Ritter, Joseph Elmer (1892-1967), became a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church in January 1961. Ritter also served as archbishop of St. Louis, Missouri, from 1946 to 1967.
Ritter was born in New Albany, Indiana, on July 20, 1892. He studied for the priesthood at St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, Indiana. Ritter was ordained a priest in 1917. He became bishop of Indianapolis in 1934, and archbishop of Indianapolis in 1944. In 1946, Ritter was named archbishop of St. Louis. He soon ended racial segregation in the city’s Catholic schools. Ritter also was a leading American liberal at Vatican Council II (1962-1965). The council initiated the most far-reaching reforms in the Catholic Church in 1,000 years. Ritter died on June 10, 1967.
