Roman Schäffler

Roman Schäffler OSB (born February 3, 1632 in Meersburg am Bodensee , † September 26, 1686 in Metten ) was a monk and abbot in the Bavarian Benedictine abbey of Metten .

biography

Roman Schäffler made his profession in Metten Monastery in 1653 and was ordained a priest in 1657 after studying philosophy and theology. In the years 1664–1666 he worked as a pastoral care worker in the Stephansposching parish entrusted to the Metten monastery. After the death of Abbot Johann Jakob Schleich he was elected by the Metten monks on October 1, 1668 as his successor; he received the abbot's benediction on June 15, 1670.

Through clever economic management, Abbot Roman Schäffler was able to improve the financial situation of the monastery and repay part of the debts. In addition, he continued the structural renovation of the monastery begun by his predecessors. Among other things, one of the two church towers was renewed during his tenure.

The term of office of Abbot Roman Schäffler was marked by the protracted disputes over the establishment of the Bavarian Benedictine Congregation . Under Abbot Johannes Nablas , the Metten Monastery in 1627 approved plans to establish a congregation of Bavarian Benedictine monasteries. But now Abbot Roman Schäffler expressed serious concerns about the congregation, especially because of the expected costs. Abbot Coelestin Vogl of St. Emmeram in Regensburg , who wanted to advance the congregational plans, could not persuade Abbot von Metten to give in either. In 1674, Abbot Roman Schäffler declared that Metten would not join the planned congregation. He repeated this rejection again in 1684, when the Bavarian Benedictine Congregation through a breve from Pope Innocent XI. was built. In the following years the members of the Bavarian Congregation tried unsuccessfully to persuade Abbot Roman Schäffler and his convent to join.

literature

• Wilhelm Fink , History of the Development of the Benedictine Abbey of Metten. Part 1: The Book of Professions of the Abbey (Studies and Communications on the History of the Benedictine Order and its Branches, Supplement 1/1), Munich 1926, 38.
• Rupert Mittermüller , The Metten Monastery and His Aebte: An overview of the history of this old Benedictine monastery , Straubing 1856, pp. 179–188.

predecessor	Office	successor
Johann Jakob Schleich	Abbot of Metten Monastery 1668–1686	Benedikt Ferg