William FeinerSJ (born Wilhelm Feiner; December 27, 1792 – June 9, 1829) was a German
Catholic priest and
Jesuit who became a
missionary to the United States and eventually the president of Georgetown College, now known as
Georgetown University.
Despite being the leader of an American university, he never mastered the English language. Long plagued by poor health due to
tuberculosis, his short-lived presidency ended after three years, just weeks before his death.
Feiner was sent to the United States in 1822 to assist the American Jesuits in re-establishing their work following the worldwide restoration of the Society of Jesus in 1814.[9][10] After his move, he
anglicized his name to William Feiner.[2][3] From 1823 to 1826, he was assigned as an assistant to Matthew Lekue at the
Conewago Chapel in the town of
Conewago,
Adams County, Pennsylvania,[11][12] where there was a large
German-speaking population.[13] In addition to his pastoral work, Feiner taught
theology in Conewago in 1824.[14]Peter Kenney, the Jesuit
visitor to the United States, returned to Europe and appointed Feiner to the position in his stead; by this time Feiner was already in very poor health,[15] suffering from
tuberculosis.[9]
Feiner was
prefect of studies at
Georgetown College in the
District of Columbia from 1825 to 1826,[a][16] during which time he also served as a professor of theology and German.[17] James A. Neill took over as prefect at the end of his term.[18] In 1825, Feiner became the second official librarian of the
Georgetown College Library when Thomas C. Levins, who had filled the position since 1824, was dismissed from the Society of Jesus and left for
New York City. When Feiner relinquished the office in 1826,
James Van de Velde succeeded him.[19]
President of Georgetown College
When the
president of Georgetown College,
Stephen Larigaudelle Dubuisson, was permitted to resign the office, he eagerly sailed to Europe.[20][21] Feiner was appointed president on May 4, 1826,[4] by the Jesuit
provincial superior,
Francis Dzierozynski. He assumed the office on July 8, 1826,[22] despite suffering from advanced tuberculosis and being unable to speak even basic English;[23] indeed, he never mastered the English language.[24] When he learned of the provincial's order, he is said to have entered Dubuisson's room sobbing and declaring that he was neither competent to hold the office nor desirous of it.[23] While president, Feiner ministered to the congregation at
Holy Trinity Church in
Georgetown.[9] He also worked as a professor of
moral theology in 1828 and of
dogmatic theology in 1829.[25]
Given Feiner's failing health,
John W. Beschter left
Baltimore for the college, anticipating that he would have to succeed Feiner as president.[26] Two historians of the university,
John Gilmary Shea and Robert Emmett Curran, judged Feiner's administration, like others of the decade, to be lackluster.[27][22] He resigned on March 30, 1829,[28] and died at Georgetown College on June 9 of that year.[2]
Kruszka, X. Wacław (1905).
Historya Polska w Ameryce [Polish History in America] (PDF) (in Polish). Vol. 1. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Spółka Wydawnicza Kuryera.
OCLC830348789.
Archived(PDF) from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2019 – via Polish-American Liturgical Center.