Vincent Gasser

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Prince-Bishop Vinzenz Gasser, oil painting by A. Pezzei, 1878, in the Diocesan Museum of Bressanone

Vinzenz Gasser (born October 30, 1809 in Gfas im Oberinntal , † April 6, 1879 in Brixen ) was an Austrian theologian , philosopher , politician and Prince-Bishop of Brixen . He also worked as a professor for the Old Testament and was a member of the Frankfurt National Assembly . He played an important role during the First Vatican Council . Shortly before his death, he founded the Vinzentinum boys' seminar in Brixen , which was later named after him.

Life

Youth and Studies

Vinzenz Gasser was born in Gfas near Inzing in the Oberinntal as the son of the farmer Anna (nee Partner) and the respected farm owner and tanner Vinzenz Gasser in Inzing. He had eight siblings and grew up with them in his parents' house.

After attending winter school in Inzing for six years, his parents decided to let him study. In October 1821 he attended the grammar school in Innsbruck, where he received “only” a good certificate in the first year, but in the following years almost exclusively received the highest mark “first class with preference” in the certificates. At the grammar school, Vinzenz Gasser learned the Latin language , which he mastered in writing and speaking after graduating.

Priest and professor

After a two-year philosophy course at Innsbruck University , Vinzenz Gasser entered the seminary in 1829 . He was ordained a deacon on July 21, 1833 and a priest on July 28 . At that time Gasser was working in the office of the Innsbruck dean Duille. He also worked as a cooperator in Götzens in 1834 , in Wenns in 1835 and in Flaurling in 1836 . During his work as a cooperator he also studied dogmatics and read the works of the semi-rationalist Anton Günther , whom he actually rejected.

In 1836, Prince-Bishop Bernhard Galura appointed Vinzenz Gasser to the Brixen seminary as Professor of the Old Testament. Meanwhile he lived in a currently vacant, rather spartan beneficiary house . In 1837 Gasser passed the required bankruptcy test for his subject in Innsbruck .

Member of the Frankfurt National Assembly

As a respected and well-known man in South Tyrol, Vinzenz Gasser from the district of Bruneck was sent as a member of the Frankfurt National Assembly . Since his goal of a religiously closed Tyrol was rejected by the Catholics in Germany who wanted religious freedom , he experienced a great disappointment there.

Appointment and ordination of bishops

After the death of Prince-Bishop Bernhard Galura of Bressanone, Vinzenz Gasser was nominated as Prince-Bishop of Brixen by Emperor Franz Joseph I on October 8, 1856. The papal confirmation took place on February 24th, 1857, on March 8th he received the episcopal ordination from Salzburg Archbishop Maximilian Joseph von Tarnóczy in Brixen . The very next day, Vinzenz Gasser took over the management of the diocese of Brixen .

Gasser and the First Vatican Council (1869–1870)

During the First Vatican Council, Bishop Vinzenz Gasser lived with his servant in the German pilgrimage hostel Santa Maria dell'Anima near Piazza Navona . His court chaplain was expelled from Rome due to illness. When he was elected to the Faith Deputation, he named suggestions for improving the constitution “ Dei Filius ” and called for a change to the constitution “ Pastor Aeternus ”. Furthermore, he repeatedly explained the Pope's infallibility , which the Pope does not have as a private person, but as the head of the Church, because in his opinion absolute infallibility belongs only to God. Vinzenz Gasser was an opponent of liberalism and the Risorgimento , because he saw the papal state threatened.

death

Grave monument in Brixen Cathedral ( Serafin Eberhart , 1884)

With all the work, especially during the First Vatican Council, Gasser became physically weaker. For example, during a high school exam session in 1876, he suffered a heart attack . In the following years he was plagued by heart problems, walking difficulties and depression . In January 1879, Vinzenz Gasser was attacked by pneumonia , from which he was able to recover. His health deteriorated again in April and he died on April 6th in his residence in Brixen. Vinzenz Gasser was buried in Bressanone Cathedral.

Foundation of the Vinzentinum boys' seminar

Due to the few students who turned to study theology from the Innsbruck High School, Vinzenz Gasser decided to set up an episcopal boys' seminar for the next generation of priests . He was concerned that there were an average of 32 new priests from 1847 to 1856, but only 23 from 1857 to 1870.

On October 2nd, 1872, the founding act of the seminary was signed by Vinzenz Gasser. The Anreiterhof in Zinggen in the north of Brixen cost 30,000 guilders , which consisted of a house and an orchard, where construction began in 1873 under the direction of the builder Josef von Stadl .

The boys' seminar was opened in 1876. After the death of Bishop Vinzenz Gasser, the seminary was named "Vinzentinum" . In the 2015/2016 school year, a total of 277 pupils were looked after by 30 teachers and nine prefects in the school and boarding school.

literature

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personal data
SURNAME Gasser, Vincent
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gasser, Vincent Ferrer
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian theologian, philosopher, politician and Prince-Bishop of Brixen
DATE OF BIRTH October 30, 1809
PLACE OF BIRTH Gfas
DATE OF DEATH April 6, 1879
Place of death Brixen