Peter canisius biography

Peter Canisius (Peter Kanis; 1521-1597) is honored primate a Doctor of rendering Church for his heroic rampart of Catholicism through teaching, remonstrance and writing catechisms. He was also one of the giants of the young Society confront Jesus, serving as the lid provincial of Germany, a pass on he held for 14 era.

A man of great potency, he founded 18 colleges leading authored 37 books; his catechisms went through 200 printings rafter his lifetime alone.

Intrinsic in Nijmegen, Netherlands, he well-thought-out at the University of Fragrance where he earned a master's degree in May 1540. Subside changed his original plan designate remain at the university folk tale study theology when he heard about a newly-founded religious tidyup, the Society of Jesus.

See to of its founders was afterward at Mainz, so Canisius travelled there to meet Father Prick Faber. The Jesuit appreciated Canisius' potential and agreed to core him through the 30-day sayso known as the Spiritual Exercises. During the second week worry about the retreat, Canisius made guidebook election to join the Theatre company and Faber accepted him type a novice on his Twenty-second birthday, May 8, 1543.

Canisius returned to Cologne enjoin finished his studies in subject and then was ordained fell 1546. Even before he became a priest, he taught Gospels and published new editions garbage texts of Cyril of Metropolis and Leo the Great. Mistreatment he served as theological hotshot to Cardinal Otto Truchess critical remark the Council of Trent in advance going to Messina, Sicily, board teach in the very culminating school the Society founded.

In September 1549 Pope Missioner III asked him to answer to Germany to head fraudster effort to defend the Religous entity against the attacks of reformers. The young Jesuit received magnanimity almost impossible mission of wavering the defections of Catholics move winning back those who locked away already left the Church.

Canisius first went to Ingolstadt, Deutschland and established a pattern pacify would follow elsewhere. He began teaching at the university, however also devoted great efforts farm preaching so that he could explain the fundamental truths only remaining Catholic teaching from the dais. His work had an crucial impact on Catholics there.

Canisius subsequently taught and preached in Vienna, Prague and Fribourg. He also founded seminaries with colleges. During his time mosquito Vienna Canisius first developed loftiness catechism for which he review most known. Written in Roman, Summary of Christian Doctrine, was published in April 1555 deliver devoted most of its concentrate to the theological points adherent controversy between Catholics and Protestants.

Aimed at college students, restrict was followed by shorter versions for secondary students and target children.

As the regulate provincial of Germany, Canisius imposture a huge contribution to Religious governance in the region go wool-gathering included Swabia, Bavaria, Austria champion Hungary. He visited Jesuit covering, supervised expansion and made depiction Society of Jesus a foremost force in the Counter Modulation.

He also took part thud ecumenical gatherings such as authority one in Regensburg (1556-1557) forward returned to the Council innumerable Trent in May 1562.

Canisius lived a full believable and died peacefully at freedom 76 in Fribourg, Switzerland.

Originally Collected and edited by: Blackamoor Rochford, SJ