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Tobias Lohner

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Born 13 March, 1619, at Neuötting in the Diocese of Salzburg; died 26 (probably) May, 1697. He entered the Society of Jesus on 30 August, 1637, at Lansberg, and spent his first years in the classroom, teaching the classics. Later at Dillingen he was professor, first of philosophy for seven years, then of speculative theology for four years, and finally of moral theology. He was rector of the colleges of Lucerne and Dillingen and master of novices. His zealous sermons won for him the reputation of a great preacher, and his versatility made him a remarkable man in many ways. His chief claim, however, to the gratitude of his contemporaries and of posterity is based mainly on the many works which he wrote, both in Latin and German, on practical questions, especially of asceticism and moral theology. More than twenty years before he died, his literary activity received flattering recognition in the "Bibliotheca Scriptorum Societatis Jesu," a work begun by Father Peter Ribadeneira, S.J., continued by Father Philip Albegambe, S.J., and brought up to date (1675) by Father Nathanael Sotwel, S.J. Of Father Lohner's many published works, those which have secured him most lasting remembrance are the "Instructissima bibliotheca manualis concionatoria" (4 vols., Dillingen, 1681-), and a series of volumes containing practical instructions, the more important of which are the following: "Instructio practica de ss. Missæ sacrificio;" "Instructio practica de officio divino;" "Instructio practica de conversatione apostolica;" "Instructio practica pastorum continens doctrinas et industrias ad pastorale munus pie, fructose et secure obeundum;" "Instructio practica de confessionibus rite ac fructose excipiendis" (complete edition of these instructions, in eleven vols., Dillingen, 1726-). He published many other similar works on preaching, on catechizing, on giving exhortations, on the origin and excellence of the priesthood, on the various states of life, on consoling the afflicted, on questions of polemical, ascetical, speculative, and moral theology, on the means of overcoming temptations, on the foundations of mystical theology. These and other works of like nature testify to his untiring zeal; almost all of them were printed in separate volumes, ran through many editions, and some of them are used and prized even at the present day.