Christoph Moufang
Encyclopedia
Franz Christoph Ignaz Moufang (17 February 1817 – 27 February 1890) was a German
Catholic
theologian and diocesan administrator.
, where he also received his primary education. In 1834 he entered the University of Bonn
, first taking up medicine, but soon turning to theology. Among his masters were Klee, Windischmann, and Walter. In 1837 he went to Munich, and then next year took the prescribed theological examinations at Gießen
, after which he entered the ecclesiastical seminary at Mainz, where he was ordained to the priesthood on 19 December 1839. His first appointment was as curate in Seligenstadt
, where his uncle, Adam Franz Lennig
, later vicar-general and dean of the Mainz Cathedral
, was pastor. Lennig stimulated in him a broad interest for the religious questions of the time. Moufang also taught at the pro-gymnasium at Seligenstadt.
After Seligenstadt he was charged with the parish of Bensheim
, then of the parish at St. Quintin in Mainz. In 1845 he became the religious instructor at the Mainz gymnasium
.
re-established the philosophical and theological school in connexion with the seminary at Mainz, and he appointed Moufang regent of the seminary, as well as professor of moral and pastoral theology.
Moufang became a canon
on 6 November 1854. He was appointed as spiritual adviser and member of the diocesan court on 2 December of the same year. On the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of his priesthood the theological faculty of Würzburg
awarded him an honorary Doctor of Theology degree.
When Lennig died in 1866, Bishop von Ketteler asked Moufang to succeed Lennig as dean of the cathedral and vicar-general. Moufang declined, preferring to devote himself to the seminary. In November 1868 he was summoned to Rome
for the preparatory work of the Vatican Council
, and was assigned to the committee for ecclesiastico-political matters under Cardinal Reisach. During the Kulturkampf
, to Moufang's great sorrow, the theological school of the seminary was closed (1877) by hostile legislation.
.
On 16 April 1886 Leo XIII made Moufang a domestic prelate. Under Paul Leopold Haffner the theological school of the seminary was reopened on 25 October 1887, and Moufang again directed the seminary as regent, although he soon had to relinquish this charge due to poor health. He died in 1890.
, and as a member of the "St. Vincenz-und Elisabeth-Verein" did much to promote its prosperity. In the regeneration of Catholic Germany his name is linked with the history of the general conventions (Generalversammlungen) of the Catholics of Germany - the Katholikentag
. He was, for almost forty years, one of the leading personalities and most prominent speakers. For a number of years he was also active as a legislator. After 1863, as representative of the bishop, he had a seat in the upper chamber of the Hessian
Landtag
, and repeatedly took a prominent part in the debates on social and political questions
, and questions of Church policy. In 1871 he entered the German Reichstag, where he was held in esteem by the Centre Party
for his political services and as an intermediary in harmonizing the differences between North and South Germany. The most prominent feature of his literary activity was his work in reorganizing and publishing the "Katholik", which in collaboration with Johann Baptist Heinrich he edited from 1851 until his death.
Among his numerous shorter writings are:
Moufang also published a widely-used prayerbook, "Officium divinum", which has passed through numerous editions, the first in 1851, the nineteenth in 1905.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
theologian and diocesan administrator.
Education
Moufang was born at MainzMainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
, where he also received his primary education. In 1834 he entered the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
, first taking up medicine, but soon turning to theology. Among his masters were Klee, Windischmann, and Walter. In 1837 he went to Munich, and then next year took the prescribed theological examinations at Gießen
Gießen
Gießen, also spelt Giessen is a town in the German federal state of Hesse, capital of both the district of Gießen and the administrative region of Gießen...
, after which he entered the ecclesiastical seminary at Mainz, where he was ordained to the priesthood on 19 December 1839. His first appointment was as curate in Seligenstadt
Seligenstadt
Seligenstadt is a town in the Offenbach district in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. Seligenstadt is one of Germany’s oldest towns and was already of great importance in Carolingian times.-Location:...
, where his uncle, Adam Franz Lennig
Adam Franz Lennig
Adam Franz Lennig was an ultramontanistic German Catholic theologian.-Life:Lennig studied at Bruchsal under the private tutorship of the ex-Jesuit Laurentius Doller, and afterwards at the bishop's gymnasium at Mainz, his birthplace...
, later vicar-general and dean of the Mainz Cathedral
Mainz Cathedral
Mainz Cathedral or St. Martin's Cathedral is located near the historical center and pedestrianized market square of the city of Mainz, Germany...
, was pastor. Lennig stimulated in him a broad interest for the religious questions of the time. Moufang also taught at the pro-gymnasium at Seligenstadt.
After Seligenstadt he was charged with the parish of Bensheim
Bensheim
Bensheim is a town in the Bergstraße district in southern Hesse, Germany. Bensheim lies on the Bergstraße and at the edge of the Odenwald mountains while at the same time having an open view over the Rhine plain...
, then of the parish at St. Quintin in Mainz. In 1845 he became the religious instructor at the Mainz gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
.
Mission
In 1854 Bishop von KettelerWilhelm Emmanuel, Baron von Ketteler
Wilhelm Emmanuel Freiherr von Ketteler was a German theologian and politician who served as Bishop of Mainz. His social teachings became influential during the papacy of Leo XIII and his encyclical Rerum Novarum....
re-established the philosophical and theological school in connexion with the seminary at Mainz, and he appointed Moufang regent of the seminary, as well as professor of moral and pastoral theology.
Moufang became a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
on 6 November 1854. He was appointed as spiritual adviser and member of the diocesan court on 2 December of the same year. On the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of his priesthood the theological faculty of Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
awarded him an honorary Doctor of Theology degree.
