Pope Pius IX appointed him Bishop of Osnabrück (1857) and Archbishop of Cologne (1866). He inaugurated (1867) at Fulda, meetings of the German bishops. He regarded the formal definition of papal infallibility as untimely, a conviction which he, with thirteen other bishops, expressed in a letter to the pope, 4 September 1869.
In the First Vatican Council Melchers took a prominent part. At the session of 13 July 1870, he voted negatively on the question of papal infallibility; but he refused to sign an address in which fifty-five other members of the minority notified the pope of their immediate departure and reiterated their non placet. He left Rome before the fourth session, giving as his reason the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war, and declaring his readiness to abide by the decisions of the Council.
On his return to Cologne he proclaimed in an address (24 July) the dogma defined on 18 July. As a means of ensuring obedience to the Council, the bishops assembled by him in Fulda, published (1 September) a joint letter, for which Pius IX (20 October) expressed gratitude. To eliminate the opposition at Bonn, the archbishop (20 Sept. and 8 Oct.) called on professors Franz Xaver Dieringer, Franz Heinrich Reusch, Joseph Langen, and Franz Peter Knoodt to sign a declaration accepting the Vatican decree and pledging conformity thereto in their teaching. Dieringer alone complied; the others were suspended and eventually (12 March 1872) excommunicated.
The Kulturkampf was firmly resisted by Archbishop Melchers. In June, 1873, he excommunicated two priests who had joined the Old Catholics; for this and other administrative acts he was fined and imprisoned for six months (12 March–October, 1874). On 2 December 1875, the President of the Rhine Province demanded his resignation on pain of deposition; he refused, but learning that preparations were being made to deport him to Küstrin he escaped (13 December) to Maastricht and took refuge with the Franciscans. From their monastery he administered his dioceses for ten years. On different occasions he informed Pope Leo XIII of his willingness to resign for the general good. The pope at last consented, but called him to Rome, and created him cardinal (27 July 1885).
In 1892, during a serious illness he was received into the Society of Jesus and lived as a Jesuit until his death three years later in Rome. He was laid to rest in the cathedral of Cologne. St. Paul's Church, Cologne, completed in 1908, commemorates Melchers.
Works
His principal publications are: Erinnerungen an die Feier des 50jährigen Bischofsjubiläums des h. Vaters Pius IX. (Recollections on the Golden Jubilee of Pope Pius IX; Cologne, 1876); Eine Unterweisung über das Gebet (Cologne, 1876); Einer Unterweisung über des heilige Messopfer (Cologne, 1879); Das Sendschreiben des heiligen Vaters Papst Leo XIII. über den Socialismus (Cologne, 1880); Die katholische Lehre von der Kirche (Cologne, 1881); Das eine Nothwendige (Cologne, 1882); De canonica dioecesium visitatione (Rome, 1892).
References
Heinrich Maria Ludwigs, Kardinal Erzbischof Dr. Paulus Melchers und die St. Pauluskirche in Köln (Cologne, 1909)
Theodor Granderath/Konrad Kirch, Geschichte des Vatikanischen Konzils, I, II, III (Freiburg, 1903–1906)
Theodor Granderath, Acta et Decreta S. S. conciliorum recentiorum, tom. VII (Freiburg, 1890)
External links
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Paul Melchers". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations August 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Paul Melchers 6 January 1813 14 December 1895 was a Cardinal and Archbishop of Cologne At the height of the Kulturkampf he took refuge in the Netherlands His EminencePaul Ludolf MelchersS J Cardinal Archbishop emeritus of CologneChurchRoman CatholicArchdioceseCologneInstalled8 January 1866Term ended3 July 1885PredecessorJohannes von GeisselSuccessorPhilipp KrementzOther post s Cardinal Priest of Santo Stefano al Monte CelioOrdersOrdination5 June 1841Consecration20 April 1858Created cardinal27 July 1885by Leo XIIIRankCardinal PriestPersonal detailsBorn 1813 01 06 January 6 1813Munster GermanyDiedDecember 14 1895 1895 12 14 aged 82 Rome ItalyBuriedCologne CathedralNationalityGermanPrevious post s Bishop of Osnabruck 1857 1866 Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 References 4 External linksLife EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Paul