Theodosius Florentini
Encyclopedia
Theodosius Florentini was a Swiss Capuchin
monk, a founder of Catholic religious orders and institutions.
; in 1845 superior and parish priest at Chur
; in 1857 definitor
, and in 1860 vicar-general of the Diocese of Chur
.
After the Sonderbund
war, the Radical party opposed Catholic interests. In consequence of his defence of the Church, Father Theodosius fled to Alsace
in 1841. In August of the same year he returned. He founded the Institute of the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Cross. In the Capuchin church at Altorf
on 16 October 1844, the first three sisters received the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis
. Their constitutions enjoin upon them to make themselves all to all in order to win souls to Christ and to do nothing which might repel any from their mode of life. From this foundation grew the congregation of teaching sisters, with their mother-house at Menzingen
.
Later on Father Theodosius founded the congregation of Sisters of Mercy
at Ingenbohl
. Both were actively engaged in educational works; the Sisters of Mercy set up, besides, homes for the poor and sick, and undertook private nursing.
In the meantime Father Theodosius was himself busy as a schoolmaster. He superintended the people's schools (Volksschüle
n), which are attended by others besides the poor. He promoted continuation schools and was in favour of technical instruction for apprentices and workmen. He founded anew the suppressed Jesuit College, Maria-Hilf zu Schwyz. To stir up anew Catholic life he engaged in popular missions and retreats for priests.
The institution of the annual conference of the Swiss bishops was largely due to his efforts. To bring Swiss Catholics together to strengthen Catholic feeling, and to organize social works, he founded the Pius Society.
He was very keen upon the care and inspection of the helpless and dependent, such as boarded-out children, apprentices, neglected children, and discharged prisoners. With regard to the labour question Father Theodosius expressed himself in his speech at Frankfort in 1863. In demanding the Christianizing of industry, trade unions, and workmen's credit banks, he said:
Factories were established to carry out this idea, but they failed, owing to a lack of business capacity in the founders. At Ingenbohl Father Theodosius founded a printing and book-binding establishment and a society for the distribution of books.
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
monk, a founder of Catholic religious orders and institutions.
Life
He entered the Capuchin Franciscan Order, 22 October 1825, was ordained priest in 1830, and appointed novice master, and lecturer on philosophy and theology. In 1838 he became guardian at BadenBaden
Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....
; in 1845 superior and parish priest at Chur
Chur
Chur or Coire is the capital of the Swiss canton of Graubünden and lies in the northern part of the canton.-History:The name "chur" derives perhaps from the Celtic kora or koria, meaning "tribe", or from the Latin curia....
; in 1857 definitor
Definitor
A definitor is, in Latin, he who defines. In the Catholic Church, however, this is a title with different specific uses. There are secular definitors, who have a limited amount of oversight over a part of a diocese...
, and in 1860 vicar-general of the Diocese of Chur
Diocese of Chur
The Diocese of Chur comprises the Swiss Cantons of Graubünden , Schwyz, Glarus, Zurich, Nidwalden, Obwalden and Uri.-History:A Bishop of Chur is first mentioned in 451/ 452 when its Bishop Saint Asimo attended the Synod of Milan, but probably existed a century earlier...
.
After the Sonderbund
Sonderbund
The Sonderbund War of November 1847 was a civil war in Switzerland. It ensued after seven Catholic cantons formed the Sonderbund in 1845 in order to protect their interests against a centralization of power...
war, the Radical party opposed Catholic interests. In consequence of his defence of the Church, Father Theodosius fled to 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...
in 1841. In August of the same year he returned. He founded the Institute of the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Cross. In the Capuchin church at Altorf
Altorf
Altorf is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.The town has a long history. Its most interesting monument is the part-Romanesque, part-Baroque church of St. Cyriaque, which until the French revolution belonged to a Benedictine Abbey.-See also:*Welf, count of...
on 16 October 1844, the first three sisters received the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis
Third Order of St. Francis
The Third Order of St. Francis is a third order within the Franciscan movement of the Roman Catholic Church. It includes both congregations of vowed men and women and fraternities of men and women living standard lives in the world, usually married...
. Their constitutions enjoin upon them to make themselves all to all in order to win souls to Christ and to do nothing which might repel any from their mode of life. From this foundation grew the congregation of teaching sisters, with their mother-house at Menzingen
Menzingen
Menzingen is a municipality in the canton of Zug in Switzerland.-Geography:Menzingen has an area, , of . Of this area, 62.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 28.3% is forested...
.
Later on Father Theodosius founded the congregation of Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
at Ingenbohl
Ingenbohl
Ingenbohl is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.-Geography:Ingenbohl has an area, , of . Of this area, 31% is used for agricultural purposes, while 49.1% is forested...
. Both were actively engaged in educational works; the Sisters of Mercy set up, besides, homes for the poor and sick, and undertook private nursing.
In the meantime Father Theodosius was himself busy as a schoolmaster. He superintended the people's schools (Volksschüle
Volksschule
A Volksschule was an 18th century system of state-supported primary schools established in the Habsburg Austrian Empire and Prussia . Attendance was supposedly compulsory, but a 1781 census reveals that only one fourth of school-age children attended. At the time, this was one of the few examples...
n), which are attended by others besides the poor. He promoted continuation schools and was in favour of technical instruction for apprentices and workmen. He founded anew the suppressed Jesuit College, Maria-Hilf zu Schwyz. To stir up anew Catholic life he engaged in popular missions and retreats for priests.
The institution of the annual conference of the Swiss bishops was largely due to his efforts. To bring Swiss Catholics together to strengthen Catholic feeling, and to organize social works, he founded the Pius Society.
He was very keen upon the care and inspection of the helpless and dependent, such as boarded-out children, apprentices, neglected children, and discharged prisoners. With regard to the labour question Father Theodosius expressed himself in his speech at Frankfort in 1863. In demanding the Christianizing of industry, trade unions, and workmen's credit banks, he said:
- "Formerly monasteries were turned into factories, now factories must become monasteries, and the profits must be shared with the workers".
Factories were established to carry out this idea, but they failed, owing to a lack of business capacity in the founders. At Ingenbohl Father Theodosius founded a printing and book-binding establishment and a society for the distribution of books.