Johann Michael Raich

Who is Johann Michael Raich?

Johann Michael Raich was a Catholic theologian.

Raich pursued his gymnasial studies under the Benedictines at St. Stephen's at Augsburg, and studied philosophy and theology at the Collegium Germanicum at Rome. On 29 May 1858, he was ordained priest at the same place. In the autumn of 1859 he left Rome and went to Mainz as secretary of Bishop von Ketteler. He accompanied the bishop on journeys and thus was at Rome during the Vatican Council. He was also a cathedral prebend from 4 May 1867. After the death of Bishop von Ketteler, during the years of the Kulturkampf, Raich had a position in the episcopal Chancery. On 29 November 1890, Bishop Paul Leopold Haffner appointed him cathedral canon, and on 11 April 1900, he became cathedral dean.

Raich did much notable literary work. Among his writings are: "Die Auflehnung Döllingers gegen die Kirche u. ihre Autotät"; "Ueber das Alter der Erstcommunicanten"; "Shakespeare's Stellung zur katholischen Religion"; "Die innere Unwahrheit der Freimaurerei"; "St. Augustinus u. der Mosaische Schöpfungsbericht".