Peter Canisius

Who they were

Peter Kanis was born in 1521 at Nijmegen, then in the Holy Roman Empire. After making the Spiritual Exercises under Peter Faber he joined the Jesuits in 1543, and took part in the Council of Trent in 1547 and 1562. 'You know, Lord,' he wrote, 'how you entrusted Germany to me that day.'

He worked at Ingolstadt as dean, rector and vice-chancellor of the university, then at Vienna as administrator of the diocese and a popular preacher, and in 1556 became the first provincial of Upper Germany, founding a network of Jesuit colleges for the Catholic reform. His catechisms taught the faith to generations. He died at Fribourg on 21 December 1597.

The miracles

Pius XI canonised him and declared him a Doctor of the Church on the same day.

Why that counted as sanctity

Canisius spent himself renewing the faith of the German lands by teaching, preaching and founding schools, and warned against the 'drowsiness of the good': 'Peter sleeps, Judas is awake.'

Connected on this site

• Clemens Maria Hofbauer Saint
  “He is called the Apostle of Vienna, where he is a co-patron saint, along with St Colmán, St Leopold, and St Peter Canisius.” — Wikipedia
• Peter Faber Saint
  “After making the Spiritual Exercises under Peter Faber he joined the Jesuits in 1543, and took part in the Council of Trent in 1547 and 1562.” — this site's research