Thomas Geiselhart

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Thomas Geiselhart (born February 17, 1811 in Steinhilben near Trochtelfingen , † June 16, 1891 in Sigmaringen ) was a German Catholic priest and pastor.

Life

Thomas Geiselhart came from a poor farming family in the Swabian Alb . His parents could not give him a higher education. Because he was financially supported by wealthy families during his school days and his theology studies , he decided after his ordination to look after poor children himself. From 1844 Geiselhart was pastor in Veringenstadt , from 1850 in Sigmaringen.

As a priest in Hohenzollern , Thomas Geiselhart was a preacher of God's word in word and deed. The plight of the Hohenzollern was a challenge for him that kept him busy all his life. In 1856 he founded a boys' seminar in Sigmaringen called the Seminarum Fidelianum , which gave young boys from the country the opportunity to complete a higher education. In 1859 he founded the "Nazareth Orphanage" in order to offer orphans a home, upbringing and schooling.

House of Nazareth

The "Archbishop's Children's Home Haus Nazareth" is now a church foundation under public law under the supervision of the Archbishop's Ordinariate Freiburg .

The foundation sees Thomas Geiselhart's intention to help people in need out of Christian charity as a mission. In addition to children, adolescents, mothers and families are also offered adequate help in their life situations, some of which are characterized by crises. Around 150 children and young people are currently being looked after. Around 240 people work for the facility, which offers a variety of other social services.

The Nazareth house maintains numerous properties with the appropriate infrastructure.

reception

The Catholic Caritas social station Sigmaringen bears the name Thomas Geiselharts. He is regarded as a kind of patron of Caritas work in Hohenzollern and above all - from 1850 - in Sigmaringen. To this day he is considered a role model for charitable activities among the Christians there. There is also a street named after him, Geiselhartstraße , west of Gorheim.

museum

The Geiselhart Museum at the Nazareth House in Sigmaringen is dedicated to Thomas Geiselhart. It shows contemporary documents and exhibits that provide information about the work of Thomas Geiselhart; it is supervised by the Haus Nazareth Foundation.

literature

  • Bruno Effinger: Historical personalities. In: District of Sigmaringen (Hrsg.): The district of Sigmaringen - history and shape. Jan Thorbecke Verlag, Sigmaringen 1981, pp. 278f. ISBN 3-7995-1066-4

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Divine service is reminiscent of Geiselhart . In: Schwäbische Zeitung from February 16, 2011
  2. ^ Ute Korn-Amann: Deanery Conference leads to the Geiselhart Museum . In: Schwäbische Zeitung from February 18, 2011
personal data
SURNAME Geiselhart, Thomas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German Catholic priest
DATE OF BIRTH February 17, 1811
PLACE OF BIRTH Steinhilben
DATE OF DEATH June 16, 1891
Place of death Sigmaringen