Jacob Joseph Joerger, the fourth of the eight children of Joseph Alois Joerger and Verena Catherine Canova, was born on November 19, 1923, at Monticello, New Mexico. He received his early education at Monticello Grade School, Monticello, New Mexico, and Hot Springs Elementary School, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and completed secondary school at Our Lady of Lourdes High School, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Because of his desire to become a priest, he attended Our Lady of Lourdes Jr. College in Albuquerque for two years {1941-43) and was then sent as a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe to St. Thomas Major Seminary, Denver, Colorado, for his theological studies (1943-48). He was ordained a priest by Archbishop Edwin V. Byrne in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi on May 22, 1948. For twelve years he served in various parochial assignments in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe: assistant pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Las Vegas (1948-49); administrator of St. Anthony Parish, Penasco (1949- 51); and pastor of St. Anthony Parish, Dixon (1951-60.)

In 1960 he was given permission to pursue a religious vocation in the Dominican Order and received the habit of the order on August 30, 1960, at St. Peter Martyr Priory, Winona, Minnesota, where he was given the religious name of Bartholomew. On August 31, 1961, he made his first profession of vows and was sent to St. Thomas Aquinas Priory, River Forest,

Illinois, where he did advanced studies in philosophy (1961-62) followed by advanced studies in theology at Aquinas Institute, School of Theology, Dubuque, Iowa (1962-63), where he obtained a Master of Arts degree in theology. On August 31, 1964, Father Joerger made his solemn profession of vows at St. Rose of Lima Priory, Dubuque, Iowa.

His first assignment as a Dominican was as assistant pastor at St. Pius V Parish, Chicago, Illinois (1964-71). He returned for a time to his home diocese of Santa Fe where he served as assistant pastor at St. Anne Parish, Albuquerque, New Mexico (1971-73) and then as pastor of Our Lady of Mercy parish, Hatch, New Mexico (1973-77). In 1977 his Dominican Province asked him to become the director of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe located at St. Pius V Church, Chicago, a post in which he served for four years. In 1981 he took a sabbatical at the University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome, Italy, where he earned the degree License in Sacred Theology and upon completing his sabbatical joined the pastoral staff of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City, Mexico (1983-88.)

At the age of sixty-five he began a ministry of assisting various dioceses, especially where there was a need for Spanish-speaking priests. Among the dioceses served were the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico (1988-89;) the Diocese of Dallas, Texas (1989-91). Cathedral-Santuario de Guadalupe, Dallas, St. Mark the Evangelist Elementary School, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and completed secondary school at Our Lady of Lourdes High School, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Because of his desire to become a priest, he attended Our Lady of Lourdes Jr. College in Albuquerque for two years (1941-43) and was then sent as a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe to St. Thomas Major Seminary, Denver, Colorado, for his theological studies (1943-48). He was ordained a priest by Archbishop Edwin V. Byrne in the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi on May 22, 1948. For twelve years he served in various parochial assignments in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe: assistant pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Las Vegas (1948-49); administrator of St. Anthony Parish, Penasco (1949- 51); and pastor of St. Anthony Parish, Dixon (1951-60.)

In 1960 he was given permission to pursue a religious vocation in the Dominican Order and received the habit of the order on August 30, 1960, at St. Peter Martyr Priory, Winona, Minnesota, where he was given the religious name of Bartholomew. On August 31, 1961, he made his first profession of vows and was sent to St. Thomas Aquinas Priory, River Forest, Illinois, where he did advanced studies in philosophy (1961-62) followed by advanced studies in theology at Aquinas Institute, School of Theology, Dubuque, Iowa (1962-63), where he obtained a Master of Arts degree in theology. On August 31, 1964, Father Joerger made his solemn profession of vows at St. Rose of Lima Priory, Dubuque, Iowa.

His first assignment as a Dominican was as assistant pastor at St. Pius V Parish, Chicago, Illinois (1964-71). He returned for a time to his home diocese of Santa Fe where he served as assistant pastor at St. Anne Parish, Albuquerque, New Mexico (1971-73) and then as pastor of Our Lady of Mercy parish, Hatch, New Mexico {1973-77). In 1977 his Dominican Province asked him to become the director of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe located at St. Pius V Church, Chicago, a post in which he served for four years. In 1981 he took a

sabbatical at the University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome, Italy, where he earned the degree License in Sacred Theology and upon completing his sabbatical joined the pastoral staff of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City, Mexico (1983-88.)

At the age of sixty-five he began a ministry of assisting various dioceses, especially where there was a need for Spanish-speaking priests. Among the dioceses served were the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico (1988-89); the Diocese of Dallas, Texas (1989-91). Cathedral-Santuario de Guadalupe, Dallas, St. Mark the Evangelist Parish, Plano, and St. Paul the Apostle Parish, Richardson; the Archdiocese of Chicago (1992-94) St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Wheeling, and St. Stephen Protomartyr Parish, Des Plaines; the Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada (19 94-97); the Archdiocese of Santa Fe (1997-99) - San Miguel Parish, Socorro; and the Diocese of Austin, TX (1999-2000) - St. Mary's Parish, San Saba. In 2000-2001 he served as temporary assistant pastor at Holy Rosary Parish, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Because of declining health, he was assigned in August 2001, to the assisted-living center of the Dominican Province, at St. Pius V Parish, Chicago, IL, however, he continued to assist in parochial work as time and health allowed. On New Year's Eve of 2004 he sustained a fall in his bedroom at the assisted-living center, the effects of which led to his death in the early hours of January 1, 2004. His funeral was celebrated at St. Pius V Church, Chicago, Illinois, on January 5, 2004, his body was cremated, and his cremains were buried in the Dominican plot at All Saints Cemetery, Des Plaines, Illinois, on January 15, 2004.