Concept

Charles Herman Helmsing

Summary
Charles Herman Helmsing (March 23, 1908 – December 20, 1993) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City–St. Joseph in Missouri (1962–1977). Helmsing was born on March 23, 1908, to George and Louisa Helmsing. He entered St. Louis Preparatory Seminary and then went on to Kenrick-Glennon Seminary before being ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Louis on June 10, 1933. He became a papal chamberlain (monsignor) on February 15, 1946. Pope Pius XII appointed Helmsing as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis and titular bishop of Axomis on March 17, 1949. On April 19, 1949, Helmsing was consecrated by Cardinal Joseph Ritter. He took a marked interest in the propagation of the faith, the instruction of converts, the work of the Legion of Mary, as well as both foreign and home missions. He worked as secretary and master of ceremonies for Cardinal Ritter and took on a number of other positions, including director of the Diocesan Society for the Propagation of the Faith. On August 24,1956, when Pius XII divided Missouri into four dioceses, he appointed Helmsing as the first bishop of the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau. He was installed as bishop there on November 28, 1956. Pope John XXIII appointed Helmsing as bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph on January 31, 1962. In his installation homily on April 3, 1962, Helmsing explained his motto: "In the sacrifice of the Cross, Christ our Lord identified Himself with the Old Testament servant of Yahweh, the slave of Almighty God, foretold by the prophets. It was this realization that impelled me to take as the motto of my life and work as a Bishop, the inspired words of the 115th Psalm, Servus tuus, filius anciliae (“O Lord, I am Thy slave and the son of Thy handmaid”). It is in this spirit that I come to you with humble determination aided by our Lord’s grace to imitate Him as the slave of the Lord Who became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross; and also in imitation of His Mother, Mary, who when the greatest possible task was given to her of mothering the Son of God, referred to herself “Behold the slave-girl of the Lord”.
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