Petrus Gerl

Peter Gerl OSB (* 13. July 1718 in Straubing ; † 15. October 1781 in Prüfening ) was a German Benedictine and abbot in the monastery Prüfening in Regensburg .

biography

Petrus Gerl entered the Benedictine Abbey in 1735 and made his solemn profession here after the novitiate on October 28, 1736 . He then completed his philosophical and theological training in the joint study of the Bavarian Benedictine Congregation , which at that time was housed by Rott Monastery . After completing his studies, he was ordained a priest at the beginning of 1742 . In the following years he was first employed as a pastor in the parish of Sinzing , which was looked after by the monastery checking , and then in Hemau , where the monastery had a provost's office.

After the death of Abbot Roman II. Kieser, Petrus Gerl was elected as his successor on February 17, 1756 by the monks of the convent. As an abbot, Petrus Gerl promoted academic activities in the Abbey of Tests, in particular the study of philosophy and theology as well as history and canon law. This also included taking care of the modern equipment of the library inChecking; for them he acquired, among other things, the current critical editions of the writings of the church fathers, for which the Benedictines of the French Congregation of Maurinians were responsible. The monastery gained a reputation as an excellent center of learning and science at that time.

Under Abbot Petrus Gerl, the parish church of Mariae Visitation, which was destroyed by fire, was rebuilt from 1759 in the parish of Hohenschambach , which is subordinate to the monastery . In addition, the estate in Puch ( Puchhof Castle ) belonging to the monastery was rebuilt from 1768 and the Romanesque chapel there was renewed in the Rococo style and decorated with frescoes by Otto Gebhard . In addition, the city palace of the monastery in Regensburg was rebuilt (at today's Bismarckplatz ). Despite these construction measures, Abbot Petrus Gerl managed to reorganize the economic and financial situation of the monastery, which was still tense when he took office due to the previous wars ( War of the Spanish Succession and War of Austrian Succession ).

In 1768 Petrus Gerl was elected Abbot President of the Bavarian Benedictine Congregation; he held this office until 1781. From Elector Maximilian III. As a token of recognition, Joseph received the title of court chaplain. In 1781 Abbot Petrus Gerl was appointed by Elector Karl II. Theodor as the elector's commissioner and conductor of the Bavarian schools. In this function he spent three months in Munich discussing the introduction of the Order of Malta in Bavaria. Petrus Gerl had advocated using the assets of the branches of the abolished Jesuit order as a donation for the Maltese.

Abbot Petrus Gerl returned sick from Munich and died shortly afterwards in the convent inprüfunging . The eulogy and funeral speech for the deceased was given by Abbot Joseph Maria Hiendl from Oberalteich Monastery and published in Regensburg in the same year.

Petrus Gerl was considered an excellent preacher in his time. Some of his sermons have appeared in print. The electoral-Bavarian learned society for the promotion of spiritual eloquence and catechetics had made him an honorary member in 1779.

Sermons (selection)

• Seeds, and fruit, In which Benedeyung of God. In a funeral and praise speech about the high absenteeism of the dignified-high-noble lord, Mr. Dominici II. Ordinis SP Benedicti Des ancient-exempten Closter-Stiffts Oberaltaich Jubilaei Professi, priests, and dignified Abbten , Straubing 1758.
• The new antiquity. in a speech of praise and honor as the Hochw. Mr. Beda abbot in Wessobrunn his 2nd St. Jubilee mass sacrifice held , Augsburg 1758.
• Seelig speech of the Weyland Venerable, Highly Noble-Bored Mr. Henrici, of the highly commendable-Exempten Closter-Stifts on the mountain S. Joannis Evangelistae zu Mallerstorff OSP Benedicti Most Worthy Abbot , Regenspurg 1758 ( digitalisat on bavarikon.de).
• The virtue eternalized according to the name in the greatness of grace. In a funeral and consolation speech about the high death case of ... Joannis Baptistae, Des ... Reichs-Stiffts zu St. Emmeram in Regenspurg Ord. SP Benedicti Worthy Abbten , Regensburg 1762
• The Weyland Venerable in God, Hochedelgebohrne Herr, Herr Henricus, of the highly praised Closter Frauenzell, next Prennberg, Ord. S. Benedicti, Würdigister Abbt , Regensburg 1766.

literature

• August Lindner: The writers and the members of the Benedictine order in today's Kingdom of Bavaria from 1750 to the present , Volume 1, Regensburg 1880, SS 246f. (with additions in the addendum, p. 29f.).
• Rudolf Reiser : Gerl, Peter. In: Karl Bosl (ed.): Bosls Bavarian biography. Pustet, Regensburg 1983, ISBN 3-7917-0792-2 , p. 251 ( digitized version ).

Web links

• Praise and funeral speech for Abbot Petrus Gerl on bavarikon.de
• Totenrotel by Abbot Petrus Gerls on bavarikon.de

predecessor	Office	successor
Roman Kieser	Abbot of the Monastery ofprüfung 1756–1781	Martin Pronath
Benno Vogelsanger	Abbot praeses of the Bavarian Benedictine Congregation 1768–1781	Joseph Maria Hiendl