FLORENTINI, THEODOSIUS

Swiss Catholic leader in educational, charitable, and social work, founder of two religious congregations; b. Münster, Graubünden canton, Switzerland, May 23, 1808; d. Heiden, Appenzell canton, Feb. 15, 1865. He joined the Capuchins (1825) and was ordained (1830). After teaching theology in the Capuchin house of studies in Baden, Switzerland, he became superior there (1838). Government suppression of religious houses caused him to flee to Alsace (1841). Upon his return he became active in the renewal of Swiss Catholic life, mainly in the fields of education and charitable works. To effectuate his plans Florentini founded the Teaching Sisters of the Holy Cross (1844) and the Sisters of Mercy of the holy cross (1856). By 1865 these two congregations had 441 members. For the former group Florentini drew up a plan of elementary education. In 1856 he reopened the former Jesuit college in Schwyz and developed for it a program of humanistic studies and industrial training.

Florentini believed that a solution of the labor problem was among the most urgent needs of his time, and he developed a social theology as well as an active reform program. He advocated model factories, to be established and even managed by religious orders as examples of shops run according to the principles of justice and charity. Some factories were opened at Florentini's instigation. In them he tried to bring about a "better distribution of revenue between dead money and working energy." In each new attempt he utilized lessons learned from previous failures. Florentini's most important enterprise was the cloth factory that he took over in 1860 in Oberleutensdorf, Bohemia, then part of Austria-Hungary. The higher clergy and nobles were well-disposed toward the project, which anticipated later developments in enlightened social management but which proved economically unprofitable.

When Florentini became vicar-general of the Diocese of Chur in 1860, he undertook new pastoral projects and helped inaugurate the Swiss bishops' conferences. He was also a noted preacher and author of many popular spiritual works. His unselfish labors won him the esteem of both Catholics and non-Catholics.

Bibliography: v. gadient, Der Caritasapostel Theodosius Florentini (2d ed. Lucerne 1946). a. bÜnter, Die industriellen Unternehmungen von P. Theodosius Florentini (Freiburg 1962). b. von mehr, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, 10v. (2d, new ed. Freiburg 1957–65) 4:170.

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