Eulogy for the Bohemian Jesuit Franz Retz.
4to. Italian manuscript on paper. 1 p. and 4 lines.
€ 950,00
Typical short Jesuit eulogy, composed to be read in Jesuit colleges on the anniversary of Retz's death. Franz Retz (1673-1750) served as the 15th Superior General of the Society of Jesus from 1730 until his death. Before he was called to Rome in 1725 to become assistant for Central European affairs to his predecessor Michelangelo Tamburini, Retz had served as Provincial of Bohemia (1718-20) and as Rector of the important Jesuit College of Prague (1720-23). The eulogy traces his life and emphasizes Retz's "renowned humility, rare modesty, and admirable placidity". With respect to his term as Superior General, Retz is lauded for promoting "with all his might the holy mission in all parts of the world", for achieving the canonization of Jean François Régis in 1737, but also for finding "many hours to spend with religious exercises" every day despite his many occupations. To recommend Retz for beatification, the eulogy states that at the moment of his death after "a long and painful sickness" his "happy passage to a better life" was "supernaturally shown to one of us in Germany".
With several tears to the somewhat brittle right margin and minor damage due to ink corrosion.
