Franz Xavier Wernz

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The Very Reverend Franz Xavier Wernz, S.J.

Franz Xavier Wernz, S.J. (December 4, 1842 - August 19, 1914) was the twenty-fifth Superior General of the Society of Jesus. He was born in Rottweil, Württemberg (afterwards part of Germany).

Father Wernz was the first of the eight children of parents with deep faith and piety. From an early age he had expressed his desire to be a Jesuit, perhaps influenced by the fact that his parish church in Rottweil had been a Jesuit church before the suppression and still retained many reminders of the Society. The paintings of many Jesuit Saints and the fact that the yearly parish mission was given by Jesuits had probably helped him to make that important decision. He entered the Society on December 5, 1857, made his novitiate at Gorheim near Sigmaringen, and took his first Vows on December 8, 1859. He studied theology and philosophy at the Maria Laach and Aachen Abbys. When the Kulturkampf of Chancellor Bismarck expelled the Jesuits from Germany, the exiled scholastics found refuge in the Jesuit College, Ditton Hall in Lancashire in England and, finally, in 1881 moved to St. Bueno's in Wales. After a year of private study he became Professor of Canon Law at Ditton Hall and later at St. Bueno's. Between 1882 and 1906 he taught Canon Law at the Gregorian University, the last two years spent there he also served as its Rector.

After the death of Father Martín, the Vicar General summoned a Congregation for August 31, 1906, but it began after a day's postponement on September 1 and would last until October 18. On the third ballot taken on September 8, the 64-year-old Wernz was elected General.

During his generalate he vigorously promoted the spiritual life, opened missions and created provinces in all parts of the world. The whole continent of North America was one of his special interests and he approved the setting up of provinces, houses, and colleges the length and breadth of that vast territory. Father Martín had set up the famous Monumenta Historica and Wernz continued his support and encouraged Jesuit writers to take up this important work, which they did with enthusiasm. He was instrumental in the founding of the Jesuit periodicals "Voces e Maria ad Lacum" which became "Stimmen der Zeit" in Germany and another, "Przeglad Powszechny," in Poland.

One of his last letters written on December 25, 1913 to the Society was on the celebration of the centenary of the Society's restitution, to take place the following year.

Wernz had been General for seven years and eleven months, from September 8, 1906 until he died on August 19, 1914. His death occurred only a few hours before that of Pope Pius X and a mere three weeks after the outbreak of the First World War. It would be a difficult time for his successor to begin leading an international Society in a world internationally shattered.

His tomb can be found in the Jesuit Mausoleum at the Roman Campo Verano cemetery.