Kolping grew up as the son of a shepherd. At the age of 18 he went to Cologne as a shoemaker’s assistant. He was shocked by the living conditions of most people living there, which influenced his decision to become a priest. At age 23 he attended the Dreikönigsgymnasium and afterwards studied theology in Munich, Bonn and Cologne. On April 10, 1845 he was ordained a priest in Cologne's Minoritenkirche. First he worked in Elberfeld (now part of Wuppertal) as a chaplain and religion teacher. In 1862, he became the rector of Saint Maria Empfängnis Church.