Rauscher, Joseph Othmar

Rauscher, Joseph Othmar one of the most prominent ecclesiastical princes of Austria and of the 19thli century, was born Oct. 6, 1797, at Vienna, being tihe son of an imperial officer. He first intended to study lawu, which he did for three years, but afterwards betook himself to the study of theology, and, almost twenty-six years of age, he was ordained priest Aug. 27, 1823. For two years he labored as vicar at Hutteldorf, not far from Vienna, but he was soon called to Salzburg as professor of canon law and Church history. Here he commenced the elaboration of a comprehensive Church history, of which the first two volumes, reaching down to Justinian (Sulzbach, 1824-29), promised so well for the young author that he undoubtedly would have become one of the brightest stars among the Roman Catholic historians were he left in his position; but in 1832 he was appointed director of the Oriental Academy at Vienna, and from that time on he was invested with different offices, to which also belonged the instruction of the present Austrian emperor and his brothers. In 1849 the metropolitan archbishop of Salzburg, prince Friedrich von Schuwarzenberg, his former pupil and now his friend, appointed Rauscher to the bishopric of Seckau. For four years he discharged his episcopal duties, amid great difficulties, in the most zealous and hlappy manner, when, in 1853, the emperor appointed Iiim to the archiepiscopal see. In his new position the emperor intrusted to him a mission nwhich forever connected his name with the Church history of Aunstria, viz. the negotiation of a concordat between Austria and the Apostolic See, which, unhappily for Austria, was signed Aug. 18, 1855. For this deed Rausclier was made cardinal, Dec. 17 of the same year. For twenty years Rauscher moulded the ecclesiastical as well as political affairs of Austria; for his position made him not only the intimate counsellor of the emperor, but also a prominent member of the House of Peers. It would be too long to enumerate his numerous speeches and pastoral letters, whlich are all udistinguished bothl by the deplth of thought as well as by their rhetoric and noble language. He also took a prominent part in the last Vatican Council, and died Nov. 24,1875. See Litertischer Handweiser, 1875, p. 470; Kurtz, Lehrbuch der Kirchengeschichte (9th ed. Mitau, 1874), ii, 344, 363 sq. (B. P.)