Irish-British Province

AUSTRIA
An Ethnologist reaches Gold!

Fr. Hermann HOCHEGGER, former missionary in DR Congo, completed 50 years as an SVD on September 8.

An ethnology seminar by Fr. Paul SCHEBESTA during his formation years at St. Gabriel was to greatly influence his missionary life. Long before the Vatican Council, Fr. Schebesta had emphasized the importance for the missionaries of learning the culture of the people with whom they work.

In Congo, Fr. Hochegger organized numerous study days on mythology and rituals and called for a dialogue with the Congolese culture. His research findings appeared in numerous publications.

After 30 years in Congo, Fr. Hochegger has now retired to St. Gabriel’s, Mödling.

Source: Arnoldus Nota