History
A Short History of the VESSC
The origins of Vienna’s English-Speaking Roman Catholic Community are directly related to the outcome of the 2nd World War.
At the end of the War, Prälat Leopold Ungar (1912-1992) was asked to begin celebrating the Eucharist for the British and American Forces of Occupation. This was the beginning of our Community, for which Fr. Ungar served as pastor from 1947 until his death in 1992.
Although never officially named to this position, it was just one of those callings in life which simply came Fr. Ungar’s way through the request of others and to which he responded with constant and enduring dedication until his death in 1992. His words and his presence remain active in this Community still many years after his death. Our Community has established a fund in his name to support community members and friends in need.
Our Community has moved around quite a lot during the last few decades. In the 1940’s for a very short time mass was held at the Votivkirche. Other temporary places of worship for the then fledgling community included Alserkirche; the Chapel building on Annagasse; and the Chapel on Boltzmanngasse, which was bought by the Archdiocese of Vienna in 1913 to serve as its major seminary, the function it continues to fulfill today. Boltzmanngasse was the home of our Community from the early 1960s up to 1993. Our last move was made in September 1993 to the Votivkirche where, with good pastoral relations with the Votivkirche Community and its adjacent facilities, we hope to settle permanently.
So far our Community has had five pastors. The founder and the longest serving pastor was Fr. Leopold Ungar who was more known in Austria, as well as abroad, as the Director of Caritas for some 18 years.
Upon the death of Fr. Ungar, Fr. Michael Conway, O.S.S.T. was appointed as our pastor in June 1992. He was a Trinitarian Priest and held the post until August 1994, when he was re-assigned to a new post in America. Fr. Michael was replaced by Fr. Patrick Nworgu from Nigeria, who served the community until the year 2000. Fr. Alexander Lagler, the Coordinator of Foreign Language Speaking Communities, served as an interim-pastor from August 2000 until September 2002.
At the present the community pastor is Fr. Kevin Soars who took over from Fr. Lagler. Fr. Kevin is a Diocesan Priest from England.
The Deacon plays a role in the pastoral team. Deacon Greg is a full-time deacon and has been working in our Community since 1975. He was responsible for the running of the Community Office until the employment of Miss Louise Lavery in May 1995. Now the Community with the support of the Archdiocese of Vienna has a secretary, Ashenafi Moges, taking care of the office.
Another member of the pastoral team with long years of service was Sr. Beatrice Chaves Psol, from India. She taught in the religious education program for children for over 25 years, preparing children for First Communion and serving the Community in a great variety of ways. She died on June 17, 2001 and is buried on the Sievering Cemetery, at the right side, close to the entrance. In her memory, the Community made a substantial financial donation to the Order of the Poor Sisters of Our Lady, to which she belonged, to fund their work with girls in India.
Since the mid-1980’s the Community has welcomed Fr. Cyril Desbrulais S.J. as a regular guest. He is a Professor of Christian Philosophy at De Nobili College, Puna, India. During his stay here he often offers a Bible Study series, an adult retreat and a youth retreat.
In the summer of 1996 the Community was fortunate enough to encounter Fr Joseph Carrola, a Jesuit priest from Italy, who was in Vienna studying German, and agreed to fill in for the then Pastor, Fr. Patrick. His sermon from August 25th of that summer is still in the minds of many of our community members.