Leonard Goffiné
Encyclopedia
Leonard Goffiné was a German Catholic priest who wrote devotional texts which remained influential in his country for two centuries afterwards.
Born in Cologne
, or according to some, Broich
, at the age of nineteen he entered the Norbertine Abbey of Steinfeld, in the Eifel
district of Germany, and commenced his two years novitiate
in July 1667. Having made his solemn Profession
on 16 July 1667, he was sent for his course of philosophy and theology to the Norbertine college in Cologne. Ordained priest on Ember Saturday before Christmas
, 1667, Goffine was sent to Dünwald
to assist the priests who were charged with the direction of the parish and the convent of the Norbertine canonesses. In the same capacity he was afterwards sent to Ellen, where there was also a convent
of Norbertine nuns. Goffine remained four years in each of these places, being recalled by the abbot, 26 February 1680, to fill the office of novice master in the abbey. He was next given charge of the parish of Clarholz, which was incorporated with the Norbertine abbey of the same name, in the diocese
of Osnabrück
, for owing to the dearth of priests due Lutheranism
and the Thirty Year War, abbots and bishops were obliged to have recourse to other dioceses and religious orders to fill the vacancies.
Goffine remained at Clarholz five years (1680–85), and was sent thence to Niederehe, a priory which the Abbey of Steinfeld possessed in the Archdiocese of Trier
. He remained in Niederehe but a very short time, being sent in 1885 to assist the clergy of St. Lambert's at Coesfield, in the Diocese of Munster. He left Coesfeld in 1691, when, at the urgent request of the Archbishop of Trier, he undertook the charge of the parishes, first of Wehr, then of Rheinböllen
, and afterwards of Idar-Oberstein
, from December, 1696, until his death in 1719. While parish priest of Oberstein (a mostly Protestant town) he had also to attend the Catholics living in Weiersbach, in the Diocese of Mainz. Goffine himself states that he had taken St. Norbert
, the founder of his order, as his model, "because St. Norbert cared and worked so much for the salvation of souls."
While he was at Coesfeld he wrote his best-known work, Handpostille oder Christkatholische Unterrichtungen auf alle Sonn und Feyer-tagen des ganzen Jahrs (brief commentaries or Postil
s in the form of question and answer on the Proper of the mass, principally on the Epistle and gospel of the day). This book was ready in 1687, and in 1688 it received the imprimatur
of the Vicar-General of Münster
, and in 1690 the approbation of Rev. William Heimbach, Norbertine prior of Meer
, and of Rev. John Dirking, Rector
of the Jesuit college of Hildesheim
. The first edition, printed in Mainz in 1690, was soon exhausted, and a second edition was printed in Cologne in 1692. Translations have been made into Moravian, Bohemian, Hungarian, English, French, Italian, and Flemish.
Born in 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...
, or according to some, Broich
Broich
Broich may refer to several places in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany :*Broich, a part of Dormagen...
, at the age of nineteen he entered the Norbertine Abbey of Steinfeld, in the Eifel
Eifel
The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....
district of Germany, and commenced his two years 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 July 1667. Having made his solemn Profession
Profession (religious)
The term religious profession is defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church in relation to members of religious institutes as follows:By religious profession members make a public vow to observe the three evangelical counsels...
on 16 July 1667, he was sent for his course of philosophy and theology to the Norbertine college in Cologne. Ordained priest on Ember Saturday before Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, 1667, Goffine was sent to Dünwald
Dünwald
Dünwald is a municipality in the Unstrut-Hainich district of Thuringia, Germany....
to assist the priests who were charged with the direction of the parish and the convent of the Norbertine canonesses. In the same capacity he was afterwards sent to Ellen, where there was also a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
of Norbertine nuns. Goffine remained four years in each of these places, being recalled by the abbot, 26 February 1680, to fill the office of novice master in the abbey. He was next given charge of the parish of Clarholz, which was incorporated with the Norbertine abbey of the same name, in the diocese
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...
of Osnabrück
Osnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
, for owing to the dearth of priests due Lutheranism
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
and the Thirty Year War, abbots and bishops were obliged to have recourse to other dioceses and religious orders to fill the vacancies.
