Alfred Pichler

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The Most Reverend

Alfred Pichler
Bishop of Banja Luka
DioceseBanja Luka
SeeBanja Luka
Appointed22 July 1959
In office1959-1989
Predecessor
SuccessorFranjo Komarica
Orders
Ordination13 March 1937
Consecration18 October 1959
by Franjo Šeper
Personal details
Born(1913-12-18)18 December 1913
Drvar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria-Hungary
Died17 May 1992(1992-05-17) (aged 78)
Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
BuriedCathedral of Saint Bonaventure, Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
NationalityGerman
DenominationCatholic
ParentsAnton and Matilda (née Helk) Pichler
MottoNec laudibus nec timore (Neither praise nor fear)

Alfred Pichler (18 December 1913 – 17 May 1992) was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Banja Luka, the first bishop of Banja Luka who was diocesan priest and the first who was born on the territory of the Diocese of Banja Luka.[1]

Early life[]

Alfred Pichler was born in Oštrelj near Drvar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Anton and Matilda (née Helk) Pichler. He had finished elementary school in Šipovo and Prijedor where he also attended six years of gymnasium, then he went to the minor seminary in Travnik. He continued studying at the University of Catholic Theology in Sarajevo where he was ordained deacon by Ivan Šarić on 20 February 1937.[1]

Priesthood[]

Pichler was ordained to the priesthood on 13 March 1937[2] in the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Sarajevo. He first served as a chaplain in Banja Luka, and then as a parish priest in Novi Martinac.

During the Second World War, he had to escape from Chetniks to .[1] After the war ended, from May 1945 to March in 1946, he was situated with other Germans in a camp in Bosanski Aleksandrovac. He was administrator of parishes in Nova Topola, Bosanski Aleksandrovac and Mahovljani from the autumn 1946 until spring 1952.[1]

Communist authorities accused Pichler of "enemy propaganda" and imprisoned him until April 1954. After his release until the appointment of the bishop, he served as parish priest of Prnjavor.[1]

Episcopal ministry[]

On 22 July 1959, Pichler was appointed Bishop of Banja Luka[2] by Pope John XXIII. He received his episcopal consecration from Franjo Šeper, with and serving as co-consecrators on 18 October 1959.[2]

During his episcopal service, Bishop Pichler left a deep mark and he specially devoted himself up to the upbringing and education of priests. Thus, during his ministry, 34 priests were ordained and three priests from his diocese became bishops (Franjo Komarica, Vinko Puljić and ).[3]

He established 9 new parishes: Ravska (1967), Dragalovci (1970), Mariastern (1973), Odžak-Čaić (1975), Raljaš (1977), Trn (1980), Budžak (1983) and Motike (1983). He participated in the Second Vatican Council as a member of the Commission for the liturgy. Being the president of the Liturgical board of Yugoslavia he has greatly contributed the restoration of the Roman liturgy after the Council. Because he had cordial relationships with local Orthodox Christians, pope John Paul II appointed him member of the International Catholic-Orthodox episcopal commission.[3]

On 15 May 1989, he retired from the ministry and until his death remained bishop emeritus of Banja Luka. He died on 17 May 1992, and was buried two days later at the cathedral.[1]

Bibliography[]

  • Upoznajmo što činimo, Sarajevo-Banja Luka, 1983
  • Da budemo sretni, Mostar-Banja Luka, 1985

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Alfred PICHLER, rezidencijalni biskup od 1959. do 1989" (in Croatian). biskupija-banjaluka.org. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Bishop Alfred Pichler". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  3. ^ a b Marić, Franjo; Orlovac, Anto (2006). Banjolučka biskupija u riječi i slici od 1881. do 2006 : povodom 125. obljetnice utemeljenja Biskupije. Banja Luka: Biskupski Ordinarijat Banja Luka. pp. 35–36. ISBN 953-97841-5-8.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
 Bishop of Banja Luka
1959–1989 		Succeeded by
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