Mercy, Wilhelm

Mercy, Wilhelm a German Roman Catholic theologian, was born Feb. 9, 1753, at Ueberlingen, near the Bodensee, and was educated at Oberschwangar. In 1787 he was called to the court of duke Charles of Wiirtemberg, and in 1798 became minister at Gruol, principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. His advanced age obliged him to resign his position in 1819, and he died July 1, 1825. Mercy was an extremely well-educated man. He published in 1801 an essay on the necessity of reform within the Roman Catholic Church, which caused considerable sensation. He aimed at an entire reform of the Church constitution and the clergy. Besides several articles in the Jahresschriftenuiir Theologie und Kirchenrecht der Katholiken (Ulm, 180610), he published several other valuable but minor productions in theological literature. See Doring, Gelehrte Theol. Deutschlands, s.v.