Lanspergius
Encyclopedia
John Justus of Landsberg (1489, Landsberg am Lech
– 1539) was a German Carthusian monk
and ascetical writer.
His family name was Gerecht, of which Justus is merely a Latin translation. The appellation, however, by which he is generally known is that of Lanspergius (latinization 'of Landsberg'), from his birthplace.
in Bavaria
1489, died at Cologne on 11 August 1539. After studying philosophy
at the University of Cologne
, he joined the Carthusian Order at the age of twenty (1509), entering the Charterhouse of St. Barbara at Cologne
. He was named novice-master there in 1520, and in 1530 became prior
of the Charterhouse of Cantave near Juliers, where according to Hartzheim, he was also preacher (concionator) to the Court of William, Duke of Juliers, and confessor to the duke's mother. The unhealthy climate of that country, together with the fatigue resulting from his continuous literary labors and his excessive austerities, so ruined his health, already impaired by various internal complaints, that in 1534, he had to return to Cologne, where a few years later he was named sub-prior and remained in that office until his death.
He was a monk of saintly life, employing all the time he could spare from his duties towards others in prayer, contemplation and writing on ascetical and mystical subjects.
He was not a polemist. Among his productions the only ones of a controversial kind are two dissertations against Lutheran errors (from the Catholic point of view) and in defense of the monastic life. These two treatises are also all that he wrote in German, his other writings being in Latin.
The chief feature of his writings is ardent and tender piety
. The love of God for man, calling for a corresponding love of man for God, is his usual theme treated in various ways. One thing particularly worthy of mark is the frequency with which he speaks of the Heart of Christ, and pressingly exhorts every Christian to take the Sacred Heart
as an object of special love, veneration and imitation. Indeed it may perhaps be said that no one before him had laid down and explained so clearly the principles upon which that devotion is grounded, nor had so developed their practical application. He was one of the last, and was perhaps the most precise in language, of those whose written teachings paved the way for Blessed Margaret Mary and her mission, and helped to prepare the Catholic mind for the great devotion of modern times. To him also Catholics owed the first Latin edition (Cologne, 1536) of the "Revelations of Saint Gertrude".
The best known of his treatises is the "Alloquia Jesu Christi ad animam fidelem", which has been translated into Spanish, Italian, French and English. The English translation, done by Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel, who died in the Tower of London
under Elizabeth I Tudor, has reached its fourth edition (London, 1867).
A new and revised edition of all the works of Lanspergius in Latin has been issued by the Carthusian press of Notre-Dame-des-Prés (Tournai, 1890), in five quarto volumes. The same press has published separately the treatise "Pharetra Divini Amoris" (18mo., 1892) and a French version of the "Alloquia", ntitled "Entretiens de Jésus Christ avec l'âme fidèle" (18mo, 1896).
Landsberg am Lech
Landsberg am Lech is a town in southwest Bavaria, Germany, about 65 kilometers west of Munich and 35 kilometers south of Augsburg. It is the capital of the district of Landsberg am Lech....
– 1539) was a German Carthusian monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
and ascetical writer.
His family name was Gerecht, of which Justus is merely a Latin translation. The appellation, however, by which he is generally known is that of Lanspergius (latinization 'of Landsberg'), from his birthplace.
Biography
He was born at Landsberg am LechLandsberg am Lech
Landsberg am Lech is a town in southwest Bavaria, Germany, about 65 kilometers west of Munich and 35 kilometers south of Augsburg. It is the capital of the district of Landsberg am Lech....
in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
1489, died at Cologne on 11 August 1539. After studying 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...
at the University of Cologne
University of Cologne
The University of Cologne is one of the oldest universities in Europe and, with over 44,000 students, one of the largest universities in Germany. The university is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, an association of Germany's leading research universities...
, he joined the Carthusian Order at the age of twenty (1509), entering the Charterhouse of St. Barbara at Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. He was named novice-master there in 1520, and in 1530 became prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
of the Charterhouse of Cantave near Juliers, where according to Hartzheim, he was also preacher (concionator) to the Court of William, Duke of Juliers, and confessor to the duke's mother. The unhealthy climate of that country, together with the fatigue resulting from his continuous literary labors and his excessive austerities, so ruined his health, already impaired by various internal complaints, that in 1534, he had to return to Cologne, where a few years later he was named sub-prior and remained in that office until his death.
He was a monk of saintly life, employing all the time he could spare from his duties towards others in prayer, contemplation and writing on ascetical and mystical subjects.
Writings
His literary works comprise paraphrases and homilies on the Epistles and Gospels of the liturgical year, sermons for Sundays and festivals, meditations and discourses on the Life and Passion of Christ, and a variety of treatises, sermons, letters, meditations etc. on subjects pertaining to the spiritual life.He was not a polemist. Among his productions the only ones of a controversial kind are two dissertations against Lutheran errors (from the Catholic point of view) and in defense of the monastic life. These two treatises are also all that he wrote in German, his other writings being in Latin.
The chief feature of his writings is ardent and tender piety
Piety
In spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue that can mean religious devotion, spirituality, or a combination of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility.- Etymology :...
. The love of God for man, calling for a corresponding love of man for God, is his usual theme treated in various ways. One thing particularly worthy of mark is the frequency with which he speaks of the Heart of Christ, and pressingly exhorts every Christian to take the Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
as an object of special love, veneration and imitation. Indeed it may perhaps be said that no one before him had laid down and explained so clearly the principles upon which that devotion is grounded, nor had so developed their practical application. He was one of the last, and was perhaps the most precise in language, of those whose written teachings paved the way for Blessed Margaret Mary and her mission, and helped to prepare the Catholic mind for the great devotion of modern times. To him also Catholics owed the first Latin edition (Cologne, 1536) of the "Revelations of Saint Gertrude".
The best known of his treatises is the "Alloquia Jesu Christi ad animam fidelem", which has been translated into Spanish, Italian, French and English. The English translation, done by Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel, who died in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
under Elizabeth I Tudor, has reached its fourth edition (London, 1867).
A new and revised edition of all the works of Lanspergius in Latin has been issued by the Carthusian press of Notre-Dame-des-Prés (Tournai, 1890), in five quarto volumes. The same press has published separately the treatise "Pharetra Divini Amoris" (18mo., 1892) and a French version of the "Alloquia", ntitled "Entretiens de Jésus Christ avec l'âme fidèle" (18mo, 1896).