Johannes Katschthaler
Encyclopedia
Johannes Baptist Katschthaler (May 29, 1832—February 27, 1914) was an Austria
n Cardinal
of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Salzburg
from 1900 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate
in 1903.
, in the Austrian Tirol
, and studied at the seminary
in Salzburg
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on July 31, 1855, and became vicar
of Rossen in 1857. After being made vicar of St. Johann, he began teaching at the Salzburg seminary. Katschthaler furthered his studies at the University of Salzburg
, from where he obtained his doctorate in theology
, and later joined the Theological
Faculty
at the same university on May 1, 1862. He began teaching ecclesiastical history
at University of Innsbruck in 1874, and became a canon
of the cathedral
chapter
of Salzburg in 1880. He was promoted to rector
of seminary of Salzburg in 1882.
On June 4, 1891, Katschthaler was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Salzburg and Titular Bishop
of Cybistra by Pope Leo XIII
, receiving his episcopal consecration
on the following July 12 from Archbishop Johann Evangelist Haller. After becoming dean
of the metropolitan
chapter of Salzburg in 1892, he was later elected the seventy-fourth Archbishop of Salzburg
by the cathedral chapter
on May 10, 1900, being confirmed by Pope Leo on the following December 17. In virtue of his new position, Katschthaler also held the title of Primas Germaniae
.
Leo XIII created him Cardinal Priest
of S. Tommaso in Parione in the consistory
of June 22, 1903. However, as a privilege of his see
, Katschthaler was already allowed to wear the scarlet robes traditionally reserved for cardinals
even before his elevation to the Sacred College
. During his tenure, he participated in the papal conclave of 1903
, which selected Pope Pius X
, and promoted the Theological Faculty of Salzburg to form a separate University. In 1911, he was decorated with the Grand Cross
of the Austria
n Order of Sankt Stefan.
The Cardinal died in Salzburg, at age 81. He is buried in the metropolitan cathedral of Salzburg.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Salzburg
Archbishopric of Salzburg
The Archbishopric of Salzburg was an ecclesiastical State of the Holy Roman Empire, its territory roughly congruent with the present-day Austrian state of Salzburg....
from 1900 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in 1903.
Biography
Johannes Katschthaler was born in HippachHippach
Hippach is a municipality in the Schwaz district of Tyrol, Austria....
, in the Austrian Tirol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
, and studied at the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on July 31, 1855, and became vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Rossen in 1857. After being made vicar of St. Johann, he began teaching at the Salzburg seminary. Katschthaler furthered his studies at the University of Salzburg
University of Salzburg
The University of Salzburg, or Paris Lodron University after its founder, the Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron, is located in the Austrian city of Salzburg, Salzburgerland, home of Mozart. It is divided into 4 faculties: catholic theology, law, humanities and natural science.Founded in 1622, it...
, from where he obtained his doctorate in theology
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
, and later joined the Theological
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...
Faculty
Faculty (university)
A faculty is a division within a university comprising one subject area, or a number of related subject areas...
at the same university on May 1, 1862. He began teaching ecclesiastical history
History of Christianity
The history of Christianity concerns the Christian religion, its followers and the Church with its various denominations, from the first century to the present. Christianity was founded in the 1st century by the followers of Jesus of Nazareth who they believed to be the Christ or chosen one of God...
at University of Innsbruck in 1874, and 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 ....
of the cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
of Salzburg in 1880. He was promoted to rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of seminary of Salzburg in 1882.
On June 4, 1891, Katschthaler was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Salzburg and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Cybistra by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
, receiving his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following July 12 from Archbishop Johann Evangelist Haller. After becoming dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
of the metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
chapter of Salzburg in 1892, he was later elected the seventy-fourth Archbishop of Salzburg
Archbishopric of Salzburg
The Archbishopric of Salzburg was an ecclesiastical State of the Holy Roman Empire, its territory roughly congruent with the present-day Austrian state of Salzburg....
by the cathedral chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
on May 10, 1900, being confirmed by Pope Leo on the following December 17. In virtue of his new position, Katschthaler also held the title of Primas Germaniae
Primas Germaniae
Primas Germaniae is a historical title of honour for the most important Catholic bishop in Germany.Since at least 965 the Title was held by the Archbishop of Mainz as most important Archbishop and most noble Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire until the See of Mainz was secularized in 1803...
.
Leo XIII created him Cardinal Priest
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of S. Tommaso in Parione in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of June 22, 1903. However, as a privilege of his see
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
, Katschthaler was already allowed to wear the scarlet robes traditionally reserved for cardinals
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
even before his elevation to the Sacred College
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
. During his tenure, he participated in the papal conclave of 1903
Papal conclave, 1903
The Papal conclave of 1903 was caused by the death of the 93-year-old Pope Leo XIII, who at that stage was the third-longest reigning pope in history....
, which selected 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...
, and promoted the Theological Faculty of Salzburg to form a separate University. In 1911, he was decorated with the Grand Cross
Grand Cross
The phrase Grand Cross is used to denote the highest grade in many orders of knighthood. Sometimes the holders of the highest grade are referred to "knights grand cross" or just "grand crosses"; in other cases the actual insignia itself is called "the grand cross".Alternatively, in some other...
of the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Order of Sankt Stefan.
The Cardinal died in Salzburg, at age 81. He is buried in the metropolitan cathedral of Salzburg.