Johannes Katschthaler

Johannes Baptist Katschthaler (May 29, 1832—February 27, 1914) was an Austrian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Salzburg from 1900 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1903.

Johannes Katschthaler was born in Hippach, in the Austrian Tirol, and studied at the seminary in Salzburg. He was ordained to the priesthood on July 31, 1855, and became vicar of Rossen in 1857. After being made vicar of St. Johann, he began teaching at the Salzburg seminary. Katschthaler furthered his studies at the University of Salzburg, from where he obtained his doctorate in theology, and later joined the Theological Faculty at the same university on May 1, 1862. He began teaching ecclesiastical history at University of Innsbruck in 1874, and became a canon of the cathedral chapter of Salzburg in 1880. He was promoted to rector of seminary of Salzburg in 1882.

On June 4, 1891, Katschthaler was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Salzburg and Titular Bishop of Cybistra by Pope Leo XIII, receiving his episcopal consecration on the following July 12 from Archbishop Johann Evangelist Haller. After becoming dean of the metropolitan chapter of Salzburg in 1892, he was later elected the seventy-fourth Archbishop of Salzburg by the cathedral chapter on May 10, 1900, being confirmed by Pope Leo on the following December 17. In virtue of his new position, Katschthaler also held the title of Primas Germaniae.

Leo XIII created him Cardinal Priest of S. Tommaso in Parione in the consistory of June 22, 1903. However, as a privilege of his see, Katschthaler was already allowed to wear the scarlet robes traditionally reserved for cardinals even before his elevation to the Sacred College. During his tenure, he participated in the papal conclave of 1903, which selected Pope Pius X, and promoted the Theological Faculty of Salzburg to form a separate University. In 1911, he was decorated with the Grand Cross of the Austrian Order of Sankt Stefan.

The Cardinal died in Salzburg, at age 81. He is buried in the metropolitan cathedral of Salzburg.