John Nobili

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John Nobili bigraphy, stories - President of Santa Clara University

John Nobili : biography

April 8, 1812 – May 1856

John Nobili, born Giovanni Pietro Antonio Nobili, (S.J.) (born April 28, 1812 – March 1, 1856) was an Italian priest of the Society of Jesus. He was a missionary in the Oregon Territory and later founded Santa Clara College in California, United States.

Born in Rome in 1812, and educated at the Roman College. Nobili entered the Society of Jesus in 1828 and taught humanities in Jesuit colleges in Italy, notably the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained a priest in 1843. Nobili was later assigned to do missionary work in North America and was assigned to accompany Father Pierre DeSmet, S.J. in his missionary work in the Oregon Territory. Nobili’s missionary work took him amongst the many Native American tribes in the territory, where he learned the tribes’ languages and customs.

Nobili stayed in the Oregon Territory until 1849, when he was ordered to go to California. Joined by Father Michael Accolti, S.J., Nobili first traveled to San Francisco, then onto San Jose. Upon his arrival in San Jose, Archbishop Joseph Alemany appointed him the pastor of Mission Santa Clara, then recently acquired from the Franciscans. He continued his missionary work in part, ministering to the sick and dying during a cholera epidemic in 1850.

University of Santa Clara: A History

While overseeing the construction of the chapel in January 1856, Nobili stepped on a nail. He died of Tetanus shortly thereafter in Santa Clara on the first day of March. Archbishop Alemany presided over his funeral Mass and laid his body to rest near the altar of the unfinished chapel.

External Sources

Category:1812 births Category:1856 deaths Category:American Jesuits Category:Italian Jesuits Category:Roman Catholic missionaries Category:Italian Roman Catholic priests Category:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco Category:Religious workers from California Category:Scholars from California Category:People from Rome Category:Santa Clara University faculty Category:Santa Clara University people Category:Presidents of Santa Clara University