He received his early education at St. Gall, then went to the lyceum at
Lucerne and the
University of Munich; at the university he studied theology, philosophy, and history, and met
Joseph Görres. In 1829 he went to Paris to perfect himself in library work; while there he decided to enter the priesthood and completed his theological studies in the Sulpician seminary of that city. He was ordained priest in 1831, and was made sub-librarian of St. Gall, also sub-regent and professor of the ecclesiastical seminary. During the ecclesiastico-political troubles which soon after arose in Switzerland, Greith was prominent with pen and voice in defence of the Catholic Church. He was, consequently, deprived of his offices. He went to Rome, at the instance of the English Government, for the purpose of collecting documents in the Roman libraries and archives relating to English history. After the restoration of peace he devoted himself to parochial work in St. Gall, was made dean of the cathedral in 1847, professor of philosophy in 1853, and was consecrated
Bishop of St. Gall in 1862. From early years he had been an intimate friend of
Ignaz von Döllinger, and at the
First Vatican Council he held, in regard to the question of
papal infallibility, that a dogmatic decision was inadvisable under existing circumstances. However, he accepted the decision of the council and tried to induce Döllinger to do the same. Greith was a strong champion of ecclesiastical interests and defended the Catholic church against civil power. He could not prevent the suppression of his seminary for boys nor hinder the civil prohibition of missions and retreats; nevertheless he renewed the religious life of his diocese and called into being an educated clergy. ==Works==