Goffine remained at Clarholz five years (1680–85), and was sent thence to Niederehe, a priory which the Abbey of Steinfeld possessed in the Archdiocese of Trier
Archbishopric of Trier
The Archbishopric of Trier was a Roman Catholic diocese in Germany, that existed from Carolingian times until the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Its suffragans were the dioceses of Metz, Toul and Verdun. Since the 9th century the Archbishops of Trier were simultaneously princes and since the 11th...
. He remained in Niederehe but a very short time, being sent in 1885 to assist the clergy of St. Lambert's at Coesfield, in the Diocese of Munster. He left Coesfeld in 1691, when, at the urgent request of the Archbishop of Trier, he undertook the charge of the parishes, first of Wehr, then of Rheinböllen
Rheinböllen
Rheinböllen is a town in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the seat of the like-named Verbandsgemeinde, and also belongs to it.-Location:...
, and afterwards of Idar-Oberstein
Idar-Oberstein
Idar-Oberstein is a town in the Birkenfeld district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. As a Große kreisangehörige Stadt , it assumes some of the responsibilities that for smaller municipalities in the district are assumed by the district administration...
, from December, 1696, until his death in 1719. While parish priest of Oberstein (a mostly Protestant town) he had also to attend the Catholics living in Weiersbach, in the Diocese of Mainz. Goffine himself states that he had taken St. Norbert
St. Norbert
St. Norbert is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba.-Historical riding:The original riding of St. Norbert was established at the time of the province's creation in 1870. For the 1870 provincial election, it was divided into two separate ridings: St. Norbert North...
, the founder of his order, as his model, "because St. Norbert cared and worked so much for the salvation of souls."
While he was at Coesfeld he wrote his best-known work, Handpostille oder Christkatholische Unterrichtungen auf alle Sonn und Feyer-tagen des ganzen Jahrs (brief commentaries or Postil
Postil
Postil or Postilla: a medieval Latin term for a marginal note or a Biblical commentary affixed to a text, being an abbreviation of the phrase post illa verba textus...
s in the form of question and answer on the Proper of the mass, principally on the Epistle and gospel of the day). This book was ready in 1687, and in 1688 it received the imprimatur
Imprimatur
An imprimatur is, in the proper sense, a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement.-Catholic Church:...
of the Vicar-General of Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
, and in 1690 the approbation of Rev. William Heimbach, Norbertine prior of Meer
Meer
*Meer may refer to:*Fatima Meer, South African writer and anti-apartheid activist*Simon van der Meer*Mir Taqi Mir, an Urdu poet*Meer in the Netherlands*Meer in the Netherlands*Mir, a Canadian rock band, pronounced "meer"...
, and of Rev. John Dirking, 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 the Jesuit college of Hildesheim
Hildesheim
Hildesheim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the district of Hildesheim, about 30 km southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste river, which is a small tributary of the Leine river...
. The first edition, printed in Mainz in 1690, was soon exhausted, and a second edition was printed in Cologne in 1692. Translations have been made into Moravian, Bohemian, Hungarian, English, French, Italian, and Flemish.
Other books
- Auslegung der Regel des heiligen Augustinus (Cologne, 1692);
- Trostbuch in Trübsalen (Cologne)
- Cibus animæ matutinalis, etc. (Cologne, 1705)
- Sermons for the whole year, 2 vols. (Nuremberg, 1705)
- Erklarung des Katechismi Petri Canisii (Cologne, 1712)
- Die Lehre Christi (Cologne, 1715)
- Kleiner Kinder-katechismus (Cologne, 1717)
- Der Wachter des gottlichen Worts (Cologne, 1718)
- Praxes Sacræ seu modus explicandi cæremonias per annum (Frankfurt, 1719).