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Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer

detail of the bas-relief on the tomb of Saint Klemens Maria Hofbauer; date and artist unknown; Church of Maria am Gestade, Vienna, Austria; photographed on 30 October 2010 by Andreas Praefcke; swiped from Wikimedia Commons Also known as

Apostle of Vienna
Clemens Mary Hofbauer
Johannes Hofbauer
John Dvorák
Klemens Maria
Second Founder of the Redemptorists

Memorial

15 March

Profile

Ninth child of a butcher who changed the family name from the Moravian Dvorák to the Germanic Hofbauer. His father died when Clement was six years old. The young man felt a call to the priesthood, but his family was too poor to afford his education. Apprentice and journeyman baker at Premonstratensian monastery at Bruck, Germany. Hermit.

When hermitages were abolished by Emperor Joseph II, Clement worked as a baker in Vienna, Austria. Hermit in Italy with Peter Kunzmann, taking the name Clement. Made three pilgrimages to Rome. During the third, he joined the Redemptorists at San Giuliano, adding the name Marie. He met some sponsors following a Mass, and they agreed to pay for his education. Studied at the University of Vienna, and at Rome. Ordained in 1785, and assigned to Vienna.

Missionary to Warsaw, Poland with several companions from 1786 to 1808, working with the poor, building schools and orphanages; the brothers preached five sermons a day. Spiritual teacher of Venerable Joseph Passerat. With Father Thaddeus Hubl, he introduced the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer to Poland. From there he sent Redemptorist missionaries to Germany and Switzerland. Clement and his companions were imprisoned in 1808 when Napoleon suppressed religious orders, then expelled to Austria.

Noted preacher and spiritual director in Vienna. Chaplain and spiritual director of an Ursuline convent. Founded a Catholic college in Vienna. Worked with young men, and helped revitalize German religious life. Worked against the establishment of a German national Church. Worked against Josephinism which sought secular control of the Church and clergy.