Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 9.djvu/782

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729


MAETIK


made him extraordinary professor of theology at the University of Bonn, inspector of the local seminaries, ahd| with Dieringer, umversity preacher. In 1848 he became ordinair professor of moral theology and pub- lished, in 1850, the ** Lehrbuch der kathoUschen Moral " which as early as 1865 had gone through five editions. Dating back to his work as professor in Bonn, there exist numerous articles in the katholischen Viertel- iahrsschrift fiir Wissenschaft und Kunst" of which ne was one of the founders, as well as in the " Kirchen- lexikon"; there are furthermore an unfinished trans- lation of the "Jewish History" of Flavins Josephus, a translation of the writings of St. Thomas Aqiiinas on the Eucharist and the Ten Commandments, an edition of Maldonatus's Commentary on the Four Gospels" (1854 and 1862) and finally, " Die Wissenschaft von der gdttlichen Dingen" a popular handbook of Dogma representing t^ ripe fruits of his long work upon the writings of St. Thomas (1855 and 1869). Soon, however, he was compelled to give up his work at Bonn.

In 1856 he was elected Bishop of Paderbom, and consecrated by Cardinal Geissel on 17 August. Filled with apostolic zeal he accepted the responsible office, and became one of the most illustrious bishops of Ger- many; one who with his untiring labour and persever- ance encouraged Christian life in his extensive diocese, and who exerted a beneficent influence even far beyond his own domain, by his example and his writings. As a man of firm and unshakable faith he considered it his chief duty to protect the Faith against all attacks. It was his first care to train effective priests. ^ In order to accomplish this purpose, he comoined his annual confirmation journeys with detailed investigations so as to become acquamted with his clergy and to instil everywhere a true ecclesiastical spirit. He founded, in 1857, at Heiligenstadt a second seminary for boys and introduced the general examination for priests. In connection with ideas he formed in 1860 during the provincial council at Cologne, he founded with his own monev a theological schocd at Paderbom He even had the satisfaction of holding a diocesan synod at Paderbom in 1867, the first for two centuries; at this synod the resolutions passed at the Council of Cologne were adopted, although in slightlv changed form. In order to give more effect to these resolutions, he caused them to be published in the "Acta et Decreta synodi dioecesis Paderbomiensis", 1867 (2nd edition, 1888) . He acquired especial merit through the estab- lishment and enlarg|ement of the Bonifatius-Verein, of which he was preodent from 1859 until 1875. and through the assistance of which he was able to found about fifty new missionary posts in neglected districts. In two magnificent works. " The ChiefDuty of Catho- lic Germany", and *^ Another Message to the Christian German People in Matters Regarding the Bonifatius- Verein" he explained its noble aims and made a powerful appeal for the manifesting of Christian faith by givmg assistance to poor Catholic churches and pnests. Full of enthusiasm he even planned to lead the Protestants of Germany back to the Catholic Church and addressed to them three friencUv bro- chures entitled : An episcopal message to the Protes- tants of Germanv, especially to those of my own Dio- cese, regarding the points of oontroversv between us" (Paderbom, 1866); " Seccmd Episcopal Message to the Protestants of Germany" (same year): and "Why is there still this gulf between the Churches? An open message to Germany's Catholics and Protestants" (Paderbom, 1869). Naturally these writings did not have the success expected by him, but on the contrary made him maznr enemies; they stirred, however many Catholics m>m their torpidity and strengthened them in their faith.

The Vatican Council give him the opportunity to show his fidelity to the Holy See and to champion his faith. As a member of the " Coogregatio dogmatica "


and the "Commissio pro postulatis" he took a lively part in the discussions of the same, and was from the beginning a zealous defendant of the infallibility of the papal office; with him originated the wording of the most important chapter of the final decision. Soon after the new dogma had been formulated, and, in order to quiet nervous minds and to enli^ten the faithful, he published several pastorals which passed far beyond the confines of his own diocese; as, for in- stance, "The Infallible Office of the Pope", (1870); and "A Pastoral Message: What the Vatican Coun- cil presents to us as Faith regarding the pope " (1871); and several more extensive works, in which he ex- plains in detail the far-reaching consequences of the decision, as " The real meaning of the Vatican decision regarding the Infallible Papal Office" (Paderbom. 1871), the "DeUberations of the Vatican Council'* (Paderbom, 1873), which was also translated into Italian, and "Omnium Concilii Vaticani, qusB ad doctrinam et disciplinam pertinent documentorum col- lectio" (Paderbom, 1873). This fidelity to the Apos- toUc See which he showed openly at every opportu- nity despite all hostile criticisms; his restless activity for the spread of the Catholic faith; the establishment of missions in Northern Germany, and his open mes- sage to the Protestants of Germany, formed the op- portunitv for the most vituperious attacks against nim in the daily press and, as soon as the necessary laws had been passed, a welcome occasion to proceed against him by means of different oppressive measures and a chance to attempt to undermine his authority; but in vain, for as soon as the intentions of the Prussian government became clear to all, thousands of men from the whole diocese journeyed to the cathedral town enthusiastically to swear undying fidelity to their bishop and to the Catholic Church.

Finally, in 1874, because of his trahsgression of the May Laws, he was sentenced to imprisonment; in the following year relieved of his office, by order of the Minister of Worship, and incarcerated in the fortress of Wesel. A few months later, however, he succeeded in escaping to Holland, but was expeUed on the de- mand of the Prussian government. He fornid a refuge with the Sisters of Christian Love, who had been banished from Paderbom and who had settled in Mont St. Guibert. From there, as a centre, he governed secretly his diocese, laboured as pastor and teacher of religion, and wrote several works, of which these are noteworthy: "Drei Jahre aus meinen Leben: 1874- 1877" (Paderbom, 1877); "Zeitbilder oder Erin- nerungen an meine verewi^n Wohltftter", TMainz. 1879). Numerous other writings, mostly the fruit ot lectures in the seminary, in the mother house of the Sisters of Christian Love at Paderbom and in St Gui- bert, we must leave unnoticed. Some have only been found among his papers after his death, and were pub- lished by his companion and private secretary, Stamm, in seven volumes, 1882-1890.

STAinf, Dr. Conrad Martin, ein btbliooraphiseher Varatteh, (1892); Idku, Ujicundenaammluno tur Biograpkie (1892); lorai, Aua der BrUfmappe Martins (Paderbom, 1902).

Pateucius Schlager.

Martin, Paulin, a French Biblical scholar, b. at Lacam, Lot, 20 July, 1840; d. at Amdlie-les-Bains, Pyr^n^es-Orientales, 14 Jan., 1890. His secondsjy studies were made a.tthe petit aCminaire of Montfaucon, and his theolo^ at St. Sulpice. Here he came under the influence of Le Hir. At the end of his theology, Martin was too young for ordination; so he went to the French Seminarv, Rome, attended the lec- tures at the Gregorian University, and was raised to the priesthood in 1863. He remained in Rome till 1868, obtained a doctorate in sacred theology and licentiate in canon law, and started upon his life study of Semitic limguages. He worked chiefly at Hebrew, Syriao, Aramaic, and Arabic. It was as a Syriao scholar that be first attracted attention. Abb^BuxtiR