Franciszek Kareu
Encyclopedia
Franciszek Kareu was Temporary Vicar General of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

 in Russia from 1799 to 1801. After Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...

’s official approval of the Jesuits’ existence in Russia, he was declared Superior General of the Society of Jesus
Superior General of the Society of Jesus
The Superior General of the Society of Jesus is the official title of the leader of the Society of Jesus—the Roman Catholic religious order, also known as the Jesuits. He is generally addressed as Father General. The position carries the nickname of Black Pope, after his simple black priest's...

 (1801–1802)

Early years and Formation

Born of an English family settled in Belarus, he followed the usual course of studies, Humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....

 and 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...

, in Orsa before joining the Jesuits. Two years of novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....

 in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...

 (1754–56) were followed by a bout of teaching in Kražiai
Kražiai
Kražiai is a town in Lithuania, located in the Kelmė district municipality, between Varniai and Raseiniai , on the Kražantė river. The old town of Kražiai is an archeological and urban monument....

, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...

 (1756–58). 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...

 (1759–63) in Pinsk
Pinsk
Pinsk , a town in Belarus, in the Polesia region, traversed by the river Pripyat, at the confluence of the Strumen and Pina rivers. The region was known as the Marsh of Pinsk. It is a fertile agricultural center. It lies south-west of Minsk. The population is about 130,000...

 where he was ordained priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

 in 1762.

Career

After being a missionary in several places, Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...

 (Belarus), Nesviz (Poland) and Slutsk (Belarus), Kareu arrived in 1768 in Polatsk where he studied Architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...

 under the guidance of Gabriel Lenkiewicz
Gabriel Lenkiewicz
Gabriel Lenkiewicz was temporary Vicar General of the Society of Jesus from 1785 until 1798, at a time when, being suppressed in all Catholic countries, the Society of Jesus was still surviving in Russia.-Early Years and Formation:Of aristocratic Polish-Lithuanian family Lenkiewicz...

, along with teaching Philosophy and Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...

 in the High School (1769–72). Being close to Stanislaus Czerniewicz
Stanislaus Czerniewicz
Stanislaw Czerniewicz was was a Polish Jesuit...

 and Lenkiewicz he helped them in their efforts to keep the Society of Jesus going in Russia. He was made the Rector of the High School of Orsa in 1782 and took part in the Regional Congregation of 1782 and 1785 that elected successively Cerniewicz and Lenkiewicz, Temporary Vicar in Russia. After 1785 Kareu was made Rector of the most prestigious Jesuit High School in Russia, Polatsk
Polatsk
Polotsk , is a historical city in Belarus, situated on the Dvina river. It is the center of Polotsk district in Vitsebsk Voblast. Its population is more than 80,000 people...

. In this period, he funded the purchase of a printing press from which, school manuals, philosophical and theological treatises and devotional books were produced.

Regional Congregation III

On the 12 February 1799, in the first ballot, Kareu was elected Vicar General
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...

 of the Society in Russia. He soon had to deal with the bishop of Mogilev
Mogilev
Mogilev is a city in eastern Belarus, about 76 km from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and 105 km from the border with Russia's Bryansk Oblast. It has more than 367,788 inhabitants...

's desire to interfere in the appointment of Provincials and Rectors in the Society. Kareu appealed to Emperor Paul I, of Russia, who reaffirmed the independence of the Society, and asked for Jesuits to take charge of a few projects in Lithuania and in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...

, at the Church of Saint Catharina. The emperor’s suggestion of a High school in St Petersburg was also accepted, but this could not be started as the Emperor Paul I was assassinated in March 1801. His successor, Emperor Alexander I was, by far, less friendly towards the Society.

Superior General

Through the establishment of the Jesuits in the Duchy of Parma
Duchy of Parma
The Duchy of Parma was created in 1545 from that part of the Duchy of Milan south of the Po River, as a fief for Pope Paul III's illegitimate son, Pier Luigi Farnese, centered on the city of Parma....

 in 1793, and the letter of endorsement from Emperor Paul I of Russia
Paul I of Russia
Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:...

, the Pope, Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...

 began mechanisms that eventuated in the universal approval of the existence of the Society in 1814. In 1801 however, the strong opposition towards the existence of the Society from Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV was King of Spain from 14 December 1788 until his abdication on 19 March 1808.-Early life:...

 led Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...

 to qualify his acceptance of the Society by limiting it to the Russian Empire. He expressed this on the 7th of March, 1801, in the Papal brief Catholicae fidei, through which Franciszek Kareu was made 'Superior General for Russia'.
After 1801, contact with ex-Jesuits increased, thanks to the efforts of his Assistant Gabriel Gruber
Gabriel Gruber
Gabriel Gruber was the second Superior General of the Society of Jesus in Russia.-Early years and education:...

, his future successor as 'Superior General for Russia'. In this period, the Rector of Stonyhurst
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...

 (England) asked if the School might be allowed to affiliate itself with the Society in Russia. Negotiations also began for a union with the ‘Paccanarist’ priests. The Patriarch of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....

 also asked for the Jesuits to be of service in the area under his See. During Kareu's Generalship of the Society in Russia (in exile, as it were) the complete and universal restoration of the Society by the Catholic Church, did not seem a too distant reality.

Death

Ever since the beginning of 1801, Fr Kareu had suffered from asthma. When he realised that his health had become a liability, he appointed a Vicar General to assist him as. He died in Polatsk, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...

on the 11th of August 1802.
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