Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 12.djvu/738

 RATZINGER

660

RAUSCHER

Eucharist directly see the Body of Christ with our bodily eyes, or is the Body of Christ hidden from our sensory vision? 2. Is the Eucharistic Christ identical •nnth the historic Christ? In the solution of the first question Ratramnus distinguishes correctly between the invisible substance, "in\dsibihs substantia", which, he says, is truly the body and blood of Christ, "vere corpus et sanguis Christi" (xlix), and the external appearances which after the consecration by the priest remain the same as they were before (ix-x). The second question he answers in the nega- tive, stating that the Eucharistic Christ is not in everything identical \%'ith the historic Christ "who was born of Mary, suffered, died, was buried, ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father" (cap. Ixxxix). The work had almost been for- gotten during the Middle Ages. Attention was again called to it by Blessed John Fisher, Bishop of Roches- ter, who cited it in defence of the Catholic doctrine on the Eucharist in the preface to his work: " De veritate corjioris et sanguinis Christi in Eucharistia adversus Joh. (Ecolampadium " (Cologne, 1527). It was first printed with the ■nTong title: "Bertrami presbj'teri ad Carolum Magnum Imperatorem" (Cologne, 1532). A ^\Tong interpretation of the words "figura" and " Veritas", and a few ambiguous pas- sages have given rise to the opinion among a few Catholics and most Protestants that Ratramnus taught a merely symbolic presence of Christ in the Eucharist, ^'arious German, French, and English translations made by the Sacramentarians only served to corroborate this opinion. For this reason it was placed on the Index of Prohibited Books in 1559, but was removed in 1900. His best work, from a literary as well as a dogmatic standpoint, is " Contra Grsecorum opposita Romanam ecclesiam infaman- tium, hbri quattuor". It was written in S6S at the request of the bishops of the province of Reims, as a refutation of Photius who, in a letter to the King of Bulgaria, had fiercely assailed the "Filioque", the papal primacy, and various customs of the Latin Church. His earliest work, "De eo quod Christus ex virgine natus est liber", defends the Catholic doctrine that the birth of Christ occurred in a natural manner. In his work: "De pra'destinatione, libri duo", he upholds the double predestination for salvation and damnation but not for sin. A treatise in defence of the expression "trina Deltas", against Hincmar, has been lost, and two dissertations "Deanima" are still unprinted. His works are in "P. L.", CXXI, 1-346 and 1153-6, his extant letters in "Mon.Germ.Epist.", VI, 149 sq.

Nagle. Ralhramnus u. die 'W. Eucharistie (Vienna. 1903); Martin, Ratramne, une conception de la cine au IX' siicle (Mon- tauban, 1S91): Dkaeseke, Rathramnus u. PhoHos in Byzantin- ische Zeitschrifl. XVIII (Leipzig, 1909). 396-121; Traube in Afon. Germ. PoetcE Lot., III. 709 sq.; Schxitzer, Berenffar ton Tours (Munich, 1890). 150-874; Boileau, Disserlatio in librtim de corpore et sanguine Domini in P. L., CXXI, 171-222; Histoire LiUeraire de la Prance, V, 332-51; Mabillon, Acta SS. 0. S. B., B»c.. IV, pars II. pnefatio, 50-63; Nagle in Kirchliches Hand- lexikon, 8. v. Rathramnus; Ernst. Die Lehre hi. Paschasius Rod' bertus von dcr Eucharistie (Freiburg, 1S96), 99 sqq.

RIlCHAEL OtT.

