Albert Gregory Meyer

Albert Meyer was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Peter James Meyer, a grocer, and Mathilda (née Thelen) Meyer, both German immigrants.[1] The fourth of five children, he had two brothers and two sisters; one sister became a nun.[2][3] As a child, Albert Meyer would pretend to celebrate mass with a toy altar and a glass of water for the chalice of wine.[3]

Meyer received his early education under the School Sisters of Notre Dame at the parochial school of St. Mary's Parish in Milwaukee.[2] After attending Marquette Academy in Milwaukee for two years, he entered St. Francis Seminary in St. Francis, Wisconsin at age 14.[1] In 1922, he was sent by Archbishop Sebastian Messmer to Rome to continue his studies at the Pontifical North American College.[2]

On July 11, 1926, Meyer was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Basilio Pompili, at the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome.[4] He then studied at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, obtaining a Doctorate in Holy Scriptures in 1930.[1][5]

After returning to Wisconsin in 1930, Meyer was appointed as curate at St. Joseph's Parish in Waukesha, Wisconsin. In 1931, he became a professor at St. Francis Seminary,[2] teaching religion, Greek, Latin, biblical archeology, dogmatic theology and scriptures.[1] When Monsignor Aloisius Muench was named bishop of the Diocese of Fargo, Meyer succeeded him as rector of St. Francis Seminary in 1937.[1] He was raised to the rank of domestic prelate, with the title of monsignor, in 1938, and also served as a chaplain and adviser to the local Serra Club.[2][5]

On February 18, 1946, Meyer was appointed the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Superior by Pope Pius XII.[6] Meyer was consecrated on April 11, 1946, by Archbishop Moses E. Kiley, with Bishops Muench and William O'Connor serving as co-consecrators, in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee.[7]

Pius XII appointed Meyer as the seventh archbishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on July 21, 1953. He was installed on September 24, 1953.[7]

Pius Xll appointed Meyer as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago on September 19, 1958.[8] He was installed on November 14, 1958.

On December 1, 1958, a fire broke out at Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago, killing 92 students and three nuns. While visiting the hospital and morgue with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Meyer was overcome with grief. Cardinal Francis Spellman came to Chicago from New York City to support Meyer and Pope John XXIII sent a telegram of condolence to Meyer. After the fire, the archdiocese faced $44 million in lawsuits from the families of victims and survivors. After six years of settlement talks, Meyer decided to provide reparations to all the victims and survivors.[5]

Archbishop Meyer is featured in the 1958 film Decision for Happiness, produced by the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.

In 1960, Meyer banned bingo games from parishes in the archdiocese in response to reports of corruption in the management of the games.[5] In January 1961, during riots in the African-American Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago, Meyer made this public statement:

We must remove from the church on the local scene any possible taint of racial discrimination or racial segregation, and help provide the moral leadership for eliminating racial discrimination from the whole community.[5]