FABER
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FABER
characteristics. Faber's hj-mns, composed especially
for these services, display a combination of accu-
rate theological doctrine, fervent devotion, musical
rhythm, and true poetic talent. As a preacher he
was remarkable for his delivery, choice of e.xpression,
absence of gesticulation, and personal exhortations of
surprising force.
In 1S47 Faber began the publication of " Lives of Modern Saints," not as biographies, but as showing the growth of sanctity under the operation of grace and the supernatural perfection attained. The series of forty-nine Lives supplied a great want of the time and, after some opposition, met with full approbation. His knowledge of the spiritual life and the extent of his theological and ascetic reading were seen in the eight works that now came from his pen: "All for Jesus", 1853; "Growth in Holiness", 185-4; "The Blessed Sacrament", 1855; "The Creator and the Creature", 1858; "The Foot of the Cross", 1858; " Spiritual Conferences ", 1859; " The Precious Blood ", 1860; " Bethlehem ", 1S60. The many foreign transla- tions of these works, their circulation now maintained for more than fifty years, their constant quotation by spiritual writers, have raised their author to the rank of a master in mystical theology. He wrote also two volumes of "Notes on Doctrinal Subjects" (1866), giving the skeleton of various sermons and of two projected works, "Calvary" and "The Holy Ghost." A volume of poems, various essays, and other minor works are also from his pen. The fascination and grace of his presence rendered him personally attrac- tive, while as confessor his sympathy with souls in trouble, his spiritual insight, and his supernatural un- worldliness, gave to his counsel a lifelong point and force.
The Oratory removed to South Kensington in 1854, and there Faber spent the remaining nine years of his life, occupied primarily in establisiiing his community on the strict observance of St. Philip's Institute, being convinced that fidelity to its Roman model was its one vital principle. The sacraments, prayer, including the reverent performance of the ecclesiastical func- tions, and the daily Word of God were St. Philip's weapons, and Faber would never engage in other ex- ternal works, however good. Unswerving loyalty to the Holy See was his watchword, and devotion to the Mother of God was for him the safeguard of faith and the source and support of true piety.
BowDEN, The Life and Letters of Frederick WiUiam Faber, 2nd ed. (London. ISSS); F.iber, A Brief Sketch of the Early Life of F. W. Faber (London, 1869); Civiltii Cattolica (Rome, 3 and 13 Aug., 1872), tr. (London, 1872); Catholic World, X, 145; III, 287; GiLLOw, Bibl. Diet, of Eng. Cath., II, 207-219.
Henry S. Bowden.
Faber, Joh.vnn, theologian, b. at Leutkirch, in Swabia, 1478; d. in Vienna, 21 May, 1541. He stud- ied theology and canon law at Tubingen and Freiburg in the Breisgau; was made doctor of sacred theology in Freiburg; became in succession minister of Lin- dau, Leutkirch; Vicar-General of Constance, 1518; chaplain and confessor to King Ferdinand I of Austria, 1.524; was appointed Bishop of Vienna, 1530. While a canon of the cathedral of Basle he formed a friend- ship with Erasmus that lasted throughout their lives; Erasmus persuaded Faber to take up the study of the Fathers. Like others of his lime Faber was at first friendly with the Reformers, Melanchthon, Zwingli, and fficolarapadius, sympathizing with their efforts at reform and opposing certain abuses him.self ; but when he realized that neither dogma nor the Church herself was sparecl by the Reformers, he broke with them and became their most consistent opponent. He wrote his first polemic against Luther, " Opus adversus nova qua'd:un dogmata Martini Lutheri"( 1552). This was soon followed by his " .Malleus IhiTeticorum, sex libris ad Hadrianum VI suinmuni Pcmtificem" (Cologne, 1524 ; Rome, 1569). From this latter work he is some-
times called the "hammer of heretics". He entered
into public debate with Zwingli at Zurich ; was promi-
nent in all the diets held to restore peace to the
Church ; and was one of the committee appointed to
draw up a refutation of the Confession of Augsburg.
On some points, e. g. the celibacy of the clergy, he was
willing to recognize certain unfortunate conditions if
an agreement could be reached to prevent similar con-
ditions in the future, but no agreement was possible.
He was sent by Ferdinand to Spain and then to Henry
VIII in England to seek aid against the invading
Turks; Ferdinand also had him enlist the services of
the LTniversity of Vienna to combat the spread of the
doctrines of Luther in Austria. As bishop his zeal
was imbounded; he protected his flock by frequent
preaching and numerous writings, and he held regu-
lar conferences with his clergy. He founded twelve
scholarships for boys who wished to become priests
but did not have the means to realize their ambition.
His works (Cierman and Latin) are homiletical and
polemical in character. Besides those already men-
tioned he wrote treatises on faith and good works, on
the Sacrifice of the Mass; an instruction and answer to
Luther's work against the King of England ; a treatise
against the more recent tenets of Luther; a compari-
son of the writings of Hus and Luther; the power of
the pope in the case of Luther ; an answer to six articles
of Zwingli; defence of Catholic belief against the chief
Anabaptist, Balthasar of Friedberg; a book on the
religion of the Russians ; sermons on the misery of life,
and on the Blessed Sacrament; sermons of consolation
and courage while the Turks were besieging Vienna.
His works in three folio volumes (Cologne, 1537-40) do
not contain his polemical writings; these are found in
" Opuscula qusedam Joannis Fabri, Episcopi Viennen-
sis" (Leipzig, 1539).
QuKTlF AND EcHARD, Scriptores Ord. Freed. (Paris, 1721), torn. II; DoLEN. Scriptores Universitatis Viennensis, pars II (Vjenne, 1741); Kettner, De Joanni.s Fabri vita e.t scriptis (Leipzig, 1735); Janssen, History of the German People (Freiburg, 1903), V; Roth in Kirchenl. IV, 172-175.
M. Schumacher.
Faber, Johann, of Heilbronn, controversialist and preacher; b. 1504, at Heilbronn in Wittenberg; d. at Augsburg, 27 Feb., 1558. At the age of sixteen he entered the Dominican Order and made his ecclesias- tical studies in the convent at Wimpfen. Of his ear- liest missionary labours little is known. In 1534 he was charged with the duty of preaching in the cathe- dral of Augsburg, but owing to the Lutheran heresies and the bitter attitude of the heretics towards the Church, in consequence of which the Catholic clergy were forbidden to preach, his usefulness there was of short duration. Thence he went to the University of Cologne, where he devoted himself for several years to the higher clerical studies. Here he published in 1535 and 1536 several unedited works of the English mys- tic, Richard RoUe. Returning to Wimpfen he engaged in the work of preaching and refuting the errors of the Reformers, which had already taken deep root among a large portion of the people. His unwearied zeal, how- ever, in upholding the ancient Faith and the marvellous results attending it, caused his enemies to turn against him with such bitterness that he was forced to leave the city. In 1539, at the solicitation of the citizens of Cohnar, he proceeded to that city, where the new doc- trines had by this time gained consiilcrable ground. On 2 Sept. of the same year he matriculated at the LTniversity of Freiburg as " Concionator Colmarensis ", and it was at this time, in all probability, that he re- ceived the baec:ilaureate. In 1545 he was elected prior of the convent in Schlettstadt, but he had served only two years in this capacity when he was again ap- pointed to take charge of the pulpit in the cathedral of Augsburg. Being compelled to abandon it once more in 1552, be proceeded to the University of Ingol.stadt, where he received the degree of Doctor of Theology
