BL. ANTON MARIA SCHWARTZ, PRIEST - 15 SEPTEMBER

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER

Saints celebrated on the 15th of September

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

BL. ANTON MARIA SCHWARTZ, PRIEST 

Blessed Anton Maria Schwartz  was born on February 28, 1852 and ordained a Priest in 1875 in the archdiocese of Vienna. He founded the Congregation of Christian Workers of St Joseph Calasanz at Vienna in 1889.

THE CONGREGATION OF CHRISTIAN WORKERS OF ST JOSEPH CALASANZ

Fr Schwartz founded the Congregation "for all works of charity, but especially the apostolate among workingmen. The members of the congregation, who comprise both priests and lay brothers, follow the Rule of the Piarists, modified in some particulars.

The mother-house is the College of Mary Help of Christians, at Vienna, with which is connected a church. The Pious Workers teach Christian doctrine in schools, establish elementary and trade schools, build homes for apprentices and all workmen, open oratories, form associations of working-men, and promote the diffusion of good literature. 

A GUARD OF HONOUR OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT

At Vienna, which has been so far the chief scene of their activity, in addition to undertaking the works already mentioned, they have taken charge of the reformatory (1904), have opened a public library, and have founded among other associations a Guard of Honour of the Most Blessed Sacrament. 

THE PRAYER BOOK FOR WORKING MEN

They have three colleges at Vienna, and other foundations at Deutsch-Goritz in Styria and Wolfsgraben. The prayer-book for working-men compiled by Fr Schwartz has already gone through five editions. Other fathers of the society have published dramas for presentation by clubs under their charge, a book of recitations, and a number of biographies. The organ of the congregation is “Saint Calasanctius-Blätter”, a monthly issued at Vienna since 1888." 

(From Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913)

[Fr Schwartz died on September 15, 1929 in Vienna; he was beatified on June 21, 1998 by Pope John Paul II.]