Franz Schmid (theologian)

Franz Schmid Capitular Vicar of Brixen, 1918–21

Franz Schmid (back row, middle person), front center, Prince Bishop Simon Aichner von Brixen.

Franz Schmid (born October 5, 1844 in Terenten ; † September 18, 1922 ) was the vicar of the capitular of the diocese of Brixen .

After Prince-Bishop Simon Aichner , Franz Schmid achieved the greatest importance among the priests born in Terento . Anselm Sparber wrote an honorable obituary about him in the Catholic Church newspaper in Salzburg in 1927, No. 37. Franz Schmid was born on October 5, 1844 in Terenten. He began his school career with the Augustinian canons in Neustift. In Innsbruck he began to study philosophy , at the Germanicum in Rome he devoted himself to theology. He completed his studies with a doctorate in philosophy and theology. He was ordained a priest in Rome on May 25, 1872. After years of pastoral work, he was called to a spiritual position at the seminary in Brixen in 1879 . Soon he took over the chair for church history and in 1882 that for special dogmatics.

He wrote several important theological works:

• De Inspirationis Bibliorum vi et ratione , Weger, Brixen 1885
• Quaestiones selecte ex Teologia dogmatica , Paderborn, Schöningh 1891
• The Extraordinary Healing Paths for Fallen Humanity , Tyrolia 1899.

Other writings of his are:

• Christ as a prophet , Tyrolia 1892
• The Effectiveness of Petition , Tyrolia 1895
• The Sacramentals of the Catholic Church , Tyrolia 1896
• Belief in immortality and resurrection in the Bible , Tyrolia 1904
• Purgatory according to Catholic teaching , Tyrolia 1904
• The Purification of Souls in the Hereafter , Tyrolia 1907

There were also many learned articles and treatises in theological journals. He gained a great reputation through his scientific work. In 1894 he was appointed canon , about ten years later papal house prelate , and in 1908 he succeeded Dr. Franz Egger on the seminar rain and finally in 1917 as vicar general and cathedral provost .

After Prince-Bishop Franz Egger's death on May 17, 1918, Franz Schmid was elected vicar of the capitular and administered the diocese of Bressanone on a provisional basis. As a result of the political events, Tyrol was divided up between Austria and Italy shortly afterwards, and large diocesan areas, including the bishopric of Brixen, fell to Italy. Therefore there was a vacancy of the bishop's chair for several years, in which the diocese was passed on by vicar Franz Schmid. It was not until 1921 that Franz Egger received a successor as bishop (no longer prince-bishop) of the diocese of Brixen in the person of Johannes Raffl and Franz Schmid was able to resign from his office. The parts of the diocese that remained with Austria (mainly North Tyrol) were separated from the diocese of Brixen in 1925.

Franz Schmid headed the diocese of Brixen (1918–1921) - without ever having been a bishop - for three years as a capitular vicar, during an extremely difficult time.

literature

• J. Nössing:  Schmid Franz. In: Austrian Biographical Lexicon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Volume 10, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 1994, ISBN 3-7001-2186-5 , p. 258.