HOLZHAUSER, Bartholomäus. - Founder of the Bartholomites (v.), born at Laugna (diocese of Augsburg) on 24 Aug. 1613, died at Bingen am Rhein on 20 May 1658. Destined for an ecclesiastical career, even during his studies at the University of Ingolstadt he had conceived the idea, in order to uphold the prestige of the clergy and strengthen spiritual activity, of founding an institute of secular priests living in community.
The plan began to take shape when he was appointed canon at Tittmoning (1640-42) and continued while he was dean and parish priest at St Johann in Tirol (1642-55) and parish priest at Bingen (1655-58). At his death the Institute had spread to the dioceses of Salzburg, Freising, Eichstätt, Würzburg and Mainz. To his fervent piety and zeal he united a great literary activity, through which he reveals himself as a man of profound spiritual insight and an expert director and pastor.
Of his works, all published posthumously, besides those concerning the formation of his colleagues: *Constitutions clericorum saecularium in communi viventium* (Cologne 1662); *Instructions de via perfectionis et principiis practicis pro statu clericali et pastorali* (Rome 1682); *Constitutions pro spirituali temporalique directione Institutii* (ibid. 1684), mention should be made of the *Tractatus de humanitate* (Mainz 1663) and the two much-debated works: *Visions* (Bamberg 1784) and *Explicatio in Apocalypsim* (ibid. 1784).