Schenkl, MAURUS VON, a Benedictine theologian and canonist, b. at Auerbach in Bavaria, January 4, 1749; d. at Amberg, June 14, 1816. After studying the humanities at the Jesuit college in Amberg (1760-1765), he entered the Benedictine monastery of Prufening (Priefling) near Ratisbon, took vows on October 2, 1768, and was ordained priest on September 27, 1772. From 1772-7 he held various offices at his monastery; in 1777 he was at first oeconomus at Puch, then pastor at Gelgenbach; from 1778-83 he taught dogmatic, moral and pastoral theology and canon law at the Benedictine monastery of Weltenburg; in 1783 he became librarian at Prufening where he at the same time taught canon law till 1785, then moral theology till 1790, when with his abbot’s consent he accepted a position as professor of canon law, moral, and pastoral theology at the lyceum of Amberg. With his professorial duties was connected the regency of the seminary and, after declining an offer to succeed his confrere, Bede Aschenbrenner, as professor of canon law at the University of Ingolstadt in 1793; he was also appointed rector of the school at Amberg in 1794. Upon his urgent request he was relieved of the rector-ship in 1798 and, after refusing another offer as professor of canon law at Aschaffenburg in 1804; he was honored with the title of spiritual councillor of the king. Owing to ill-health he resigned the regency of the seminary and after 1808 he taught only canon law and pastoral theology. He was highly esteemed as a theologian and canonist, and his works were used as texts in many institutions of Germany and Austria. His chief works are (I) “Juris ecclesiastici statu Germania3 maxime et Bavarise adcommodati syntagma” (Ratisbon, 1785). When interpolated editions of this work were published (Cologne, 1787, and Bonn, 1789), he reedited it under the title “Institutiones juris eccl. etc.” (2 vols., Ingolstadt, 1790-1), but it was again reprinted without his consent (Bonn, 1793, and Cologne, 1794). The latest (11th) edition was prepared by Engelmann (Ratisbon, 1853). (2) “Ethica christiana universalis” (3 vols., Ingolstadt, 1800-1, 5th ed., Gran, 1830). (3) “Theologise pastoralis systema” (Ingolstadt, 1815-25).
MICHAEL OTT