Frederick Katzer

Frederick Xavier Katzer ( born February 7, 1844 in Ebensee, Upper Austria, † July 20, 1903 in Milwaukee ) was an Austrian Roman Catholic Archbishop of Milwaukee.

Life

Frederick Xavier Katzer was born the son of Mr and Mrs Charles and Barbara Katzer in Ebensee. The mother 's maiden name was Reinhardt Gruber and came from Moravia. 1847 the family moved to Gmunden. There the son attended school and joined in 1857, run by Jesuit boys seminar in Linz Freiberg. After Katzer had studied the high school subjects and philosophy here, he heard about the shortage of priests in North America and was followed by 20 years the Slovenian Indian missionary Franz Pirc there, where he arrived on 19 May 1864.

First, Friedrich Katzer Xavier turned to St. Paul (Minnesota ), where the local bishop, the priest candidates could not take because of their large number. That's why he wanted to enter to Baltimore in the Jesuit Order, but then came into contact with his compatriot, Father Joseph Salzmann, who founded the St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee (also called Salesianum ) and offered him there to complete his studies. On 21 December 1866 he was ordained as a priest here and then taught as a professor at the seminary, in mathematics, philosophy and dogmatics. This teaching position practiced Katzer of 9 years.

At the request of his friend, the Bavarian bishop Franz Xaver Krautbauer (1821-1885), Katzer came in 1875 in the Diocese of Green Bay, where he initially worked as Kathedralpfarrer, then from 1878 as Vicar General. According to Bishop Herb Bauer's sudden death determined him to Pope Leo XIII. on July 13, 1886, for the successor. The bishop He was ordained on 21 September the same year by Archbishop Michael hot Milwaukee. Katzer continued the construction of dedicated work of his predecessor, including he built a church and several schools. He laid special emphasis on promoting German, Catholic Education Institute.

When Michael died 1890 hot followed him Frederick Xavier Katzer on 30 January 1891 as Archbishop of Milwaukee in office after; on 21 August 1891, he received the pallium. In a visit to Rome, the archbishop issued in 1895 the Sisters of the Divine Savior ( Salvatorian ) to establish a branch in the city of Milwaukee permission. About him the Order came to America and spread in the United States. Katzer was an outspoken opponent of the Masonic lodges and secret societies such as the Knights of Pythias.

In 1900, there was a liver and kidney disease to which the prelate finally died. At the last of his three home visits, in the summer of 1902, were invited to Archbishop Katzer on August 18, the birthday of the Emperor, to feasting in the Imperial Villa in. Only a few months later he was dead at his funeral at the cemetery of St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee to 40,000 people took part and all the major American newspapers paid tribute to his achievements.

In St. Francis Seminary ( Salesianum ) Milwaukee, where Frederick Xavier Katzer was ordained and taught nine years, produced a native of Baden painter Johann Schmitt 1888 in the chapel of a mural titled " The Consecration of St. Francis de Sales ". On the right side he grouped into extras who had nothing to do with the original story, but were significant for the history of the Church in Wisconsin. On a received photo can be identified starting from the right following juxtaposed persons: Father Joseph Salzmann (the founder of the seminar, with the plan in hand ), Bishop Frederick Xavier Katzer and Bishop John Martin Henni (with full white hair, in which the seminar was founded ). Unfortunately, it has the magnificent church and historically interesting picture painted over in 1972.