Joseph Elmer Ritter | |
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| Cardinal, Archbishop of St. Louis | |
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| See | St. Louis |
| Appointed | July 20, 1946 |
| Term ended | June 10, 1967 |
| Predecessor | John J. Glennon |
| Successor | John Carberry |
| Other post(s) | Cardinal-Priest of Santissimo Redentore e Sant'Alfonso in Via Merulan |
| Previous post(s) |
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| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 30, 1917 by Joseph Chartrand |
| Consecration | March 28, 1933 by Joseph Chartrand |
| Created cardinal | January 16, 1961 by John XXIII |
| Rank | Cardinal-Priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 20, 1892 |
| Died | June 10, 1967 (aged 74) St. Louis, Missouri, US |
| Motto | Ipsa duce non fatigaris (The leader has not wearied) Miles es Christi sum (I am a soldier of Christ) |
Ordination history of Joseph Ritter | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Joseph Elmer Ritter (July 20, 1892 – June 10, 1967) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of St. Louis from 1946 until his death in 1967, and was created a cardinal in 1961. He previously served as auxiliary bishop (1933–1934) and bishop (later archbishop) (1934–1946) of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Ritter was one of the cardinals elector who participated at the papal conclave in 1963.
Ritter is noted for ending racial discrimination in church schools in both of his archdioceses long before it became mandatory in the United States. He also ended hospital segregation in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and supported the education of African-American students.