December 21 is the feast of another great Jesuit saint, Peter Canisius. Let this post represent a shout-out to Buffalo’s Canisius College and Canisius High School; Jakarta’s Canisius College (secondary school); and Berlin’s Canisius Kolleg (secondary school).
The Dutch-born Canisius (1521-1597) was one of the early first-generation Jesuits. He met Pierre Favre, one of Ignatius’ roommates at the University of Paris and one of the original seven members of the Society; Pierre led him through the Spiritual Exercises. He eventually attended several sessions of the Council of Trent, taught and lectured, and spent most of his life in Germany. He became renowned for a catechism he wrote, which was printed in more than four hundred editions in fifteen languages. He was later named a Doctor of the Church.
Saint Peter Canisius – Pray for us.