The Biographical Dictionary of America/Amat, Thaddeus

AMAT, Thaddeus, R. C. bishop, was born in Barcelona, Spain, Dec. 31, 1811. He pursued his education in the Barcelona diocesan seminary. He entered a Lazarist community as a novice Dec. 30, 1831, and in 1834 took the vows of the order. In 1835 the revolution drove him, with many others, from Spain, and he took refuge in Paris, where he completed his studies, and was ordained in 1838. He was sent to America in the same year, and stationed at the church of the Assumption in New Orleans. In 1841 he was appointed master of novices at Cape Girardeau, Mo., and in 1842 superior of the seminary of the Lazarists at St. Louis, Mo. In 1847 Father Amat was appointed rector of the seminary of St. Charles Borromeo, Philadelphia, and for four years he directed and developed this important institution. He attended the first plenary council of Baltimore, as theologian, and was there nominated to fill the vacancy in the see of Monterey. He was consecrated second bishop of Monterey by Cardinal Fransoni in the chapel of Urban college at Rome, March 12, 1854. From this time until his death he labored zealously for the interests of his see and the promotion of religion, building churches and founding educational and charitable institutions. He assisted at the second plenary council of Baltimore, and at the first provincial council of San Francisco, and attended the council of the Vatican. He built the cathedral at Los Angeles, and the Holy See named him as Bishop of Los Angeles in 1859. He died there May 12, 1878.