Kaspar Stanggassinger

Blessed Kaspar Stanggassinger C.Ss.R (January 12, 1871 - September 26, 1899) born in 1871 in Berchtesgaden, in southern Germany, the second of 16 children. From a young age, he announced that he would be a priest. He first attended a high school seminary in Freising. In 1890, he entered the major seminary of the diocese of Munich-Freising. On April 2, 1892, he was tonsured and received minor orders. That summer, he went on pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady at Altőtting, in southern Germany. There he experienced a strong urge to join the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, the Redemptorists.

Kaspar went to the Redemptorist novitiate at Gars and entered the Congregation with the intention of preaching the Gospel to the most abandoned. On October 16, 1893, he made his vows as a Redemptorist, and was ordained a priest on June 16, 1895. He had hoped to be part of a mission band in Brazil, but was sent instead to the minor seminary, in Dürrnburg, to train high school students. In addition to teaching, he gave pastoral assistance at churches in neighboring villages, especially by preaching. He was deeply devoted to the Eucharist, and in his preaching he invited all to have recourse to the Blessed Sacrament in times of need and anxiety.

In 1899, the Redemptorists opened a new seminary in Gars. Father Kaspar was transferred there as director. He was 28 years old. He only had time to preach one retreat to the students and participate in the opening of the school year. He then fell ill, with what was a fatal case of peritonitis.

Kaspar used to say, "The saints have a special intuition. For me, who am not a saint, what is important are the simple eternal truths: the Incarnation, the Redemption and the Holy Eucharist."

He was declared blessed, i.e., beatified, by Pope John Paul II on April 24, 1988.

Further details are found in the entry for September 26, in Butler's Lives of the Saints: September. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2000.

Redemptorist website