Referring to St. Peter Canisius, a Dutch Jesuit priest who did much of his life's work in Germany.
Also the name of the rapidly growing Jesuit school in Buffalo, New York, Canisius College was named in honor of this saint. The Jesuits, when establishing the college, chose Canisius because of the high concentration of German immigrants in the area around the intended school and the assumed positive reaction they would have to a man who dedicated himself to their country.