Josef Miller (April 22, 1890 – November 24, 1985) was a German Jesuit theologian and superior who worked mainly in Austria.

Life and work

Josef Miller was born in Lengmoos (

Lower Bavaria Lower Bavaria (german: Niederbayern, Bavarian: ''Niedabayern'') is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of the state. Geography Lower Bavaria is subdivided into two regions () – Landshut and Donau-W ...

); his parents were practicing Catholics and ran a bakery. For his grammar school studies he attended

Scheyern Abbey Scheyern Abbey, formerly also Scheyern Priory (german: Kloster Scheyern), is a house of the Benedictine Order in Scheyern in Bavaria. First foundation The monastery at Scheyern was established in 1119 as the final site of the community founded ...

; later he attended another Catholic school in

Freising Freising () is a university town in Bavaria, Germany, and the capital of the Freising ''Landkreis'' (district), with a population of about 50,000. Location Freising is the oldest town between Regensburg and Bolzano, and is located on the Is ...

. In 1908, at the age of 18, before finishing school, he decided to enter the

Jesuit Order , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders = ...

. The order was still forbidden in Germany as a result of the

Kulturkampf (, 'culture struggle') was the conflict that took place from 1872 to 1878 between the Catholic Church led by Pope Pius IX and the government of Prussia led by Otto von Bismarck. The main issues were clerical control of education and ecclesiastic ...

, so he entered the Austrian Jesuit Province instead. The novitiate (1908-1910) took place in St. Andrä in the

Lavanttal The Lavant Valley (german: Lavanttal, sl, Labotska dolinaGams, Ivan. 1992. "Labotska dolina." ''Enciklopedija Slovenije'', vol. 6. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, pp. 87–87. or ''Laboška dolina''; Southern Bavarian: ''Lovnthol'') lies in the Lav ...

; after that he finished his schooling (1910-1912) and graduated from

Kalksburg College Kalksburg College, also known as College of the Immaculate Virgin, is a Catholic private school according to public law in the 23rd district of Liesing in Vienna, Austria. History The Mon Pérou Palace, built in the 18th century, was replaced by ...

in Vienna. He studied philosophy in

Innsbruck Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol (state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the ...

from 1912 to 1915. After that he worked as a prefect in the Kalksburg College (1915-1917). Four more years of theology studies followed in Innsbruck (1917-1921). He did military service as a medic in Munich (1917-1919). On July 26, 1920, he was ordained a priest in Innsbruck's Jesuit Church; in 1923 he received his doctorate from Innsbruck's Faculty of Theology. He presided over the Jesuit students'

sodality In Christian theology, a sodality, also known as a syndiakonia, is a form of the "Universal Church" expressed in specialized, task-oriented form as opposed to the Christian church in its local, diocesan form (which is termed ''modality''). In Eng ...

in Innsbruck from 1922 to 1936. He was known for his administrative skills and working well with people. He went on to serve as the Provincial of the Austrian Province of Jesuits. He had to master this task in the years from 1936 to 1942, much of the time during the

Third Reich Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

. Many religious houses and colleges were suppressed in this era. Several Jesuit Fathers were imprisoned or sent into exile. During the war, almost all the younger confreres were drafted into the

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...

; some died in battle. As of 1942, he served as spiritual director to Berchmans College, located in

Pullach Pullach, officially Pullach i. Isartal, is a municipality in the district of Munich in Bavaria in Germany. It lies on the Isar Valley Railway and is served by the S 7 line of the Munich S-Bahn, at the Großhesselohe Isartalbahnhof, Pullach and ...

near Munich. Many of his students were former soldiers. Fr. Miller was popular with them because of his uncomplicated manner and sober style. The last chapter of his life, starting in 1946, was devoted to teaching

Moral Theology Ethics involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior.''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy''"Ethics"/ref> A central aspect of ethics is "the good life", the life worth living or life that is simply sati ...

in Innsbruck. His ''

Habilitation Habilitation is the highest university degree, or the procedure by which it is achieved, in many European countries. The candidate fulfills a university's set criteria of excellence in research, teaching and further education, usually including a ...

'' had been in pedagogy, and completed ten years prior (1936). Miller thus had to familiarize himself with much new material. He first taught as a lecturer in morals and finally received the appointment as a full professor of Moral Theology and pedagogy in 1955. In 1956/57 he was dean of the Faculty of Theology. He also presided over pastoral courses and continuing education for clergy for many years. From 1967 to 1985, Miller served as a

confessor Confessor is a title used within Christianity in several ways. Confessor of the Faith Its oldest use is to indicate a saint who has suffered persecution and torture for the faith but not to the point of death.Rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is usually aged in oak barrels. Rum is produced in nearly every sugar-producing region of the world, such as the Phili ...

. He died on the

Solemnity of Christ the King The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, commonly referred to as the Feast of Christ the King, Christ the King Sunday or Reign of Christ Sunday, is a feast in the liturgical year which emphasises the true kingship of Christ ...

. His funeral took place in Innsbruck's Jesuit Church, and he was buried in its crypt on November 27, 1985, with Bishop

Reinhold Stecher Reinhold Stecher (22 December 1921 – 29 January 2013) was an Austrian Prelate of the Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion bap ...

presiding.

