John F. Noll

John Francis Noll (January 25, 1875 – July 31, 1956) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of Fort Wayne in Indiana from 1925 until his death in 1956. He received the personal title of archbishop in 1953.

Noll was active in national church organizations. In 1912, he founded the weekly newspaper Our Sunday Visitor. Noll was called one of the most influential Catholics of his day. His significant role in the completion of the Shrine earned him the moniker “Apostle of the Shrine.”

Biography

Early life John Noll was born on January 25, 1875, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, one of nineteen children. He attended St. Lawrence Seminary in Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin, from 1888 to 1893.

Priesthood Noll was ordained a priest at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on June 4, 1898, for the Diocese of Fort Wayne by Bishop Joseph Rademacher. He embraced the communication tools of his day — print, radio and later television.

Bishop of Fort Wayne Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington D.C. (2013) Noll was appointed fifth bishop of Fort Wayne by Pope Pius XI on May 12, 1925.

Pope Pius XII elevated Noll to archbishop ad personam on September 2, 1953, meaning that the title was personal to Noll and not passed on to his successors.

Political activism Noll was strongly associated with conservative elements of the Catholic Church, allied with the anti-communist movement in the United States and elsewhere. He condemned many labor unions, much to the chagrin of several fellow bishop. Noll also collaborated with the anti-Semitic radio priest, Reverend Charles Coughlin.

Death and legacy John Noll died in Huntington on July 31, 1956, and is buried in the Victory Noll Cemetery there. A stained glass portrait of Noll is mounted in the museum of the Diocese of Fort Wayne.