The Most Reverend Michael Heiss

First Bishop of La Crosse

MMichael Heiss was born in Pfahldorf, Bavaria on April 12, 1818, to Joseph and Gertrude Frey Heiss, the youngest of four living children. He studied theology at the University of Munich and was ordained in 1840 at 22 years of age, after receiving a special dispensation for ordination at such a young age. Two years later he came to the United States to work in the American missions as a circuit rider priest in Kentucky and Ohio. In 1844 he arrived in Milwaukee with Bishop John Martin Henni. He was named rector of St. Francis Seminary near Milwaukee on January 29, 1856. In 1866, the creation of two new dioceses in Wisconsin was recommended and the Diocese of La Crosse was established on March 3, 1868. Father Heiss received the mandate from Pope Pius IX and on September 6, 1868 was consecrated as the first Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse.

St. Joseph’s parish was established in 1863 to serve the German speaking population and a church was begun after a school was built for the children but was not finished due to lack of funds. Bishop Heiss chose St. Joseph to become the Mother Church of the newly established diocese and the first Cathedral was dedicated on October 2, 1870 by Father Kundig as Bishop Heiss was attending Vatican Council I. Financial support for the completion of the new cathedral and diocese came from the European Society for the Propagation of the Faith and mission funds from Germany, France, and Austria. Since the diocese was considered mission territory it was under the supervision of the Propagation of the Faith. The borders of the new diocese were the Wisconsin River east and south, Lake Superior and Upper Michigan on the north and the Mississippi River and part of Minnesota on the west covering 28,000 miles, most of which had to be traveled by horse back or wagon. During his reign as Bishop he attended Vatican Council I where he led the North American delegation in defense of papal infallibility. Within the diocese, he built 22 new schools and 54 new churches. On Easter Sunday, April 5, 1874 he dedicated the diocese to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. When the United States celebrated its centennial in 1876, he had already obtained his US citizenship. He worked with Mother Antonia in establishing the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration to provide education throughout the diocese and was a staunch supporter of workers’ rights in the labor force. An accomplished musician and vocalist, he instituted a rich history of liturgical music in the diocese and promoted it throughout the nation. Vocations to the priesthood more than tripled from 18 to 59 during his tenure and he began the annual retreat for the diocesan priests. The Catholic population grew from 20,000 to 46,000. He left La Crosse to become the Archbishop of Milwaukee but kept close ties with friends in La Crosse and died at St. Francis Hospital in La Crosse on March 26, 1890.

The Coat of Arms of Bishop Heiss bears a tree, bridge, and water on the sinister side which would appear to refer to La Crosse in which he referred to the Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruits in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.