Andreas Räss
Encyclopedia
André Raess (6 April 1794, Sigolsheim
, Haut-Rhin
- 17 November 1887, Strasbourg
) was an Alsatian Catholic Bishop of Strasbourg.
and Nancy, Raess studied philosophy
and theology
at the seminary at Mainz
under Bruno Franz Leopold Liebermann
and was ordained priest in 1816. At first he was a teacher in the seminary for boys at Mainz. In 1822 he received the degree of doctor from the theological faculty of Würzburg
.
When Liebermann left Mainz for Strasbourg Räss was made, in 1825, director of the seminary at Mainz and professor of dogmatics at the same place. After failing to be elected Bishop of Mainz
in 1828, opposed by the Hessian Government, he had charge for a short time of the theological seminary at Molsheim
. In 1829 he became superior of the seminary for priests at Strasbourg and professor of dogmatics, theology, and homiletics. On 5 August 1840, he was made coadjutor Bishop of Strasbourg with the right of succession, and was consecrated on 14 February 1841.
In 1842 he became Bishop of Strasbourg. As bishop he devoted himself particularly to the training of the clergy and the extension of religious societies. He was one of the most determined defenders of papal infallibility
at the First Vatican Council
. His declaration in 1874 in the German Reichstag that the Treaty of Frankfurt
was recognized by the Catholics of Alsace
and Lorraine
did much to shatter the great popularity he had until then enjoyed among his fellow-countrymen of Alsace.
In the years 1819-39, also with the aid of Weis, he published a large number of works, chiefly translations and revisions of French
and English
originals. Among the most important of these are Alban Butler
's Leben der Väter und Märtyrer (20 vols., Mainz, 1823–26; 2nd ed., 23 vols., 1838–40); a brief summary of this work; Leben der Heiligen Gottes (4 vols., Mainz, 1826—); later, completely revised by J. Holzwarth (2 vols., Mainz, 1854—); 13th ed. (1903); another was the Bibliothek der katholischen Kanzelberedsamkeit (18 vols., Frankfort, 1829–36).
Räss also brought about the German
translation of the Annalen der Verbreitung des Glaubens, which he edited, and in this way promoted interest in missions. During his episcopate Räss published his most important work: Die Convertiten seit der Reformation nach ihrem Leben und aus ihren Schriften dargestellt (13 vols. and index, Freiburg, 1866–80).
Sigolsheim
Sigolsheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-References:*...
, Haut-Rhin
Haut-Rhin
Haut-Rhin is a département of the Alsace region of France, named after the Rhine river. Its name means Upper Rhine. Haut-Rhin is the smaller and less populated of the two departements of Alsace, although is still densely populated compared to the rest of France.-Subdivisions:The department...
- 17 November 1887, Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
) was an Alsatian Catholic Bishop of Strasbourg.
Life
After receiving his classical training at SélestatSélestat
Sélestat is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In 2006, Sélestat had a total population of 19,459. The Communauté de communes de Sélestat et environs had a total population of 35,397.-Geography:...
and Nancy, Raess studied philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the seminary at Mainz
Mainz
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...
under Bruno Franz Leopold Liebermann
Bruno Franz Leopold Liebermann
Bruno Franz Leopold Liebermann was a German Catholic theologian.-Life:...
and was ordained priest in 1816. At first he was a teacher in the seminary for boys at Mainz. In 1822 he received the degree of doctor from 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....
.
When Liebermann left Mainz for Strasbourg Räss was made, in 1825, director of the seminary at Mainz and professor of dogmatics at the same place. After failing to be elected Bishop of Mainz
Bishop of Mainz
The Diocese of Mainz is a diocese of the Catholic church in Germany. It was created in 1802 with the abolition of the old Archbishopric of Mainz. The diocese is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Freiburg; its district is located in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse...
in 1828, opposed by the Hessian Government, he had charge for a short time of the theological seminary at Molsheim
Molsheim
Molsheim is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. The total population in 2006 was 9,382. Molsheim had been a very fast growing city between the French censuses of 1968 and 1999, passing from 5,739 to 9,331 inhabitants, but this increase came to a noticeable halt...
. In 1829 he became superior of the seminary for priests at Strasbourg and professor of dogmatics, theology, and homiletics. On 5 August 1840, he was made coadjutor Bishop of Strasbourg with the right of succession, and was consecrated on 14 February 1841.
In 1842 he became Bishop of Strasbourg. As bishop he devoted himself particularly to the training of the clergy and the extension of religious societies. He was one of the most determined defenders of papal infallibility
Papal infallibility
Papal infallibility is a dogma of the Catholic Church which states that, by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error when in his official capacity he solemnly declares or promulgates to the universal Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals...
at the First Vatican Council
First Vatican Council
The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...
. His declaration in 1874 in the German Reichstag that the Treaty of Frankfurt
Treaty of Frankfurt (1871)
The Treaty of Frankfurt was a peace treaty signed in Frankfurt on 10 May 1871, at the end of the Franco-Prussian War.- Summary :The treaty did the following:...
was recognized by the Catholics of Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
did much to shatter the great popularity he had until then enjoyed among his fellow-countrymen of Alsace.
Work
In his earlier years, before he was raised to the episcopate, Räss was an active author. One undertaking was the founding, with Nicholas Weis, of the Katholik at Mainz in 1821.In the years 1819-39, also with the aid of Weis, he published a large number of works, chiefly translations and revisions of French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
originals. Among the most important of these are Alban Butler
Alban Butler
Alban Butler , English Roman Catholic priest and hagiographer, was born at Appletree, Northamptonshire.He was educated at the English College, Douai, where on his ordination to the priesthood in 1735 he held successively the chairs of philosophy and divinity...
's Leben der Väter und Märtyrer (20 vols., Mainz, 1823–26; 2nd ed., 23 vols., 1838–40); a brief summary of this work; Leben der Heiligen Gottes (4 vols., Mainz, 1826—); later, completely revised by J. Holzwarth (2 vols., Mainz, 1854—); 13th ed. (1903); another was the Bibliothek der katholischen Kanzelberedsamkeit (18 vols., Frankfort, 1829–36).
Räss also brought about the German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
translation of the Annalen der Verbreitung des Glaubens, which he edited, and in this way promoted interest in missions. During his episcopate Räss published his most important work: Die Convertiten seit der Reformation nach ihrem Leben und aus ihren Schriften dargestellt (13 vols. and index, Freiburg, 1866–80).