Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.21857/y6zolbr50m
Circumstances, Sources and Achievements of Kanižlić’s Catechisms
Mijo Korade
; Fakultet hrvatskih studija Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Kanižlić published two catechisms. Though each of them was written in different circumstances and had different destinies, their role and value in the religious and cultural life of Slavonia in that period was the same. The paper explains and offers new information concerning the circumstances, sources and achievements of Kanižlić’s catechisms. The first of the two catechisms, entitled Obilato duhovno mliko. To jest Nauk krstjanski iliričkoj iliti slovinskoj dičici darovan (Zagreb 1754), was written on the occasion of a series of missionary’s visits organised by the Zagreb Bishop Franjo Thauszy in 1753 in the Požega area. A
year before that, he elected Kanižlić President of the Diocesan Consistorium in Požega, and thus the catechism was published under the Bishop’s name. It includes an inspired and stimulative foreword written by the Bishop. The structure of the book follows Peter Canisius’s great catechism. Its content is profoundly theological, organised in 25 chapters in the form of questions and answers; it is explained why the book is intended for parish priests and teachers, and why no further editions were published. The second catechism was entitled Mala i svakom potribna bogoslovica. To jest Nauk kerstjanski u tri skule razdiljen. The first edition was probably published in 1760. There had been seven editions until the year 1818. The book includes catechism, prayers and poems. It was written at the time of the action against illiteracy launched in the Požega area in 1752 by Josip Milunović, the first elementary schools opened in this region, and the Fraternity of Christian Study, organised and led by the Jesuits since 1760. Thus, this catechism is in fact rewritten German catechism originally written by Ignatius Parhammer, initiator and promoter of this catechist movement in Austria, which by method follows Canisius’s tradition. Furthermore, in 1761, a catechism with identical content was published in Zagreb under the title Nauk karstjanski sverhu pet poglavjah Petra Canizija Družbe Isusove na tri skule razdiljen... The title itself indicates that in addition to catechism, prayers and poems, the book includes instructions for the Fraternity of Christian Study as well. It was the Jesuit Petar Lipovčić who was distributing it during his missions among the Croats in the Bačka region. Joseph Báttyany, Archbishop of Kalocsa, wrote a comprehensive foreword thereto. He stated that on his visits, he distributed more than 2,000 copies of the catechism and instructions for illiterate persons. The same catechism was again published in Kalocsa in 1767 in order to serve the same purpose, with a remark that missionaries distributed it on their visits in 1766. Boltižar Mataković, canon of Zagreb, translated Kanižlić’s Bogoslovica into Kajkavian and published it under the title Naručna knižica navuka krščanskoga (Zagreb 1770).
Keywords
Antun Kanižlić; Slavonia; 18th century; catechisms; Franjo Thauszy; Fraternity of Christian Study.
Hrčak ID:
235559
URI
Publication date:
31.12.2019.
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