Buh Brief

In the attempt to re-introduce the patriarch of the Diocese of Duluth to the readers of The Northern Cross, we are introducing a feature called “Buh Brief” in which we will have a short story about Msgr. Joseph Buh. As these stories unfold, we encourage parishioners of the diocese to pray the prayer to Msgr. Buh which has been widely distributed. 

The diocesan archives have extensive files associated with the life and ministry of Msgr. Buh, more than on any other priest, which is a sure indicator that from the very beginning, soon after his death Buh was understood to be a priest of special import. For all the time he ministered in the diocese, the two places that are most associated with the holy priest are St. Martin’s in Tower and St. Anthony in Ely. On Sept. 29, 1888, Msgr. Buh was formally assigned to be pastor in Tower with responsibility for all the surrounding area. This was one year before the Diocese of Duluth was established. That being so, he was assigned by Bishop Rupert Seidenbusch, OSB, who was the bishop of what was known as the Vicariate of Northern Minnesota. The document pictured is the original appointment of Msgr. Buh as pastor of St. Martin, written fully in the hand of Bishop Seidenbusch. This simple document marks the beginning of Msgr. Buh’s formal assigned work in the territory of what would become the Diocese of Duluth. Msgr. Joseph Buh, pray for us!