John C. Reiss

His Excellency,The Most Reverend John Charles Reiss
Bishop of Trenton Titular Bishopof Simidicca
Church	Roman Catholic Church
See	Diocese of Trenton
In office	April 22, 1980 – July 1, 1997
Predecessor	George W. Ahr
Successor	John Mortimer Smith
Previous post(s)	Auxiliary Bishop of Trenton(1967–1980)
Orders
Ordination	May 31, 1947 byWilliam A. Griffin
Consecration	December 12, 1967 byGeorge W. Ahr
Personal details
Born	(1922-05-13)May 13, 1922 Red Bank, New Jersey,U.S.
Died	March 4, 2012(2012-03-04)(aged 89) Lawrenceville, New Jersey,U.S.
Education	Catholic University of America Immaculate Conception Seminary

Styles of John C. Reiss
Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Monsignor
Posthumous style	not applicable

John Charles Reiss(May 13, 1922 – March 4, 2012)was an Americanprelateof theRoman Catholic Church.He served as bishop of theDiocese of Trentonin New Jersey from 1980 to 1997. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the same diocese from 1967 to 1980.

Biography

Early life

John Reiss was born on May 12, 1922, inRed Bank, New Jersey.He studied for the priesthood at theCatholic University of Americain Washington, D.C., and atImmaculate Conception SeminaryinDarlington, New Jersey.

Reiss wasordainedto the priesthood for the Diocese of Trenton by BishopWilliam A. GriffinMay 31, 1947.After serving as anassociate pastor,he becamemaster of ceremoniesandsecretaryto BishopGeorge W. Ahrin 1953.

In 1954, Reiss earned adoctorate in canon lawfrom the Catholic UniversitySchool of Canon Law.for his thesis entitledThe Time and Place of Sacred Ordination: A Historical Synopsis and a Commentary,which was subsequently published by theCatholic University of America Press.Following his return to Trenton, Reiss served as assistantchancellor,vice chancellor, and official of theDiocesan Tribunal.He was named adomestic prelatein October 1963, andpastorof St. Francis Parish inTrentonin 1965.

Auxiliary Bishop and Bishop of Trenton

On October 21, 1967, Reiss was appointedauxiliary bishopof the Diocese of Trenton andTitular BishopofSimidiccabyPope Paul VI.He received hisepiscopal consecrationon December 12, 1967, from Bishop Ahr, with BishopsWalter W. CurtisandJames J. Hoganserving asco-consecrators.

Reiss was later named the eighth bishop of Trenton byPope John Paul IIon March 11, 1980, and was installed on April 22, 1980..He was the first native son of the Trenton Diocese to become itsordinary.

Reiss presided at the centennial of the Diocese in August 1981.In November 1981, the Diocese was divided and theDiocese of Metuchenwas established to serve the Catholics ofMiddlesex,Somerset,Hunterdon,andWarren counties.During his tenure as bishop, Reiss established the Emmaus program of priestly spirituality in 1982; implemented Renew, a process oflayspiritual renewal, between 1985 and 1987; held the Fourth DiocesanSynod(the first in 60 years) from January to December 1991; raised $38 million between 1992 and 1995 to provide financial stability for diocesan services through Faith-In-Service, a diocesancapitalandendowmentfund campaign; dedicated a new Morris Hall, with St. Joseph Hall Skilled Nursing Center and St. Mary Hall Residence, in 1994; dedicated Villa Vianney, a residence for retired priests, in 1995; and completed a new Diocesan Pastoral Center, tripling the size of the diocesan office building, in 1997.

On June 30, 1997, John Paul II accepted Reiss' resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Trenton. He was succeeded byJohn Mortimer Smith.John Reiss died on March 4, 2012, at age 89 inLawrenceville, New Jersey.