Friedrich Wessely (theologian)

Friedrich Wessely (born May 12, 1901 in Vienna ; † December 6, 1970 ibid) was a Roman Catholic theologian , university professor and founder of the Legion of Mary in Austria .

Life

His father was Camillo Wessely († 1946) from Bilin , his mother was Gisela Gulyas († 1926), who was born in Kaposvár . He was born the youngest of three children. He graduated from the Hernalser Gymnasium Geblergasse in 1920 with the Matura and in the same year began studying at the medical faculty of the University of Vienna , but after a short time switched to studying history and art history. In 1923 he was accepted as a full member of the Institute for Austrian Historical Research.

In 1923/24 he stayed in Rome, where he carried out studies on the politics of Pope Paul V at the Vatican Archives . With a dissertation on this topic he was on 25 March 1926 Doctor of Philosophy PhD . In 1924/25 he researched the ecclesiastical policy of Emperor Joseph I. This work served as the basis for the state examination in the summer of 1925.

priest

The sermons of Fr. Friedrich Kronseder SJ , who had stayed in Vienna from 1920 to 1923, made a great impression on him and prompted Wessely to enter the Vienna seminary in autumn 1926 and begin studying Catholic theology . On 13 July 1930 he was of cardinal Piffl for ordained priests .

From 1930 to 1933 he worked as chaplain of the parish of St. Othmar in Mödling , and from October 1, 1933 he was prefect of studies at the Vienna seminary. Here he began to study mysticism and was awarded a doctorate in theology on May 29, 1936 with a dissertation on the doctrine of perfection of Meister Eckhart . From 1934 until his appointment in 1940 he made regular contributions to the monthly correspondence of the priestly prayer club . On October 1, 1937, he was appointed spiritual director of the seminary. On June 3, 1938, his work on John of the Cross was accepted as a habilitation in morality and mysticism.

University professor

On January 14, 1939 , he received his license to teach and in the summer semester of 1939 began lecturing on The History of Piety in Modern Times at the University of Vienna. He had to finish these lectures as early as January 1940 because the National Socialist rulers withdrew his teaching license without giving a reason. Although the Vienna seminary was spared from being repealed by the National Socialists, most seminarians were drafted into military service. Wessely was therefore entrusted from 1942 with pastoral care in various Viennese women's monasteries and with holding seminars and retreats as part of the theological courses for lay people.

During this time, Wessely got to know the writings of Cardinal Bérulles and the "French School", which in the 17th century sought an inner renewal of the French clergy. He also became acquainted with Ludwig Maria von Montfort's "Perfect devotion to Maria". The on October 31, 1942 by Pope Pius XII. Completed consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary was the final impetus for Wessely to realize his plans to reorganize the formation of priests in the Vienna seminary. He founded the Oratorium Sanctissimae Trinitatis (German Oratory of the Most Holy Trinity ), which was provisionally approved in 1943 by the then Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Vienna, Franz Kamprath . This priestly community included Hans Groër and Karl Hörmann , Franz Kamprath, Johann Kurz and Franz Sotola. After the end of the war, the then rain of the Vienna seminary, Walter Taubert, did not accept Wessely's plans to reorganize the training of priests. Therefore, Wessely resigned his office as spiritual and concentrated on teaching at the University of Vienna, where he became a lecturer in October 1945 and in 1946 an associate professor for Christian philosophy and mysticism at the theological faculty.

On September 2, 1945 he moved to the Salesian convent on Rennweg in Vienna III , where he lived until his death. In November 1946 he was appointed confessor of the sisters, from December 1, 1947 he was rector of the Visitation Church there.

Legion of Mary

In 1948 he gave a series of sermons on “The Mystery of Mary”, for which he advertised with posters all over Vienna and which ended on April 28 with the “perfect devotion to Jesus through Mary”. In the same year Wessely met the Legion of Mary and realized that their goals coincided with his efforts. On January 24, 1949, Cardinal Theodor Innitzer gave him permission to found the Legion in Austria and was appointed clergyman of the first presidium of the Legion of Mary. On February 2nd the first praesidium was founded in Vienna, on July 24th the first Curia was established in Vienna and the expansion of the Legion in the other federal states of Austria began. The following year the Curia was converted into a Senatus. The first meeting of the Senate took place on July 25, 1950, and Wessely became spiritual director.

In May 1951 he founded the Legion magazine Regina Legionis (German: Queen of the Legion ), for which he wrote a large part of the articles in the following years. He made the Legion of Mary known in Austria through letters to Catholic priests and through several articles in theological journals. An important concern of his was the religious training of the legionaries. In October 1951 he built a retreat house in Maria Sorg in the Irenental near Untertullnerbach . On July 16, 1954, he organized a legionary congress in the Sacré-Coeur monastery in Vienna and used the pilgrimages to Mariazell during the Marian Year for increased advertising.

