Peter Roh
Encyclopedia
Peter Roh was a Swiss Jesuit preacher.
in Switzerland. Later he became a day-pupil at the gymnasium kept by the Jesuits at Sitten
. While here he resolved to enter the Society of Jesus (1829); strange to say the external means of bringing him to this decision was the reading of Pascal
's pamphlet Monita Secreta.
He taught the lower gymnasial classes at the lyceum at Fribourg
. He was first (1842-45) professor of dogmatics at Fribourg, then at the academy at Lucerne
which had just been given to the Jesuits. At the same time he preached and aided as opportunity occurred in missions. These labors were interrupted by the breaking out of the Swiss Sonderbund war, during which he was military chaplain
; but after its end he was obliged to flee into Piedmont
, from there to Linz
and to Gries
. Finally he found a safe refuge at Rappoltsweiler in Alsace
as tutor in the family of his countryman and friend Siegwart-Müller, also expatriated. Here he stayed until 1849.
A professorship of dogmatics at the Catholic University of Leuven
only lasted a year. When the Catholic missions for the common people were opened in Germany in 1850 his real labors began; as he said himself, "Praise God, I now come into my element."
He was an extemporaneous speaker; the writing of sermons and addresses was, as he himself confessed, "simply impossible" to him.
to the person who could show to the faculty of law of Bonn or Heidelberg a book written by a Jesuit which taught the principle that the end justifies the means. The prize went unclaimed.
Some of his sermons have also been preserved; they were printed against his will from stenographic notes. Father Roh's greatest strength lay in his power of speech and "he was the most powerful and effective preacher of the German tongue that the Jesuits have had in this century".
Life
Up to his thirteenth year he spoke only French, so that he had to learn German from a German priest in the vicinity before he was able to begin his gymnasial studies in the boarding-school kept by the Jesuits at BrigBrig, Switzerland
Brig, officially Brig-Glis is a municipality in the district of Brig in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.The current municipality was formed in 1972 through the merger of Brig , Brigerbad and Glis.-History:...
in Switzerland. Later he became a day-pupil at the gymnasium kept by the Jesuits at Sitten
Sion, Switzerland
Sion is the capital of the Swiss canton of Valais. it had a population of .Landmarks include the Basilique de Valère and Château de Tourbillon. Sion has an airfield for civilian and military use, which, because of its location in a valley, causes a reasonable amount of noise pollution. FC Sion...
. While here he resolved to enter the Society of Jesus (1829); strange to say the external means of bringing him to this decision was the reading of Pascal
Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal , was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen...
's pamphlet Monita Secreta.
He taught the lower gymnasial classes at the lyceum at Fribourg
Fribourg
Fribourg is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and the district of Sarine. It is located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss plateau, and is an important economic, administrative and educational center on the cultural border between German and French Switzerland...
. He was first (1842-45) professor of dogmatics at Fribourg, then at the academy at Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
which had just been given to the Jesuits. At the same time he preached and aided as opportunity occurred in missions. These labors were interrupted by the breaking out of the Swiss Sonderbund war, during which he was military chaplain
Military chaplain
A military chaplain is a chaplain who ministers to soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and other members of the military. In many countries, chaplains also minister to the family members of military personnel, to civilian noncombatants working for military organizations and to civilians within the...
; but after its end he was obliged to flee into Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, from there to Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
and to Gries
Gries
Gries may refer to:* Gries am Brenner, a municipality in Tyrol, Austria* Gries, Bas-Rhin, a municipality in the department Bas-Rhin, France* Gries im Sellrain, a municipality in Tyrol, Austria* Gries, Germany, a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany...
. Finally he found a safe refuge at Rappoltsweiler in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
as tutor in the family of his countryman and friend Siegwart-Müller, also expatriated. Here he stayed until 1849.
A professorship of dogmatics at the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
only lasted a year. When the Catholic missions for the common people were opened in Germany in 1850 his real labors began; as he said himself, "Praise God, I now come into my element."
He was an extemporaneous speaker; the writing of sermons and addresses was, as he himself confessed, "simply impossible" to him.
Works
He could also write when necessary, as several articles from him in the "Stimmen aus Maria-Laach" prove. In his pamphlet "Das alte Lied: der Zweck heiligt die Mittel, im Texte verbessert und auf neue Melodie gesetzt" he declared he would give a thousand guldenGulden
Gulden is the historical German term for gold coin Gulden is the historical German term for gold coin Gulden is the historical German term for gold coin (from Middle High German guldin [pfenni(n)c] "golden penny", equivalent to the Dutch term guilder...
to the person who could show to the faculty of law of Bonn or Heidelberg a book written by a Jesuit which taught the principle that the end justifies the means. The prize went unclaimed.
Some of his sermons have also been preserved; they were printed against his will from stenographic notes. Father Roh's greatest strength lay in his power of speech and "he was the most powerful and effective preacher of the German tongue that the Jesuits have had in this century".