Paul Joseph Nardini

Paul Josef Nardini ( born July 25, 1821 in Germersheim, † January 27, 1862 in Pirmasens ) was a priest, founder of the Order of Mallersdorf nurses and social reformer. He was beatified on 22 October 2006.

Life

Childhood, Youth and Education

Nardini was born out of wedlock under the name Lichtenberger and grew since 1823 in the family of a great-aunt. He was given the name " Nardini " by his foster father. After attending primary school, he should learn the shoemaking, but because of his special talent he was allowed to visit the Latin School in 1834 Germersheim. In 1838 he moved on to high school in Speyer and was included in the now opened Episcopal Seminary in 1840.

After graduating from high school in 1841 and philosophical studies in Speyer Nardini went to study theology to Munich, where he died on July 25, 1846 with honors Dr. theol. doctorate.

On August 22, 1846 he was ordained in the Speyer Cathedral by Bishop Nicholas of Weis as a priest and was appointed chaplain city of Frankenthal two days later. On December 1 of this year was Nardini prefect in the episcopal seminary. However, he wanted to work in parish ministry, which is why he became a parish administrator after Geinsheim on April 11, 1850.

Parish administrator in Geinsheim

The pastoral work in Geinsheim was not easy. " Only a conscientious, prudent pastoral care, a restless zeal and a full male mental and physical force " it could succeed, " to rise after years in an acceptable state. " The parish, Nardini wrote to the Ordinariate.

The 29 -year-old Nardini was full of enthusiasm and with great dedication to work. Soon, the first fruits showed in his priestly activity. In a letter to the Bishop noticed the Catholics of Geinsheim that they had " detected a good shepherd " Nardini as. They said: "Our men are quite converted, our children are born again, we all have now received the right light. No one in Geinsheim, even if he still so advanced in years " was, ever " these words of the holy gospel as part of this three-quarter years of ... Rev. Dr. Nardini. "

The enthusiasm went so far that in 1851, when he was transferred to Pirmasens, 250 Geinsheimer women signed a petition in which they asked the bishop of Speyer, " that he, as their previous blessed pastor ( sc Rev. Nardini ) may give pastors and so completely make the grace of Heaven and Earth. " This request was not fulfilled.

Pastor in Pirmasens: Father of the Poor

On May 8, 1851 Nardini pastor of Pirmasens, a 1800 souls counting Diaspora community, has been appointed. When the young priest, who himself came from a poor family, came to Pirmasens, there was great social distress in the Western Palatinate city. Poverty and hunger drove many residents to hawking and begging, the children neglected. The shoes produced in homework were sold by the women at trade shows and fairs, while no one took care of the elderly, the sick and children in the families. Nardini young women gathered around him who wanted to be socially committed. With great zeal and against countless resistors ( both from the political community as well as by the Christians in Pirmasens ), he did everything he could to improve the precarious situation. The Bavarian State it was an eyesore that the Nardini took care of the poor, which was actually a matter of the state.

Founder

To meet the need in Pirmasens, Nardini built against great odds a branch of Lower Bronner sisters from Alsace. However, the two sisters were regarded as foreigners. When it was threatened after only two years in their expulsion, he decided to found a new community of sisters. He solved the establishment of the low Bronner sisters and founded on March 2, 1855 Sister Community. Arms he Franciscan Sisters of St. Family called. To this end, he entrusted two women he knew as a priest in Geinsheim from his time with the poor, health and child care in Pirmasens: Barbara Schwarz from Geinsheim and Juliane Michel Deidesheim. In March, three women were added. On May 1, already attracted ten sisters 30 poor children in a new home. In August, there were already 16 sisters. He wrote to his bishop, "I have the most striking evidence that the Almighty also this female branches of the Franciscan Order has its protection can bestow. "

Already in 1856 were sent to other places Palatine of Pirmasens from the first sisters. Their task was the poor and the sick and the education of neglected children. But the Bavarian state and the Speyer bishop Nikolaus von Weis, who felt left out, initially failed Nardinis plant recognition. It was only on March 10, 1857 gave the bishop his consent.

In the midst of his efforts to the state approval of his congregation ill Nardini at the beginning of 1862 from pneumonia, which he had contracted during a hospital visit, and died on January 27 at the age of only 40 1/2 years. He found his final resting place in the chapel of Nardinihauses in Pirmasens. The young sister community at that time numbered 220 sisters. The grave Paul Josef Nardini may be in the chapel of Nardinihauses in Pirmasens, the founding place of the Order visited. There, the sisters have also set up a memorial with a permanent exhibition on the life and work of the social apostle.

The lifework Nardinis developed in the following decades, steadily. 1869, the parent company of Pirmasens in the former Benedictine Abbey Mallersdorf ( Lower Bavaria ) was laid. The arms Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Family, also Mallersdorf sisters, called community is still active in the health and care of the poor as well as in the educational work. The sisterhood has approximately 1200 women religious. They act not only in Germany but also in Romania and South Africa. In the Diocese of Speyer, there are 13 branches with 155 sisters.

Beatification

The process for the beatification Nardini opened at the request of the Order founded by him in 1990 by the Bishop of Speyer Dr. Anton Schlembach. Postulator of the diocese was Domkapitular Dr. Norbert Weis. 1999, the first phase of the process was completed at the level of the diocese and the Causa forwarded to Rome. Pope Benedict XVI. signed on 19 December 2005, the decree on the heroic virtues of Nardini and closed - after the recognition of medically unexplained after the medical commission of the Congregation judgment healing of Sister Stephana as a miracle by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, by decree dated 26. June 2006 - the procedure from.

The celebration of the beatification on 22 October 2006 at Speyer Cathedral was commissioned by the Pope Cardinal Friedrich Wetter, Archbishop of Munich and Freising and former Bishop of Speyer, before. In addition to the 2,000 participants in the cathedral church, including both political prominence as well as about 600 Mallersdorf sisters took another estimated 6,000 people participated on a large screen in Domhof in the celebration. This was followed by the celebration of the day - according to ancient custom Speyer - poured from the large stone " Domnapf " in front of the Cathedral of wine. The Speyer Cathedral, a relic of Blessed is kept.

Paul Josef Nardini is the first ever Palatine, who was beatified by the Pope. His feast day is 27 January.