Melchers news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Melchers was born in Munster He studied law at Bonn 1830 33 and a few years practice at Munster took up theology at Munich under Heinrich Klee Joseph Gorres Karl Joseph Hieronymus Windischmann and Ignaz von Dollinger Ordained in 1841 he was assigned to duty in the village of Haltern In 1844 he became vice rector of the diocesan seminary rector 1851 canon of the cathedral 1852 vicar general 1854 Pope Pius IX appointed him Bishop of Osnabruck 1857 and Archbishop of Cologne 1866 He inaugurated 1867 at Fulda meetings of the German bishops He regarded the formal definition of papal infallibility as untimely a conviction which he with thirteen other bishops expressed in a letter to the pope 4 September 1869 In the First Vatican Council Melchers took a prominent part At the session of 13 July 1870 he voted negatively on the question of papal infallibility but he refused to sign an address in which fifty five other members of the minority notified the pope of their immediate departure and reiterated their non placet He left Rome before the fourth session giving as his reason the outbreak of the Franco Prussian war and declaring his readiness to abide by the decisions of the Council On his return to Cologne he proclaimed in an address 24 July the dogma defined on 18 July As a means of ensuring obedience to the Council the bishops assembled by him in Fulda published 1 September a joint letter for which Pius IX 20 October expressed gratitude To eliminate the opposition at Bonn the archbishop 20 Sept and 8 Oct called on professors Franz Xaver Dieringer Franz Heinrich Reusch Joseph Langen and Franz Peter Knoodt to sign a declaration accepting the Vatican decree and pledging conformity thereto in their teaching Dieringer alone complied the others were suspended and eventually 12 March 1872 excommunicated The Kulturkampf was firmly resisted by Archbishop Melchers In June 1873 he excommunicated two priests who had joined the Old Catholics for this and other administrative acts he was fined and imprisoned for six months 12 March October 1874 On 2 December 1875 the President of the Rhine Province demanded his resignation on pain of deposition he refused but learning that preparations were being made to deport him to Kustrin he escaped 13 December to Maastricht and took refuge with the Franciscans From their monastery he administered his dioceses for ten years On different occasions he informed Pope Leo XIII of his willingness to resign for the general good The pope at last consented but called him to Rome and created him cardinal 27 July 1885 In 1892 during a serious illness he was received into the Society of Jesus and lived as a Jesuit until his death three years later in Rome He was laid to rest in the cathedral of Cologne St Paul s Church Cologne completed in 1908 commemorates Melchers Works EditHis principal publications are Erinnerungen an die Feier des 50jahrigen Bischofsjubilaums des h Vaters Pius IX Recollections on the Golden Jubilee of Pope Pius IX Cologne 1876 Eine Unterweisung uber das Gebet Cologne 1876 Einer Unterweisung uber des heilige Messopfer Cologne 1879 Das Sendschreiben des heiligen Vaters Papst Leo XIII uber den Socialismus Cologne 1880 Die katholische Lehre von der Kirche Cologne 1881 Das eine Nothwendige Cologne 1882 De canonica dioecesium visitatione Rome 1892 References EditHeinrich Maria Ludwigs Kardinal Erzbischof Dr Paulus Melchers und die St Pauluskirche in Koln Cologne 1909 Theodor Granderath Konrad Kirch Geschichte des Vatikanischen Konzils I II III Freiburg 1903 1906 Theodor Granderath Acta et Decreta S S conciliorum recentiorum tom VII Freiburg 1890 External links Edit One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Herbermann Charles ed 1913 Paul Melchers Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company Catholic Church titlesVacantTitle last held byFrederick Duke of York and Albany Bishop of Osnabruck1857 1866 Succeeded byJohannes Heinrich BeckmannPreceded byJohannes von Geissel Archbishop of Cologne1866 1885 Succeeded byPhilip III KrementzVacantTitle last held byJohannes von GeisselChairman of the Wurzburg Conference of Bishops Chairman of the Fulda Conference of Bishops1867 1883Portals Biography Catholicism Germany Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paul Melchers amp oldid 1150449554, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
