Saint Peter Canisius (1521–1597)

Jesuit missionary; born in Nimeguen, Netherlands, on the 8th of May 1521; died in Freiburg, Switzerland, on the 21st of December 1597. His name was properly the Dutch De Hondt (dog) which he turned into the Latin Canisius; the first man to become a Jesuit in Germany; became the leader of the order there and in Austria; preacher to Ferdinand I.; a member of the Council of Trent, 1545; vice-chancellor of the University of Ingolstadt, 1549; wrote Institutiones Christiana Pietatis and Summa Doctrinae Christianae. Beatified in 1864 by Pius IX.