The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-01-23
JOSEPH TOS GOERRES. TIE GERA4N
OCONNELL


Tuesday next, January 25ih. ihe historic els.
of CobIertz on the Rhine. will witness de
naonssrstion similar in many respects TO tina
seen in Dublin on she 5th of last August tn
occasion will be the celebration of the hun
dredth anniversary of the birth of Joseph Vol
I Goerres, . maa no less distinguished for III
devotion to the cause of religion and of tn
people than for the indomitabie courage ans
mastery ability with which he defended thei
| in seres-s for over half a century.
! Joseph Won Goerres WAS born IL Coblentz Oh
. the 18Th of January, 171S. At che early ago o
| eighteen he established . newspaper in biz
q alive city. called thu Rhinish Nercary Fear
less in its advocacy of the rights of the people
against the expressions of the king and no
| biIity, the MeTexry soon attained q circulation
! and An influence that made Is the creates;
political power il the land. Napoleon the
Great himself termed il the Eth great Faro
pean potter. be himself being the first, Russia,
England and Austria being second, third and
fourth in the order named. To Won Goerrea
belongs the honor of having raised the German
press from rhe position Of deLasement to class
interests in which if had till then existed, to
that OF Independence, which IL enjoyed till the
advent of the IAN of Blood and Iron" TO
power
Afraid of no threat, welding q power that
d-asfed all political positions, however high,
into :nsigni6csnce, and possessed of supreme
contempt for wealth or the bonors at the dis
p-ossi of government, Won GoeEres Was looked
upon with the most intense fea1 and hatred by
the king aud mobiles. At last, in violation of all
Law and Justice, his paper was suppressed in
80 -
bo7rg, Alsace, where, in connection with
Bishop Rsess. the present venerable Bishop of
that See. and Vicar General Lieberman, he es-
sablished a paper devoted principally to the
propagation OF religious truth and the defence
Of sae Church. In 1879 he was called by King
Louis l., of Bavaria, to the chair of Philosophy
and History in the celebrated University of
Munich, which position he filed to the time of
his death. Il was here that the most important
work of his life was done. So great was his
fame az a lecturer that no hall was large
enough to hold the crowds that assembled
from all parts of the country TO hear him.
Here he gathered around him that gallantlitt
band of Catholics, Moeller, Hamburg, Las
sank, Sepp, and even Doeltnger, who, by
their learning, their courage and their in
domitable perseverance,, signally defeated the
disciples of Voltaire at every point, and infused
new life and courage into tho Catholics of
Germany.
Assisted by his son Guido, Won Goerres at
this time commenced the psblication Of the
Historic Political Pamphlet, which appeared
monthly, and which at once took its place as
one of the standard works of the German Ian
guage.
To Won Goerre also is due the honor of being
the FIRST TO advise the completion of the Co.
logne Cathedral as q national monument, and
of having assisted materially to that end. The
Cathedral wac commenced in 124s, the work
continuing 300 years, when it was abandoned
at the time CT the Reformation. Through
Won Goerre's influence work was recommended
in 1s40 aud continued uninterrupt edly till the
whole structure, the grandest specimen of
Gothic architecture in the world, was COM
pleted.
On the 29th of January, 1919, Won Goerres
breathed his last in his native city of Coblertz,
whittier he had gone when he felt his end ap-
preaching.
We regret that at present We can give 20
more extended notice of the life and character
of this illustrious Catholic and patriot. No
more profitable or interesting reading matter
could be placed in the hands of our youth
than the life of such man, which teaches
them what they must do, what they must ex-
pect to sacrifice and to suffer, if they would
benefit their fellow men.
We learn that at all the Catholic German
churches in this city High Mass will be cele-
brated next Tuesday in connection with
the centenary birthday of Herr Won
Goerres and for the Persecuted Catho-
lies in Germany. 1t was also. the inten-
ton of many of our leading German fellow
citizens to hold grand meeting at some Gen.
trail hall, but owing to some unforeseen cir
cumstances the id had to be abandoned. a
meeting, however, will be held next Sunday
evening at o'clock in Holy Trinity Hall, 3rd
District, under the direction OF the Rev. Pastor
of Holy Trinity church, Father Thevis, 81
which appropriate addresses will be delivered
in German.
ST. AGNES.
81 = 81. ,h; II; a.