Feast for the Austrian and German provinces.

Six Jesuits were ordained priests on Saturday 17th October in the Jesuit Church in Innsbruck by Diocesan Bishop Manfred Scheuer from Linz.

Five come from the German Province: Markus Dreher SJ (41) from Württemberg, Stefan Hofmann SJ (38) from the Upper Palatinate, Marco Hubrig SJ (35) from Saxony, Simon Lochbrunner SJ (33) from Swabia and Hans-Martin Rieder SJ (36) from Lower Bavaria. Robert Deinhammer SJ (39) from Salzburg was ordained for the Austrian province. 

Fr. Bernhard Bürgler SJ, Provincial of the Austrian Province, said in his welcoming words that it took more than 300 years until a common ordination for the German and the Austrian provinces could be celebrated in the Jesuit Church in Innsbruck. Around 1,000 guests were present, mostly from the home communities of the newly ordained priests. Numerous Jesuits expressed solidarity with their brothers by giving them their blessing. 

Quoting the epitaph on Ignatius’ tomb in his homily - “Not to be limited by the immeasurable, and yet to keep oneself concerned with the tiniest is something divine” -, Bishop Scheuer emphasized the centrality of service in Ignatian spirituality. 

God is present in our world and in our service as men and women for others. Bishop Scheuer asked the Jesuits to delegate in the Christian sense. Through their mission, they should continue bringing love, hope, hospitality, prayer, as they accompany people on their way and help them to bear their burdens and those of the Church." 

Jesuits could bring faith even in alien milieus, the bishop continued. "Agility and flexibility belong to [their] charism." They are not at home in "fortresses of security" but continue “to be sent to face the loss of trust, fears and uncertainty that exist within relationships and families, as well as towards justice and the education system", Bishop Scheuer said.

In the following days and weeks the newly ordained priests will celebrate their first mass in their home communities.

As for their future destinations, Fr. Deinhammer will start a postgraduate project in philosophy in Innsbruck, whilst Fr. Dreher will follow postgraduate studies in the philosophy of natural science at Oxford. Fr. Hofmann will finish his postdoctoral studies in Tübingen, Fr. Hubrig will finish his studies in psychology in Rome and  Fr. Lochbrunner will be in charge of the German apostleship of prayer and be the Socius of the Novitiate in Nürnberg. Finally, Fr. Rieder will be Chaplain at St. Michael in Göttingen.