Walter Steins

Walter Herman Jacobus Steins ( born July 1, 1810 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, † September 7, 1881 in Sydney) was a Jesuit, Vicar Apostolic of Bombay, then West Bengal (Calcutta ), then Bishop of Auckland, New Zealand. He carried the personal title of archbishop.

Life and work

Walter Stein received his education at the Jesuit colleges in St. Acheul, then in Freiburg in Switzerland, and finally in Amiens. In 1832 he entered as a novice in the Society of Jesus, received on 8 September 1842, the ordained priest and made ​​his perpetual profession in 1849.

Father wanted to stone in the overseas mission and was sent by his superiors to India. Here he worked as a pastor first in the Apostolic Vicariate of Bombay.

On October 10, 1860, he was named by Pope Pius IX. Vicar Apostolic of Bombay and titular bishop of Nilopolis. He received his episcopal consecration Cardinal Matthew Eustace Gonella (1811-1870) on 29 June 1861. Dated January 11, 1867 Walter Stein moved from Bombay to Calcutta and served there as Vicar Apostolic of West Bengal, at the same time he was Titular Archbishop of Bosra. Here in Calcutta, he was - as before in Bombay - with great commitment, as he sought especially to schools and orphanages as well as the missionary of the tribe of the Santal.

Due to health problems returned bishop stone back to Europe and stayed at the Jesuit College of Conflans -sur -Seine, now a suburb of Charenton- le -Pont on. In 1870, he participated as a Council Father at the first Vatican Council.

Bishop Walter Stein asked after his recovery a new use in the mission, after which appointed him on 15 May 1879 Bishop of Auckland in New Zealand. Here he met one on 3 December each year. His activities there was short-lived, the bishop died early as September 7, 1881 in Sydney.