When Lennig died in 1866, Bishop von Ketteler asked Moufang to succeed Lennig as dean of the cathedral and vicar-general. Moufang declined, preferring to devote himself to the seminary. In November 1868 he was summoned to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
for the preparatory work of the Vatican Council
Vatican Council
The First Vatican Council took place in 1869 - 1870 and was the 20th of ecumenical councils recognized by Roman Catholicism.The Second Vatican Council took place in the 1962 - 1965 and was the 21st....
, and was assigned to the committee for ecclesiastico-political matters under Cardinal Reisach. During the Kulturkampf
Kulturkampf
The German term refers to German policies in relation to secularity and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, enacted from 1871 to 1878 by the Prime Minister of Prussia, Otto von Bismarck. The Kulturkampf did not extend to the other German states such as Bavaria...
, to Moufang's great sorrow, the theological school of the seminary was closed (1877) by hostile legislation.
Ordination
Bishop von Ketteler died on 13 July 1877, after which the chapter elected Moufang administrator of the diocese. The ten years that he carried this charge while the seminary was shuttered were difficult for Moufang, primarily due to the hostile attitude of the Prussian GovernmentKingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
.
On 16 April 1886 Leo XIII made Moufang a domestic prelate. Under Paul Leopold Haffner the theological school of the seminary was reopened on 25 October 1887, and Moufang again directed the seminary as regent, although he soon had to relinquish this charge due to poor health. He died in 1890.
Heritage
Moufang rendered services to the Archdiocese of Mainz as an educator of the clergy. He was prominent in the circle that centred about Lennig, and he took part in all efforts to improve religious and social conditions. He assisted in the formation of the PiusvereinPiusverein
The Piusverein was a Roman Catholic society, founded in 1848 in Germany, and named for Pope Pius IX. Its political direction was conservative and ultramontanist, and its purpose to form a bridge between Catholics and the political classes...
, and as a member of the "St. Vincenz-und Elisabeth-Verein" did much to promote its prosperity. In the regeneration of Catholic Germany his name is linked with the history of the general conventions (Generalversammlungen) of the Catholics of Germany - the Katholikentag
Katholikentag
Katholikentag is a festival-like gathering in German-speaking countries organized by the Roman Catholic laity. Katholikentag festivals occur approximately every 2–4 years in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.-History:...
. He was, for almost forty years, one of the leading personalities and most prominent speakers. For a number of years he was also active as a legislator. After 1863, as representative of the bishop, he had a seat in the upper chamber of the Hessian
Grand Duchy of Hesse
The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...
Landtag
Landtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
, and repeatedly took a prominent part in the debates on social and political questions
Catholic social teaching
Catholic social teaching is a body of doctrine developed by the Catholic Church on matters of poverty and wealth, economics, social organization and the role of the state...
, and questions of Church policy. In 1871 he entered the German Reichstag, where he was held in esteem by the Centre Party
Centre Party (Germany)
The German Centre Party was a Catholic political party in Germany during the Kaiserreich and the Weimar Republic. Formed in 1870, it battled the Kulturkampf which the Prussian government launched to reduce the power of the Catholic Church...
for his political services and as an intermediary in harmonizing the differences between North and South Germany. The most prominent feature of his literary activity was his work in reorganizing and publishing the "Katholik", which in collaboration with Johann Baptist Heinrich he edited from 1851 until his death.
Literary work
His other literary work was mainly in the history of the older Catholic catechisms in Germany. His chief works on this subject are:- "Die Mainzer Katechismen von Erfindung der Buchdruckerkunst bis zum Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts" (Mainz, 1878)
- "Katholische Katechismen des 16. Jahrhunderts in deutscher Sprache, herausgegeben und mit Anmerkungen versehen" (Mainz, 1881).
Among his numerous shorter writings are:
- "Die barmherzigen Schwestern, eine Darstellung ihrer Gründung, Verbreitung, Einrichtung und Wirksamkeit" (Mainz, 1842)
- "Der Informativ-Prozess. Eine kirchenrechtliche Erörterung" (Mainz, 1850)
- "Die katholischen Pfarrschulen in der Stadt Mainz" (Mainz, 1863)
- "Das Verbot der Ehen zwischen nahen Verwandten. Beleuchtung der Gründe dieses Verbotes" (Mainz, 1863)
- "Die Handwerkerfrage" (Mainz, 1864), a speech delivered in the Upper Chamber of the Landtag at Darmstadt and published with notes
- "Die Kirche und die Versammlung katholischer Gelehrten" (Mainz, 1864), a reply to Dr. Friedrich Bernhard Ferdinand MichelisFriedrich Bernhard Ferdinand MichelisFriedrich Bernhard Ferdinand Michelis was a German theologian and philosopher who was born in Münster.He studied philosophy and theology at the Academy of Münster, receiving his ordination in 1838. From 1845 he was a chaplain and school teacher in Duisburg, and later an instructor at the...
's "Kirche oder Partei" - "Cardinal Wiseman und seine Verdienste um die Wissenschaft und die Kirche" (Mainz, 1865)
- "Der Kampf um Rom und seine Folgen für Italien und die Welt" (Mainz, 1868)
- "Carl August, Cardinal von Reisach", in "Katholic", 1870, I, 129-50
- "Der besondere Schutz Gottes über Papst Pius IX" (Mainz, 1871)
- "Aktenstücke betreffend die Jesuiten in Deutschland, gesammelt und mit Erläuterungen versehen" (Mainz, 1872).
Moufang also published a widely-used prayerbook, "Officium divinum", which has passed through numerous editions, the first in 1851, the nineteenth in 1905.