August 2: The Circuit Rider

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader Podcast. Today is August 2nd, and our story is The Circuit Rider. Simon Miller and Hannah Huber wanted to marry. Unfortunately, their priest, the elderly German Jesuit Frederick Farmer, was too ill to make the journey from Philadelphia, where he lived, to New Jersey, where the couple lived. Another priest would soon inherit Father Farmer's missionary circuit, but Farmer had been Miller and Huber's spiritual father all their lives, and they didn't want to be wedded by anyone other than him.

So, since Farmer couldn't come to them, Miller and Huber went to him instead, making the two-day journey on foot. When the couple arrived in Philadelphia on August 2, 1786, they found the priest in the rectory of Old St. Joseph's, his home of 28 years. Born in Germany and christened Ferdinand Steinmeier, Farmer studied mathematics and astronomy before joining the Jesuits. He was ordained around 1750, and two years later came to America to minister to German immigrants in Pennsylvania.

Soon after his arrival, the priest adopted the English last name Farmer. He first spent six years in Lancaster, then moved to Philadelphia, all the while riding a missionary circuit that gradually expanded beyond Pennsylvania to Delaware, New Jersey, and, secretly, New York, where, until the American Revolution, being a priest remained a hanging offense.

In his spare time, as a member of the American Philosophical Society and founding trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, Farmer corresponded with leading philosophers and scientists in Europe. And in 1783, when George Washington came to Philadelphia, his signature topped the list of eminent clergy and citizens who signed a congratulatory letter welcoming the nation's first citizen.

In 1786, Farmer made one last trip to Manhattan, where a year earlier he'd founded Old St. Peter's Parish, the first Catholic parish in New York. Then, illness struck. No more trips were made. He did, however, marry Simon Miller and Hannah Huber from his bed, on August 2nd. That was the last of the 568 marriages he blessed as a priest in America. He died 15 days later.

Father Farmer's dedication reminds us that true vocation often requires sacrifice. He devoted decades to guiding his flock, prioritizing spiritual connection over convenience. Our own lives may be filled with obligations, but Farmer challenges us to see how far commitment, patience, and love for others can carry us. Reach out to someone who relies on your guidance. Offer your time, wisdom, or prayer. Let your devotion be felt in tangible ways today.

Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, August 3rd, for another story of faith and courage in America.