Ratzinger, Georg, political economist and social reformer, b. at Rickering, near Deggendorf, in lower Bavaria, 3 April, 1S44; d. at Munich, 3 December, 1899. Ratzinger was a pupil at the gymnasium at Passau during the years 185.5-63, studied theology at Munich, 1863-67, and was ordained priest in 1867. In 1868 he received the degree of Doctor of Theology at Munich. During the following years he devoted himself partly to pastoral, and partly to journalistic work. In 1869 he was chaplain at Berchtesgaden; 1870-71, he was editor of the journal "Frankisches Volksblatt" at Wiirzburg; 1872-74, chaplain at Landshut, then editor, until 1876, of the "Volks- freund", at Munich. During the years 1875-77

he was a member of the Bavarian Diet; 1877-78 he was a member of the Imperial Reichstag; during this period he belonged to the Centre Party. With exception of a pastorate of three years at Gunzel- hafen, 1885-88, he lived for a number of years at Munich, where he devoted himself to journahsm and research. From 1893 Ratzinger was once more a member of the Bavarian Diet, where he was now a moderate adherent of the "Bauernbund" (Peasant Union) part}-, his \'iews of social politics having caused him in the mean time to sever his connexion with the Centre Party. In 1898 he was again elected a member of the Reichstag. As a literarj- man Ratzinger deserves much credit for his scholarly work in poUtical economy and in historical subjects. His chief works, distinguished by erudition, richness of thought, and animated exposition, are: "Ge- schichte der Armenpflege" (prize essay, Freiburg, 1868, 2nd revised ed., 1884); "Die Volkswirtschaft in ihrer sittlichen Grundlagen. Etliischsociale Stu- dien iiber Cultur und CiviUsation" (Freiburg, 1881; 2nd completely revised ed., 1895); this work main- tains the ethical principles of Christianity as the only sure basis for political economy and opposes the materiahstic sj-stem of what is called the "classical pohtical economy" of Adam Smith. "Forschungen zur bayerischen Geschichte" (Kempten, 1898); this contains a large number of studies on earlj^ Bavarian history and on the historj- of civilization, based on a series of unconnected treatises which had first ap- peared in the " Historisch-pohtische Blatter". Of his smaller works the follo'n'ing should be mentioned: "Das Concil und die deutsche Wissenschaf t " (anonymously issued at Mainz, 1872) appeared first in the "Katholik", 1872, I; "Die Erhaltung des Bauernstandes" (Freiburg, 1883).

FRJiNKEL in Biographisches Jahrhuch, IV (1900). 246 sq.; Idem in Allg. deutsche Biographic. LIII (1907). 215-18.

Friedrich Lauchert.

Rauscher, Joseph Othmar, Prince-Archbishop of Vienna, b. at Vienna, 6 Oct., 1797; d. there 24 Nov., 1875. He received his earlier education at the gjTnnasium in Vienna, devoting himself chiefly to the study of jurisprudence; he also gave much time to the study of poetrj-, and many examples of his verses have survived. Later his desire to enter Holy Orders was opposed by his parents, but he finally overcame their objections.

After his ordination he was appointed curate in Hiitteldorf, and later professor of church history and canon law at Salzburg, where Friedrich Prince Schwarzenberg, director of the Oriental Academy at Vienna, was among his pupils. In Januar>', 1849, Cardinal Schwarzenberg named his former teacher Prince-Bishop of Sekkau, "in recognition of his dis- tinguished qualities, knowledge, and services". In this capacity Rauscher performed great services in a short time, introduced pastoral conferences, and re- stored to the Redemptorists their mission houses. He also fostered religious associations, and put an end to the intrigues of the Rongeaner, although im- portant business detained him for the most part in Vienna. Scarcely was he consecrated than he hurried to the capital to attend the great episcopal assembly which inaugurated the ecclesiastical revival in Au.<;tria; between 29 April and 20 June, 1849, twenty- five bishops and four episcopal proxies held sixty sessions. The last in order of consecration, Rauscher took the most prominent part in the transactions. He laid before the assembly a promemoria, which served as the programme of the business, and drafted five of the seven memorials addressed to the Minis- try of the Interior. He also tlrew up the decrees to serve for the bishops "as the common rule of their aim ancl activity". The beautiful pastoral of the bishops to the clergy was also composed by him. Before the bishops separated, they chose a committee