Name Joseph Stedman Role Author | Education Fordham University | |
Died 1946, Washington Heights, New York City, New York, United States | ||
The Right Reverend Monsignor Joseph F. Stedman (March 11, 1898 – March 23, 1946) was a well-known American priest and author of books about Roman Catholicism.
After attending St. Joseph's School and St. Francis College in Brooklyn, he entered Fordham College, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree. On completing his course at St. John's Seminary, Brooklyn, he was ordained in May 1921. From 1925, Father Stedman was chaplain of the Monastery of the Precious Blood, Brooklyn. He was also Director of the Confraternity of the Precious Blood, which was erected in 1925 at the Monastery Chapel of the Cloistered Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood.
His writings include My Sunday Missal, with illustrations by Ade Bethune, as well as My Military Missal, My Daily Readings from the Four Gospels, the "Triple" Novena Manual, and My Lenten Missal. At the time of his death, it was noted that more than 13,000,000 copies of his books had been sold. He died at the age of forty-eight, at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.
Steadman Square, Brooklyn, New York. This square honors Monsignor Joseph F. Steadman (1896-1946). In the course of his life, Monsignor Steadman served as a chaplain, directed three churches in Queens and Brooklyn and wrote several religious missals (books containing the readings and prayers for each Roman Catholic Mass or prayer service) still in use throughout the world.
Joseph Steadman, one of five children, was born to Joseph and Ellen Steadman in Brooklyn, New York. In his youth, he attended St. Joseph’s Parochial School and then went on to high school at the St. Francis Preparatory School. Receiving his diploma, Steadman entered St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, but left after his junior year to enter the St. John’s Seminary in Brooklyn. Graduating an ordained Roman Catholic priest in 1921, Father Steadman was assigned to Holy Child Jesus Parish in Richmond Hill, Queens, where he served from 1921-1925. Father Steadman then became the Chaplain of the Precious Blood Monastery where he held a series of spiritual discussions. He also founded and directed the Confraternity of the Precious Blood.
Father Steadman was elevated to Monsignor in 1944. Involved in military religious affairs, Msgr. Steadman gave rosaries to active members of the military during World War II and played an active role in veteran’s affairs. After the end of World War II (1939-1945) a Catholic Veterans Post was founded in his honor. In addition, Msgr. Steadman wrote three missals: My Sunday Missal, My Lenten Missal, and My Military Missal. My Sunday Missal, the most famous of the three, is used throughout the United States, Canada, Ireland, England, Australia, and South Africa. It has been translated into French, Polish, Chinese, Dutch, Italian, and some Native American languages. Msgr. Steadman also wrote the Jesus, Mary, Joseph Novena Manual. Msgr. Steadman remained the Chaplain of Precious Blood until his death of a brain tumor in 1946. He was 50 years of age.
Steadman Square, located at the intersection of Third Avenue and Senator Street in Brooklyn, was the terminus for the Third Avenue Trolley line until the late 1950s, when busses replaced the City’s trolley service. Thereafter, the site was transformed into the triangle’s present form. The sitting area is enclosed by wrought iron fencing and paved with both red cement blocks and hex block paving stones. Fifteen World’s Fair benches surround a woodchip-filled area planted with various shrubs. The area is lit by two lamp and surrounded by red maple (Acer rubrum), honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos), and London planetrees (Platanus x acerifolia). Source - New York City Parks -