The church organization measures of the Bishopric of Pécs in connection with the administration of the parishes in Slavonia in the years 1730-1740

Abstract

The first half of the 18th century was a transitional period in the history of the Catholic Church. The bishops gradually built up and reorganised the ecclesiastical administration by organising and taking over the administration of the parishes. At the same time, the Franciscan order, whose monks continued their ecclesiastical activities after the wars of reconquest, lost ground. Thanks to the introduction of diocesan priestly training, the seminaries were able to release clerics year after year, which enabled the dioceses to appoint more and more priests in their own jurisdiction and at the same time push the monks out of the parishes. As a result, the bishops were able to push through their integration efforts, which were primarily aimed at homogenising the institution.

The study examines this process using the example of the diocese of Pécs. In the 1740s, a dispute arose between the diocese of Pécs and the Bosnian Franciscans over jurisdiction over the Slavonic parishes. Government authorities and the monarch were involved in the dispute, which ended with an in-depth investigation in 1746-1747. The study analyses the sources and evaluates the events, focusing on the arguments of both sides and the personnel and official changes.