From 1954 Wessely was also church rector for the church at the court in Vienna I . From 1955 he published the yearbook of mystical theology. In the same year he became aware of dubious practices by legionaries in other countries. Wessely shared these concerns with the Legion's founder, Frank Duff . An exchange of letters that lasted several months could dispel Wessely's doubts. He made further efforts in the years that followed to expand the Legion. In March 1960, he suffered a first stroke and took early retirement as a university professor.

In the Senatus of the Legion of Mary a discussion broke out this year about the methods of the Legion of Mary. Wessely was accused of being too strict. Wessely resigned from his position as clergyman and Heribert Bastel became his successor. An envoy of the Concilium in Dublin visited the Senatus in Vienna and after a new election of the Senatus officers, Wessely was again spiritual director from 1961.

From 1967 onwards it was increasingly difficult for Wessely to work with the Senatus officers. From 1969 he was therefore almost exclusively active as the spiritual director of the Curiae outside Vienna. For health reasons, he proposed Hans Hermann Groër as the new spiritual director of the Senatus; Groër was appointed in 1970. Wessely remained editor of the Regina Legionis. From 1969/70 he published the magazine Our goal - Our way .

He died on December 6, 1970 and was buried on December 11 at the Vienna Central Cemetery in a priest's grave in the Archdiocese of Vienna .

Remarks

1. ↑ The later spiritual at the Hollabrunn boys' seminar .
2. ↑ Excerpt from the letter to Frank Duff (1956): The way in which one, at least in Europe, meets the priests, the position one takes on the Suenens book , the expansion strategy , the treatment of the ambassadors, all of this seems to me to be ideal of the manual and to be incorrect. You will believe me that if the Legion failed, it would be the greatest disappointment of my life. Quoted from A. Liechtenstein: Friedrich Wessely , p. 276f.

Works

• John of the Cross, the teacher of the perfect life . Mayer & Co, Vienna 1938
• Life from God and for God . Kösel-Pustet, Munich 1940
• Dr. Lothar Kugler. The chaplain of St. Othmar in Mödling . Herder, Vienna 1948
• Confession as a means of healing . Herder, Vienna 1949
• Venture for God. Nature and effectiveness of the Legion of Mary . Self-published, Vienna 1949
• One with God through Mary . Lichiner, Vienna 1950
• The Legion of Mary . Habbel, Vienna 1951
• The ascent of the soul to God according to the spiritual song of St. Johannes v. Cross . Habbel, Vienna 1951
• Edited by Johannes vom Kreuz, Ascent to Mount Carmel . 3 vols. Heiler, Vienna 1953
• PM Gabriel (pseudonym Wesselys): Without light on a dark path. Days of reflection for pious and indecent people . Heiler, Vienna 1960
• The Legion and the Legionnaire. Brief introduction to the Legion's manual . Heiler, Vienna 1961
• What is God calling me to do? Heiler, Vienna 1961
• The Legion of Mary, its becoming and growing . Heiler, Vienna 1964
• God has blessed our country . Heiler, Vienna 1964

Articles in magazines (selection)

• Correspondence from the priestly prayer club . 1934-1940, 1949 and 1951
• Yearbook of Mystical Theology . 1955-1968
• Regina Legionis . 1981-1970
• Our way - our goal . 1970-1972

Published posthumously

• Allocutiones 1952. Spiritual instruction for the Queen of the Universe Presidium of the Legion of Mary . Private print, Vienna 1971
• Allocutiones 1954. Spiritual instruction for the Queen of the Universe Presidium of the Legion of Mary . Private print, Vienna 1971
• The mystery of Mary. Eight sermons . Private printing of the Senatus of the Legion of Mary in Austria, Vienna 1973 (reproduction of the sermons Wessely delivered from April 21-28, 1948)
• Spirit and life of the Legio Mariae . Private printing of the Senatus of the Legion of Mary in Austria, Vienna 1974

literature

• Martin Deininger: Univ. Prof. DDr. Friedrich Wessely and the Oratorium Sanctissimae Trinitatis. Diploma thesis, University of Vienna 1984
• Adelheid Liechtenstein OCist: Friedrich Wessely 1901–1970 . Salterrae, Maria Roggendorf 1988
• Franz Loidl : Friedrich Wessely, a life for mysticism and the Legion of Mary. In: Spirituality in Morals, Festschrift Hörmann. Vienna 1975

Web links

• Literature by and about Friedrich Wessely in the catalog of the German National Library