CRAMER, WILHELM

CRAMER, WILHELM. — Author of books on popular education and pastoral theology, born in Oelde (Westphalia) on 3 March 1815, died in Münster on 15 March 1903; ordained a priest in 1838, parish priest and dean at Dülmen (1850), rector of the seminary at Münster (1864), then dean of the Diocesan Chapter and coadjutor bishop (1884).

Together with several friends, in 1852 he founded the missionary journal Katholische Missionsblätter, of which he was chief editor for more than 40 years. Principal works: Die christliche Mutter (Dülmen 1872; 28th ed., ibid. 1899); Der christliche Vater (ibid. 1873); Das Kirchenjahr oder Betrachtungen auf alle Tage des Kirchenjahres... (2 vols., Münster 1877–78); Der apostolische Seelsorger (Dülmen 1890); Die ersten Jahre im Lehrerberufe (Münster 1898).

CRAMER, WILHELM. – Popular ascetic writer, born in Gescke (Westphalia) on 25 September 1845, ordained a priest in 1869, parish priest in Hohenwepel and subsequently in S. Vit (near Wiedenbrück) until 1910, died in Gescke on 15 October 1916.

He published various religious books and pamphlets, simple in style but profound in ideas and sentiment. From 1873 to 1883 he was editor of the Marian periodical Marienblüten, and from 1898 to 1907 of the Sendbote des hl. Antonius.

Principal works: Feuer und Schwert (Dülmen 1870); Muttergottes Gebetbuch (there 1873); Die deutschen Pilger an den französischen Gnadenstätten N. D. des Victoires, Issoudun, Lourdes und Paray-le-Monial (Berlin 1875); Die Erscheinungen und Heilungen in Marpingen (Würzburg 1876); Der hochheilige Rosenkranz (Münster 1879); Der grosse Tag ist das Gebetbuch für erste Communion (Dülmen 1879); Vor Gott. Vollständiges Gebetbuch (there 1888); Auf der Eisenbahn (there 1891).