Piffl, Friedrich Gustav

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PIFFL, FRIEDRICH GUSTAV

Cardinal, archbishop of Vienna; b. Lanškroun (Landskron), Bohemia, Oct. 15, 1864; d. Vienna, April 21, 1932. The son of a bookbinder, he entered the canons regular of st. augustine at klosterneuburg monastery (1883), was ordained (1888), and then took an active part in the parochial and educational work of the monastery before becoming its provost (1907). He became archbishop of Vienna (1913), apostolic administrator of Innsbruck (1922), and cardinal (1914). Charges of modernism were leveled against him by supporters of integralism at that time, but they lacked foundation and had no effect. Thoroughly loyal to the monarchy and the emperor throughout World War I, as were the other bishops of austria, Piffl urged Catholics to support the new Austrian Republic (Nov. 12, 1918). Known as the "people's bishop" because of his keen interest in the spiritual and material welfare of his flock, he played an important role in developing the Catholic response to the social problems of his day. Unpretentious and mild, he was the active leader of Austrian Catholics during two difficult decades.

Bibliography: a. m. knoll, Kardinal Fr. G. Piffl und der österreichische Episkopat zu sozialen und kulturellen Fragen (Vienna 1932). Neue österreichische Biographie, v. 9 (Vienna 1956) 175187.

[w. b. slottman]