Antique Catholic Clergy Texts: Seelsorger-Praxis (Pastroral Guide) Circa 1900 From the St Joseph Los Angeles Francisican Monestary Written in High German Gothic. A fine collection of vintage books which were meant to guide Catholic Clergy in their pastoral practice during the early 1900's. These books are from a set of over twenty volumes and were published between 1902-5 in Germany. The books in this collection are from the library of the landmark St Joseph Church and Franciscan Monastery in Los Angeles, California which burned to the ground in 1983. They are bookmarked with the monastery's library stamp and dated April, 20th 1909, just six years after the church was dedicated.  See the photos. It is not known if these books had been removed from the monastery's library prior to the fire, or if they somehow survived it. Nonetheless, they are in excellent condition with fine leather covers, marbled edges, intact bindings and clean, unmarked text. There are no odors, warping, or other signs of damage. There is fading from age evident, as to be expected. These books are written in High German and printed in full Gothic text. They are beautiful to look at; and all the better if you are adept in the ancient tongue! Each handbook covers a different topic and each is written by different Priests under the global rubric of Seelsorger-Praxis ("Pastoral Practice"). Most likely the guidance provided in these handbooks was motivated by the First Vatican Council's stated purpose of resolving the Church's place in modern society. As such, each book covers a topic deemed likely to be in need of attention by the Clergy within the established Catholic community. 

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STATE CHOICE OF TEXT (BY VOLUME NUMBER) AT CHECKOUT.  

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The following is a list of titles and a 

brief introduction translated to my best ability

Volume I: Practical Social Activities of the Priest (How can the priest contribute to the solution of social questions guided by social literature.)

Volume II: Work and Life of the Cleric in Light of Health Teaching

Volume III: The Pastor and Criminality

Volume IV: Handbook for Catholic Youth Associations

Volume VI: Leadership of the Catholic Rectory (Taking into account the latest Vatican Papal Authority regulations.) 

VII & VIII: The Religious Education of Children in German Law & Guardianship Law and Welfare Education. (Applicable to the denomination of children in Germany, Austria-Hungary, Switzerland and Luxembourg.)

IX: Dealing with the Community

X & XI: Superstition and Pastoral Care with a Special Focus on Hypnotism and Spiritualism:  (Nature & origin of superstition - types of superstition - magnetism, hypnotism, somnambulism - hypnotism & stigmatization - clairvoyance, thought transference, whitening, speaking in foreign languages - belief in witches, epidemics of obsession - belief in ghosts - superstitious mysticism)

XII: Legal Provisions for Congregations and Orders

XIII: Social Advocacy and Civil Law 

XIV: On Mental Health: Feverish Poisonous Delusions and Obsessions (Illustrated) 

XV: Guide to Dispositions of Death, Gifts and Foundations. (With numerous examples and an appendix on taxes, costs and fees.)

XVIII: The Pastor and Alcoholism: Pastoral Care and the Temperance Movement (Bookmarked and Date Stamped by the Franciscan Monastery, Los Angeles, California, 1909)

 A Brief History of the St Joseph Church and Monastery

During the late 19th century the Catholic Church was on the defensive against the rise of Enlightenment ideology and what the Church supposed were its associated problems such rationalism, naturalism, pantheism, anarchism, communism, socialism, liberalism, and materialism which were encroaching throughout the western world. Germany was an especially hot spot for the societal and political conflicts that were threatening the Church. Indeed, a new term was coined in Germany to describe this phenomenon: Kulturkampf ("culture war"). Catholic clergy were being repressed and denied the right to discuss politics in their sermons. It was during this time that many German Catholics immigrated to America and a tidal wave of Catholic immigrants arrived in the US between 1840 and 1920 seeking both freedom of religion and freedom from persecution. Interestingly, this period also saw a revival of the Franciscan Order's activity in the US as friars from Europe came to minister to the new US Catholic settlements. The present-day Franciscan provinces in the US trace their origins to friars who came to the states during that time.  Within this movement were two German Franciscan monks, Brothers Adrian Wewer, and Leonard Darscheidt, who were teamed as Provincial Architects for the Franciscan Order in the US. Together they designed and built in excess of 100 churches, concentrated primarily in IL, MO, and NE. Of the more than one million Germans who came to the United States in the 1800's, at least 30,000 came to California to seek their fortunes.  Between 1870 and 1880 the number of Germans in Los Angeles had doubled, and by 1890, it had quadrupled. At the turn of the century roughly four percent of the population in Los Angeles was made up of German-born citizens and thus Brothers Wewer and Darschiedt were dispatched to plan and construct a suitable church for this growing population. In 1901 they broke ground on the majestic St. Joseph's Church in downtown Los Angeles, California. Its frescoes, furnishings, and interior and exterior envelope appointments were produced largely by German craftsmen and clergy, many of whom fled the oppressive rule of Kaiser Wilhelm I and his policy chief, Otto von Bismarck in the 1860s and 1870s.  Erected on a grand scale, the Saint Joseph's Church complex also contained a monastery for Franciscan monks. See the photos. Unfortunately, the church was destroyed by fire in 1983 and was replaced by a much more modest edifice, which is now surrounded by L.A's "Fashion District." On Sundays mariachi masses can be heard ringing through the adjacent streets along with the original church bells designed and created by German tradesmen in long ago Los Angeles.

 THE CLERGY