Blessed Gaspar Stangassinger

Gaspar Stanggassinger was born in Germany in 1871. From a young age he felt called to the priesthood. He struggled with his early studies but made progress through work and prayer. He entered the diocesan seminary in 1890, but after a visit from some Redemptorist missionaries in 1892, he petitioned to join their Congregation, hoping he too could become a missionary.

He was accepted into the Redemptorists and ordained, but never got the missionary assignment he had hoped for. He was assigned to work in the formation of young Redemptorists and as a director of the minor seminary. He had a simple and direct style that encouraged those with whom he ministered. He died young, at the age of 28, on September 26, 1899. He was beatified in 1988.

For more information

For a good biography of Bd. Stanggassinger, check out To Do What the Day Demands by Otto Weiss.