Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the canonization of Saint John Neumann on June 19, 2007. A special video message is available on the Archdiocesan website www.archdiocese-phl.org under Catholic News or on www.youtube.com (search term Neumann/Cardinal Rigali.) Cardinal Rigali was present at the Vatican in 1977 for the canonization of Philadelphia's beloved fourth Bishop.

In the video message, Cardinal Rigali calls Saint John Neumann, "an example for all of us, especially me, his successor in the Church of Philadelphia. Saint John Neumann's work among immigrants and the founding of Catholic schools reached perfection in his devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist."

Saint John Neumann's body lies beneath the altar at the shrine which bears his name at Saint Peter the Apostle Church in Philadelphia. For more information about the National Shrine of Saint John Neumann, please visit www.stjohnneumann.org.

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Meredith Wilson
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215-587-3747