Father Gassner – healing mediumIn the journal Popular Illustrated Exhibition, issue 24, we find in an article entitled: Correspondence about the thaumaturges, an interesting notice about priest Gassner, almost as well known in his time as Prince Hohenlohe for his healing power.
“Gassner (Jean-Joseph) was born on August 20th, 1727, in Bratz, near Bludens (Swabia); he did his first studies in Innsbruck and in Prague, received ecclesiastical orders and was provided, in 1758 he was appointed priest of Kloesterle, in the region of Graubünden.
After fifteen years of a quiet life, he revealed himself to the world as endowed with an exceptional power, of curing all diseases by the simple laying of the hands, and that without using any medication, and without demanding any compensation. The sick soon flocked in from all sides, and in such numbers that, in order to be in a better condition of helping them, Gassner requested and obtained permission to be absent from his priesthood, and went successively to Wolfegg and Weingarten, in Ravensperg, Detland, Kirchberg, Morspurg and Constance. The sick people followed him; the medical profession revolted against him. Some proclaimed his wonderful cures, others contested him.
The Bishop of Constance embarrassed him with an investigation, carried out by the director of the seminary. Gassner said he never thought of working miracles and constrained himself to applying the power that the ordination confers to all priests to exorcise, in the name of Jesus Christ, the demons who are one of the most common causes of our diseases. He declared to divide all illnesses into natural illnesses or lesions, illnesses of obsessions and complicated illnesses of obsessions. He was, he said, powerless over the former, and failed over those of the third category, when the natural illness was superior to the illness of obsession.
The bishop was not convinced and ordered Gassner to return to his parish, but soon after he authorized him to continue his exorcisms; the priest hastened to take advantage of the authorization and surprised the inhabitants of Elwangen, Sulzbach and Regensburg by the immense crowd of patients that his fame attracted from Switzerland, Germany and France. The Duke of Wurtemberg openly declared to be his admirer and protector; his successes attracted powerful adversaries to him. The famous Haen and the Theatine Sterzingen attacked him with perseverance and passion; several bishops lent their support to the fiery of the Theatin and forbade him from exorcising in their dioceses. Finally, Joseph II issued a decree ordering Gassner to leave Regensburg; but strong by the protection of the prince-bishop of this city, who had conferred him the title of ecclesiastical adviser, with the function of chaplain of the court, he persisted. This resistance lasted until 1777, when Gassner was assigned to the parish of Bondorf, where he retired and died on April 4th, 1779, at the age of 52.”
Observation: Spiritism protests the qualification of thaumaturge given to healers, because it does not admit anything to be done outside of natural laws. The phenomena that belong to the order of spiritual facts are no more miraculous than the material facts, since the spiritual element is one of the forces of nature, just as well as the material element. Father Gassner, therefore, made no more miracles than the Prince of Hohenlohe and the Zouave Jacob, and we can see singular similarities between what was happening then with him and what is happening today.
