Peter Jan Beckx

Peter Jan Beckx (also Pieter Jan Beckx, in French Pierre Jean Beckx) (8 February, 1795 – 4 March, 1887) born in Zichem (Belgium) and died in Rome, was a Belgian Jesuit priest, elected 22nd Superior-General of the Society of Jesus in 1853.

Beckx was born — two months after the death of his father — in a very poor family. Another brother and sister died before he was one year old. With the help of benefactors he did his schooling in Testelt and then the municipal school of Aarschot. In 1815 he entered the seminary of Mechelen in order to follow the course of studies leading to the priesthood. Ordained priest in Mechelen (6 March 1819) he was appointed in Uccle, a parish in the neighbourhood of Brussels (now part of the city). Eight months later, he resigned and entered the Society of Jesus at Hildesheim, Hanover. After the usual novitiate formation time he completed his Theological and Biblical studies (1823-26) in Germany. He was soon able to preach, hear confessions, and give retreats in the German language.

The Duke and Duchess of Anhalt-Köthen converted to Catholicism in 1825 and asked for a Jesuit chaplain. Beckx was appointed to this duty, and went to live in Köthen. By giving classes to children in his own house, building a little church and organizing spiritual activities he brought many people back to the Catholic faith. After the death of the duke (1830) he went to live in Vienna, where he was the only Jesuit for many years. His powerful sermons gave him fame and Jan Roothaan, the Superior General, often asked him to negotiate on his behalf the foundation of Jesuit schools: Graz, Innsbruck, Linz. From time to time he was called to Rome and sent on missions to Lombardy, Hungary, and Bavaria. After teaching for a few years Canon Law at the Roman College in Rome (1842) he was sent to Belgium (1848) and was appointed Rector of the Jesuit theologate in Leuven (in 1850). But his services were required in Vienna, where the situation for the Jesuits was difficult. In 1852 Roothaan sent him again to Vienna, as provincial, and his chief negotiator.

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