work.

In 1830, he answered the request of Bishop Edward Fenwick of Cincinnati for priests to aid in ministering to his growing flock, which included a large amount of mission territory. A year later Fr. Baraga was sent to the Ottawa Indian mission at Arbre Croche (now Harbor Springs), Michigan, to finish his mastering of the Ottawa language he had begun in Cincinnati. This resulted in the publishing of "Otawa Anamie-Misinaigan", the first book written in the Ottawa language, which was a catechism and prayer book, in 1832. After a brief stay at a mission in present-day Grand Rapids, Michigan, he moved north to minister to the Ojibway (Chippewa) Indians at La Pointe, Wisconsin, an old Jesuit mission on Lake Superior, in 1835. Eight years later he founded a mission at L'Anse, Michigan. During this time he earned the nickname “the Snowshoe Priest”, as he would travel hundreds of miles each year on them during the hard winters. He also worked to protect the Indians from being forced to relocate, as well as publishing a dictionary of the Ojibway language.

In 1853, he was elevated to bishop by Pope Pius IX, and consecrated November 1st in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the first bishop of the Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, now the Diocese of Marquette. At about this time he began to keep a diary, written in several languages, preserving accounts of his missionary travels. During this time, the area experienced a population explosion, as immigrants arrived to work in the copper and iron mines near Houghton, Ontonagon, and Marquette in Michigan. This presented a challenge, since he had few priests, and would now have to tend to the needs of the miners and the native population. On the other hand, it signaled the increased development of the area, particularly improving travel on Lake Superior. Nonetheless, the only way to travel in winter was on snowshoes, which he continued to manage into his sixties. A final challenge was the diversity of the region, which included the native inhabitants, the original French settlers, and the new German and Irish miners. The difficulties arose because of language problems: while Bishop Baraga himself spoke eight languages fluently, he had trouble recruiting priests who could do the same.

Bishop Baraga traveled twice to Europe to raise money for his diocese, on one trip he was presented a jeweled cross and episcopal ring by Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I, which the bishop sold. In addition, he wrote numerous letters to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith describing his missionary activities, which inspired Saint John Neumann to come to the United States. In time, he became renowned throughout Europe for his work. In his last ten years, his health gradually declined, becoming intermittently deaf and suffering a stroke. He died January 19, 1868 in Marquette, Michigan. He is buried there in the crypt of the Cathedral of Saint Peter.

Bishop Frederic Baraga has been declared a Servant of God by the Roman Catholic Church. The village of Baraga, Baraga Township, Baraga County, and Baraga State Park (all in Michigan) bear his name.

References

Baraga, Frederic. The Diary of Bishop Frederic Baraga: First Bishop of Marquette, Michigan. Translated by Joseph Gregorich and Rev. Paul Prud'homme, S.J. (Great Lakes Books, 1990).

Lambert, Bernard J. Shepherd of the Wilderness: A Biography of Bishop Frederic Baraga. (Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1974).

Ceglar, Charles A. Baragiana Collection. (Hamilton: Baragiana Publishing, 1991).