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Anthony Maria Anderledy

General of the Society of Jesus (1819-1892)

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Anderledy, ANTHONY MARIA, General of the Society of Jesus, b. in Berisal, Canton Valais, Switzerland, June 3, 1819; d. at Fiesole, Italy, January 18, 1892. He entered the Society at Brieg in 1839 and, after his novitiate, taught the classics at the college of Freiburg, where he was admired as a finished Latin scholar. When the Jesuits were expelled from Switzerland in 1848, young Anderledy, with nearly fifty others came to the United States. He was sent to St. Louis to complete his studies, and was ordained priest there, September 29, 1848, by Archbishop Kenrick. Father Anderledy was appointed pastor of the German congregation of Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he devoted himself with great energy to his flock for two years. He was recalled to Germany in 1850, and assigned to one of the missionary bands of the German Province. In 1853, he was chosen to be rector of the students of the Society in Cologne. He accompanied them to Paderborn and remained in charge of their studies until 1859, when he was appointed Provincial of the German Province. During Father Anderledy’s term of office, which lasted six years, he purchased the splendid medieval abbey of Maria-Laach where he established the province-house of higher studies. In 1865, he was sent to Maria-Laach as professor of moral theology. In 1870, he was called to Rome and made Assistant-General of the Society, for the German-speaking provinces. Father Anderledy was elected Vicar-General, with the right of succession to the venerable Father Beckx in 1883, by delegates from the whole Society, assembled in Rome. On the death of Father Beckx, in 1887, Father Anderledy assumed all the duties of General of the Society of Jesus. He edited and published a new edition of Reuter’s “Neo-Confessarius” which he enriched with valuable notes. In his administration of the Society of Jesus, Father Anderledy was remarkable for great firmness of character.

P. H. KELLY


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