Whose Birthday Is It? May 8, 2016

Petrus Canisius (1521)

Canisius was a 16th century Jesuit preacherwho fought against the spread ofProtestantism in Germany, Austria, Bohemia,and Switzerland. His catechism, SummaDoctrinae Christianae, authorized in 1566, wasone of the earliest popular expositions of thefaith. The reestablishment of RomanCatholicism in Germany after the Reformationwas largely due to his zeal, and he was canonized and declared aDoctor of the Church in 1925. What line is he credited with addingto the Hail Mary prayer? More…