Publications

* Zur Frage der geschlechtlichen Voraussetzung für den priesterlichen Zölibat. In: GIDei 1 (1946/47) 357-360. * Die geistliche Krankenschwester vor Apostolatsaufgaben und Gewissensfragen. Hg.: Seelsorgeamt der Apostol. Administratur Innsbruck-Feldkirch. Innsbruck: Rauch 1950. - Neuaufl.: Am Krankenbett. Gewissensfragen und Apostolatsaufgaben. 2., neubearb. u. erw. Aufl. von „Die geistliche Krankenschwester vor Apostolatsaufgaben und Gewissensfragen“. Innsbruck: Rauch 1958. E. Foreitnik, Der Ehe Pflicht und Glück. Verlobten und Vermählten dargestellt. Neubearbeitung besorgt von J. Miller. Innsbruck: Rauch 1952. * Die Einstellung des Menschen von heute zur Sünde. In: Anima 7 (1952) 4-8. Nachträgliche Krisen im Priester- und Ordensstand - männlich und weiblich -und deren Lösung. In: Anima 7 (1952) 250-257. * Seelenführung und moderne medizinisch-chirurgische Ehefragen vom pasto-raltheologischen Standpunkt aus. In: Anima 7 (1952) 352-363. * Seelenführung und Sexualprobleme. In: Anima 7 (1952) 317-329. * Zum priesterlichen Berufsethos. In: ThPQ 100 (1952) 129-136. * Trau, schau, wem! Du und die Parteien. Kevelaer: Butzon & Bercker 1953. * Die Ängstlichkeit in der Seelsorge und ihre Heilung. In: Anima 8 (1953) 273-277. * De usu et abusu matrimonii. Leitsätze und Hinweise für Beichtväter. Bearb. von J. Miller. Hg. von der österr. Bischofskonferenz. Innsbruck: Rauch 1954. - 3., durchges. Aufl. 1957. * Moderne Eheprobleme in christlicher Sicht (Sehen - urteilen - handeln 4). Innsbruck: Tyrolia 1955. - 3., erw. Aufl. 1959. * Zur Ignatianischen Gehorsamslehre. Ein Beitrag zum Ignatius-Jahr 1956. In: ThPQ 104 (1956) 193-213. * Freundschaft zwischen Priester und Frau? In: Anima 12 (1957) 244-250. * Der Papst über die Ehe. Eine Sammlung von päpstlichen Kundgebungen. Hg. von J. Miller (Sehen - urteilen - handeln 5). Innsbruck: Tyrolia 1958. - 2., erw. Aufl. 1959. * Pastoral und Straßenunfälle. In: Anima 13 (1958) 225-232. * Gewissensbildung (Sehen - urteilen - handeln 9). Innsbruck: Tyrolia 1960. -Engl.: Conscience Training. Translated from the German by J. J. Coyne. Dublin: Clonmore & Reynolds 1964. * Mitwirkung bei unerlaubten ärztlichen Eingriffen und Anordnungen. In: Seels. 30 (1959/60) 482-492. * Moral- und Pastoraltheologisches zur Pubertätsonanie. Zur Kritik des Onanie-Kapitels in dem Buche „Stille Revolution“ von Hans Wirtz. In: ThPQ 108 (1960) 31-41. * Neubesinnung über das Bußsakrament ist notwendig. Zur Aufgabe eines Pasto-ralkurses über Beichtpraxis. In: ORPB 61 (1960) 193-196. * Die Seelsorge der ungültig Getrauten und der Geschiedenen. In: Anima 16 (1961) 135-141. * Lebensstandard - Lüge - Straßenverkehr. Christ im Alltag. Wien: Herold 1962. Moraltheologisches zu den *„Unfruchtbarkeitsdrogen“. In: ORPB 63 (1962) 213-219. * Junge Männer - Väter - Staatsbürger. Christ im Alltag. Wien: Herold 1963. Das fünfte Gebot und der Straßenverkehr. Das Wort an die Gemeinde. Eine Predigt, die alle angeht. Überreicht vom Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit. Wien: Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit 1963. * Katholik und Politik. In: Bote unserer lieben Frau. Dominikaner-Jahrbuch (Graz) 79 (1978) 4-10.

Sources

* Volksbote 1955, Nr. 13, 8. * Tiroler Nachrichten 1955, Nr. 65, 4. * Tiroler Nachrichten 1960, Nr. 93, 4. * Kirchenblatt für Tirol 1980, Nr. 26, 4. * Kirche 1981, Nr. 20, 16. * Österreichische Hochschulzeitung 1982, Nr. 5, 14. * Tiroler Tageszeitung 1982, Nr. 43, 3. * Kirche 1982, Nr. 10, 4. * Kirche 1983, Nr. 26, 6-8. * Tiroler Tageszeitung 1985, Nr. 274, 5. * Kathpress 1985, Nr. 228, 5. * Präsent 1985, Nr. 49, 7. * Kirche 1985, Nr. 49, 3. * Rundbrief österreichische Provinz SJ 1985, Nr. 5, 13-15.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Josef 1890 births 1985 deaths 20th-century Austrian Jesuits 20th-century German Jesuits Roman Catholic moral theologians Academic staff of the University of Innsbruck University of Innsbruck alumni People from Lower Bavaria