Albert Rudolph Zuroweste

Albert Zuroweste was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, to Henry and Elizabeth (née Holten) Zuroweste.[1] His uncle was Frank Holten, a longtime member of the Illinois House of Representatives and the namesake of Frank Holten State Recreation Area.[2] He attended Quincy College (1914-1918) before studying at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri (1918-1924).[1] He was ordained to the priesthood on June 8, 1924.[3] Upon his return to Illinois, he served as a curate at St. Joseph Church in East St. Louis until 1931, when he became superintendent of St. John Orphanage.[1] He studied at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., during the summer of 1934.[1] He was both editor of the diocesan newspaper, The Messenger, and superintendent of Central Catholic High School from 1934 to 1947.[1] He was named pastor of St. Joseph Church in 1940 and a Domestic Prelate in 1945.[1]

On November 29, 1947, Zuroweste was appointed the third Bishop of Belleville by Pope Pius XII.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on January 29, 1948, from Bishop Joseph Schlarman, with Bishops John Cody and Joseph Mueller serving as co-consecrators.[3] In addition to his duties as bishop, he became president of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference in 1951 and chairman of the Press Department of the National Catholic Welfare Council in 1957.[1] He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council between 1962 and 1965. After twenty-eight years as bishop, he resigned on August 30, 1976.[3] He later died at age 85.