Alban Stolz - Life

Life

Stolz was born at Bühl, Baden. He first studied at the gymnasium at Rastatt (1818–27), and then proceeded to the University of Freiburg. After attending lectures in jurisprudence for a brief period, he devoted himself to the study of theology (1827–30). He fell into scepticism; but after studying philology at the University of Heidelberg from 1830 to 1832 he regained his former Catholic faith.

Having determined to embrace the clerical state, he entered the ecclesiastical seminary at Freiburg in the autumn of 1832, and in August, 1833, was ordained to the priesthood. During the following eight years he was engaged in parochial work, being curate first at Rothenfels in the Murgthal, and from June, 1835, at Neusatz, in the district of Bühl.

In the autumn of 1841 he was appointed instructor in religion at the gymnasium of Bruchsal, and on 1 March 1843, teacher of moral and pastoral theology at the theological college of Freiburg. From May, 1845 he was temporary director of this institution, but his appointment as permanent director was prevented by opponents holding more liberal views. He launched polemical attacks on dissenting Catholics in a number of tracts published in 1845.

In 1845 he became doctor of theology, and in the autumn of 1847, despite the opposition to his appointment, was made professor of pastoral theology and pedagogics at the university. On 13 October 1848, he was named ordinary professor, and during 1859-60 he was rector of the university. After the revolutionary turbulence of 1848, he alleged a Jewish-Masonic conspiracy.

He was made honorary doctor of the theological faculty of the University of Vienna in 1865, and in 1868 archiepiscopal spiritual counsellor. Stolz was active in the charitable and social fields. In 1851 he founded at Freiburg the Catholic Journeymen's Association after the model of Kolping's, and conducted it as director and later as diocesan president. He also introduced into Freiburg the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, of which he remained director until his death. He devoted all the income from his writings to charity, to the Catholic Church, and to home and foreign missions. He died at Freiberg.