Paul Mezger was an Austrian Benedictine

Benedictine

Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...

 theologian and academic of St. Peter's Archabbey, Salzburg

St. Peter's Archabbey, Salzburg

St Peter's Archabbey, otherwise St Peter's Abbey in Salzburg is a Benedictine monastery in Austria. It is considered one of the oldest monasteries in the German-speaking area, if not in fact the oldest.-History:...

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Life

He took vows in 1653 and was ordained priest in 1660. He taught at the gymnasium of Salzburg, 1660-4. He was master of novices and director of clerics, 1664-6, and taught philosophy, first at the University of Salzburg

University of Salzburg

The University of Salzburg, or Paris Lodron University after its founder, the Prince Archbishop Paris Lodron, is located in the Austrian city of Salzburg, Salzburgerland, home of Mozart. It is divided into 4 faculties: catholic theology, law, humanities and natural science.Founded in 1622, it...

, 1668–70; then at the monastery of Göttweig, 1671-2.

Returning to the University of Salzburg, he taught theology, 1673–88, and exegesis and polemics, 1689-1700. In 1683 he had succeeded his deceased brother Joseph Mezger

Joseph Mezger

Joseph Mezger was an Austrian Benedictine of St. Peter's Archabbey, Salzburg.-Life:Mezger was born at Eichstädt. He took vows at the same time as his brother Francis Mezger in 1651, and was ordained priest in 1659. He taught poetry in the gymnasium of Salzburg in 1660, and was master of novices...

 as vice-chancellor

Chancellor (education)

A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....

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Works

His major work is: "Theologia scholastica secundum viam et doctrinam D. Thomae" (4 volumes, Augsburg, 1695, 1719), on dogmatic theology

Dogmatic theology

Dogmatic theology is that part of theology dealing with the theoretical truths of faith concerning God and his works, especially the official theology recognized by an organized Church body, such as the Roman Catholic Church, Dutch Reformed Church, etc...

. The author's treatments of the immaculate conception

Immaculate Conception

The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...

 and of papal infallibility

Papal infallibility

Papal infallibility is a dogma of the Catholic Church which states that, by action of the Holy Spirit, the Pope is preserved from even the possibility of error when in his official capacity he solemnly declares or promulgates to the universal Church a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals...

are in accordance with the later definitions of 1854 and 1870, respectively.

His other works are:

• "Somnia philosophorum de possibilibus et impossibilibus" (Salzburg, 1670);
• "Contemplationes philosophicæ magnæ urbis cœlestis et elementaris" (ib., 1670);
• "Mercurius logicus" (ib., 1671);
• "De gratia Dei" (ib., 1675);
• "Allocutiones de mediis pietatis Marianæ" (ib., 1677);
• "Orationes partheniæ, miscellaneæ, sacroprofanæ, problemata inauguralia seu orationes academicæ" (ib., 1699–1700);
• "Sacra historia de gentis hebraicæ ortu" (Dillingen, 1700; Augsburg, 1715).