A Dutch Jesuit priest, he renewed Catholic life in German-speaking lands during the Reformation through preaching and education. His catechisms were used for centuries, and he is called the Second Apostle of Germany.
Life
Saint Peter Canisius was born in 1521 in Nijmegen, in today's Netherlands. While studying in Cologne he came to know the Jesuits, joined them and became one of the order's key early workers.
For decades, in the German-speaking lands unsettled by the Reformation, he preached, taught and founded schools and seminaries. His catechisms, clear and accessible, were translated into many languages and used widely for a long time. He sought to explain the faith through patience and charity rather than polemic. He died in Fribourg, Switzerland, in 1597, and in 1925 he was canonized and declared a Doctor of the Church. The Church remembers him on December 21.
Spirituality
Peter Canisius's spirituality is the heart of an educator who shares truth with love. In an age when faith was shaken, he devoted himself not to condemning people but to teaching the Catholic faith clearly and simply. His patient teaching renewed the faith of many regions.
Reflection
Canisius taught the faith simply and clearly. If someone asked me about what I believe, am I ready to explain it calmly and with love?