German Bartholomites

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The German Bartholomites (also Bartholomäer or Communists ) were founded in 1640 by Bartholomäus Holzhauser (1613-1658) in Swabia as the "Institute of the world priests living in community " ( Latin : Institutum clericorum saecularium in commune viventium ), which is based on the attraction and Education of good preachers and pastors in Roman Catholic seminaries and the mutual support of the members made the task.

history

The Bartholomites, as they called themselves after their founder Bartholomäus Holzhauser, were particularly widespread in southern Germany, Bavaria and Austria , and members were also found in Posen and Spain . Initially, the community consisted of the Institute for Youth, the Institute for Clergy and the Hospital for Pastoralists. The fraternal community of living and property is peculiar to this priestly community; women were not welcome in the rectory. The members took a simple vow of loyalty and obedience and committed themselves to simple ascetic training, whereby the catechetical - homiletic training should be formative.

Pope Innocent XI. confirmed the priesthood in 1680. By the end of the 18th century, they had only survived in a few Bavarian and Swabian dioceses. The under Pope Pius IX. and Leo XIII. Attempts made to found priestly societies on the model of the Bartholomites were unsuccessful. The president of the community was directly subordinate to the Pope, but could only make decisions with the consent of the bishops .

literature