James Trobec

James Trobec (July 10, 1838 – December 14, 1921) was a Slovenian-born American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the third Bishop of Saint Cloud from 1897 to 1914.

Biography Early life Trobec was baptized Jakob Trobez on July 10, 1838, in Log pri Polhovem Gradcu, then part of the Austrian Empire. His parents were listed as Matthæus Trobez, a farmer, and Helena Pezhovnik. Three of his nephews also became priests in Minnesota: John Trobec, Joseph Trobec, and John Seliškar.

Trobec received his early education at the parochial school of Polhov Gradec and continued his studies at the Bežigrad Gymnasium in Ljubljana. He began his studies for the priesthood in Ljubljana, but in 1864 he and fifteen other seminarians were recruited by Rev. Francis Xavier Pierz to serve as missionaries in the United States. After his ordination, he served as an assistant pastor in Belle Prairie, Minnesota. In October 1866, he was appointed pastor of Saint Felix Parish in Wabasha, Minnesota and the surrounding missions.

In October 1887, Trobec was assigned to organize and lead a new parish, the Church of St. Agnes, for German-speaking immigrants in Saint Paul. This required building a new church, school, convent, and rectory. Trobec laid the cornerstone for the church in November 1887 and it was dedicated by Archbishop John Ireland in September 1888. By 1911, the Catholic population grew by 25,000, the number of priests and parishes both increased by 35, and there were two more hospitals. James Trobec died there on December 14, 1921, at age 83.

The James Trobec Arts Center in Polhov Gradec, Slovenia is named for him.