The Piusverein (Pius Association) was a
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
society, founded in 1848 in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, and named for
Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
. Its political direction was conservative and
ultramontanist
Ultramontanism is a clerical political conception within the Catholic Church that places strong emphasis on the prerogatives and powers of the Pope. It contrasts with Gallicanism, the belief that popular civil authority—often represented by th ...
, and its purpose to form a bridge between Catholics and the political classes. Other societies under this name were subsequently set up, in German-speaking countries.
The Piusverein in Germany
It was founded at
Mainz
Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...
in 1848 by the cathedral canon,
Adam Franz Lennig
Adam Franz Lennig (3 December 1803 – 22 November 1866) was an ultramontane German Catholic theologian. He was born and died in Mainz.
Life
Lennig studied at Bruchsal under the private tutorship of the ex-Jesuit Laurentius Doller, and after ...
, and Professor
Caspar Riffel (died 1856), to organize the Catholics of Germany in defence of their religious freedom and civil rights. The platform and by-laws were published in the ''Katholik'' (Mainz, 1848). The organizers of the association called a congress of the Catholic societies of Germany which met at Mainz, 3–6 October 1848. At this assembly 38 societies were represented, and all the Catholic associations of Germany founded to protect religious interests were united into the "Catholic Association of Germany".
The annual congresses of this association led to other organizations; in 1848 the
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP or SVdP or SSVP) is an international voluntary organization in the Catholic Church, founded in 1833 for the sanctification of its members by personal service of the poor.
Innumerable Catholic parishes have ...
and the
Association of St. Elizabeth; in 1849 the Association of St. Boniface; in 1850 the Society for Christian Art; in 1851 the
Catholic Journeymen's Union
The Gesellenvereine (usual translation Journeymen's Unions) were German Roman Catholic societies set up in the nineteenth century. They were originated by Adolph Kolping, surnamed the Journeymen's Father (''Gesellenvater''). They had for aims the ...
; these assemblies were the precursors of the "General Congress of the Catholics of Germany" that was held annually.
Academic Pius Associations in Germany, for promoting religious interests and attachment to the Church among Catholic students, were greatly weakened by 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 ...
''.
The Pius Association of Switzerland
This was founded in 1855 by Count Theodore Scherer-Boccard who remained at its head until his death (died 1885). Its aim was to develop and centralize Catholic associational life in Switzerland.
It was directed by two central committees, and the general meetings were held nearly every year; in addition, there are also cantonal and district assemblies. Many of the local associations had branches for women. From 1899 the society was called the "Swiss Catholic Association"; it then contained 225 groups with 35,000 members. On 22 November 1904, it combined with the "United Societies of Catholic Men and Workingmen" and the "Fédération Romande" to form the "Swiss Catholic Peoples Union".
[See the "Yearbook" of the Union, Stans, 1907.]
The Pius Association for Promoting the Catholic Press of Austria
Named after Pope Pius X, it was founded at the Fifth Catholic Congress held at Vienna in 1905 after the presentation by the Jesuit, Father Victor Kolb, in order to offset liberal daily press. This end was to be gained largely by developing the Catholic daily newspapers of Vienna. The president of the association from its founding was Count Franz Walterskirchen-Walfstal.
It supported two daily newspapers of Vienna, the ''Reichspost'' and the ''Vaterland''.
See also
*Boniface Association
Notes
References
;Attribution
*{{Catholic, wstitle=Piusverein The entry cites:
**MAY, Gesch. der Katholikenversammlungen (Freiburg, 1903);
**PALATINUS, Entstehung der Generalversammlungen (2nd ed. Freiburg, 1894);
**Jahresberichte des Piusvereins (Vienna, 1910);
**KROSE, Kirchliches Handbuch, 1907-8, I (Freiburg, 1908), 290 sq.;
**BALLUT in Etudes religieuses, CXIX (1909), 526-47
History of Catholicism in Germany
German revolutions of 1848–1849