Franz Pfanner
Encyclopedia
Franz Pfanner was an Austrian Trappist
monk, founder of Mariannhill Abbey in South Africa.
at Agram
for several years, he went to Rome (1862), and there saw the Trappists for the first time. Whilst waiting for his bishop's permission to join this order, he went on a pilgrimage to Palestine (1863).
In November, 1864, he was professed at the Trappist monastery of Mariawald in Germany, and was made sub-prior a few weeks later. What made Pfanner decide to enter the strict Order of the Trappists in Mariawald was the state of his health; He entered to prepare himself for death. However the Trappist life style did him so much good that he became very healty again.
He went to Rome again in 1866, where he reorganized the well-known monastery at Tre Fontane. Then he conceived the idea of a foundation in Turkey
. The difficulties seemed insuperable, but in 1869 he was able to open the monastery of Mariastern in Bosnia
, near Banja Luka
, which was raised to the status of an abbey in 1879.
In that year Bishop Ricards of the Eastern Vicariate of the Cape of Good Hope was in Europe, seeking Trappists to evangelize the Kafirs. When all others had declined the invitation, Abbot Franz resolved to relinquish his settled abbey and face fresh difficulties in South Africa. At the end of July, 1880, he arrived at Dunbrody
, the place purchased by Bishop Ricards for the work. But on account of the drought, winds and baboon
s, he declared the site unsuitable after a trial of several years. With the permission of Bishop Charles Jolivet, O.M.I., of the Natal Vicariate, he then (December, 1882) bought from the Land Colonization Company a part of the farm Zoekoegat, near Pinetown
. The monastery of Mariannhill
was built here. In 1884 there were the first public baptism of black persons.
Finding the need of a sisterhood to teach girls, with characteristic energy he founded the Sisters of the Precious Blood
.. In 1885 Mariannhill was created an abbey, and Prior Franz Pfanner elected the first mitred abbot. Numerically, it shortly (1898) became the largest Christian monastery in the world, with 285 monks.
But in 1893 he resigned his prelacy and began life again in the mission station of Emmaus, where he remained until his death.
, and they were given a milder rule. In 1906 Pope Pius X
approves the constitutions of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood.In 1909 Pope Pius X
decided to separate Mariannhill from the Trappist Order by official decree.
TRAPPIST
TRAPPIST is Belgian robotic telescope in Chile which came online in 2010, and is an acronym for TRAnsiting Planets and PlanetesImals Small Telescope, so named in homage to Trappist beer produced in the Belgian region. Situated high in the Chilean mountains at La Silla Observatory, it is actually...
monk, founder of Mariannhill Abbey in South Africa.
Life
In 1838 he attended the Grammar School, firstly in Feldkirch, later in Innsbruck, after studied philosophy in Padua (1845) and theology in Brixen (1846). In 1850 he was ordained priest (in Brixen) and was given a curacy in his native diocese. Nine years later he was appointed an Austrian army chaplain in the Italian campaign against Napoleon III, but the war was over before he could take up his appointment. After serving as chaplain to the Sisters of MercySisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
at Agram
Agram
Agram may refer to:Places*Agram, the historic Austrian German name for Zagreb, Croatia*Agram Township, Minnesota, United States*Agram mountains, a small range in north eastern Niger...
for several years, he went to Rome (1862), and there saw the Trappists for the first time. Whilst waiting for his bishop's permission to join this order, he went on a pilgrimage to Palestine (1863).
In November, 1864, he was professed at the Trappist monastery of Mariawald in Germany, and was made sub-prior a few weeks later. What made Pfanner decide to enter the strict Order of the Trappists in Mariawald was the state of his health; He entered to prepare himself for death. However the Trappist life style did him so much good that he became very healty again.
He went to Rome again in 1866, where he reorganized the well-known monastery at Tre Fontane. Then he conceived the idea of a foundation in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The difficulties seemed insuperable, but in 1869 he was able to open the monastery of Mariastern in Bosnia
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
, near Banja Luka
Banja Luka
-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
, which was raised to the status of an abbey in 1879.
In that year Bishop Ricards of the Eastern Vicariate of the Cape of Good Hope was in Europe, seeking Trappists to evangelize the Kafirs. When all others had declined the invitation, Abbot Franz resolved to relinquish his settled abbey and face fresh difficulties in South Africa. At the end of July, 1880, he arrived at Dunbrody
Dunbrody
Dunbrody may refer to:* Dunbrody , a barque built in Quebec in 1845 and wrecked in 1875* Dunbrody , a replica of the original, built in Ireland in 2001...
, the place purchased by Bishop Ricards for the work. But on account of the drought, winds and baboon
Baboon
Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. There are five species, which are some of the largest non-hominoid members of the primate order; only the mandrill and the drill are larger...
s, he declared the site unsuitable after a trial of several years. With the permission of Bishop Charles Jolivet, O.M.I., of the Natal Vicariate, he then (December, 1882) bought from the Land Colonization Company a part of the farm Zoekoegat, near Pinetown
Pinetown
Pinetown is a small city just inland from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Pinetown is situated 16 km west of Durban at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,300 feet . It was established in 1850 around the Wayside Hotel, itself built the year before along the main wagon route between Durban and...
. The monastery of Mariannhill
Mariannhill
Mariannhill is a little suburb near Pinetown in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa....
was built here. In 1884 there were the first public baptism of black persons.
Finding the need of a sisterhood to teach girls, with characteristic energy he founded the Sisters of the Precious Blood
Sisters of the Precious Blood
Sisters of the Precious Blood can refer to:* Sisters of the Precious Blood - A Roman Catholic female religious order founded in Gurtweil, Baden in 1857...
.. In 1885 Mariannhill was created an abbey, and Prior Franz Pfanner elected the first mitred abbot. Numerically, it shortly (1898) became the largest Christian monastery in the world, with 285 monks.
But in 1893 he resigned his prelacy and began life again in the mission station of Emmaus, where he remained until his death.
Formation of the Missionary Order
A few months before Abbot Franz's death the Holy See, at the petition of the Trappists of Mariannhill, made a considerable change in their status. The Cistercian Rule in its rigour, for which Abbot Pfanner was most zealous, was found to be an obstacle to missionary development in some particulars. Hence the name of the order was changed to that of the Missionary Order of MariannhillMissionary Order of Mariannhill
The Missionary Order of Mariannhill is a religious order of the Roman Catholic Church founded on, 1909 by Franz Pfanner, an Austrian Trappist monk...
, and they were given a milder rule. In 1906 Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
approves the constitutions of the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood.In 1909 Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
decided to separate Mariannhill from the Trappist Order by official decree.
External links
- Dictionary of African Christian Biography
- Christian History Institute
- Timeline
- Official web site
- Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill from Catholic EncyclopediaCatholic EncyclopediaThe Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
- For the Sake of Silencehttp://michaelcawoodgreen.com/index_files/Page397.htm