In his home parish of Moosen, Prelate Josef Mundigl celebrated his 65th jubilee as a priest.
With his heartfelt manner he has reached many people.
Moosen
– He is and remains an elemental force, charmingly mischievous and still decisive.
Even though Prelate Josef Mundigl, at the age of 92, has had to spend a lot of time in a wheelchair due to several fractures in recent years, he celebrated his 65th jubilee as a priest on Sunday in his home parish of St. Stephanus Moosen in top form.
Many companions, his large relatives and many believers celebrated with him.
Two childhood friends, Spiritual Counselor Hans Holzner and Deacon Ferdinand Haider, celebrated the service with him and Father Dominik.
Holzner recalled how Archbishop Wendl ordained Mundigl to the priesthood in 1957.
"Of these 33 young men, only three are still living with you."
As a young priest he worked for two years in the parish of St. Margaretha in Landshut, was chaplain in St. Quirin am Tegernsee for three years, followed by almost six years in the parish of Christkönig Munich.
Then Cardinal Döpfner gave him the pastoral care of the rural people and the parish of Massenhausen and Giggenhausen near Freising.
In 1969 it was time for St. Johannes in Erding, where a lot of work awaited him.
Holzner named the renovation of the parish church of St. John, the restoration of the cemetery church of St. Paul and the construction of one of the largest and most beautiful organs in the country.
"Here you can feel your great joy in church music of all centuries," said his friend.
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The large family, some of whom had come from far away, met at the family grave to pray with Josef Mundigl and his 91-year-old brother Georg (seated, right).
© Birgit Lang
For his great commitment to pastoral work, he soon became a clergyman and finally a papal prelate.
Many municipal and political honors were also added.
"Nevertheless, for me and many others, you remain the Schmid Sepp von Hubenstein.
"You didn't become an ironsmith, you became a real verse smith," said Holzner, quoting him: "Vistaler samma, zamhoitn damma, ent und herent vo da Vuis.
And comes up a Nout, nochat gemma on Berg naus (Maiselsberg) to the Muatta, de allawei huift."
Mundigl, who is a friend of Pope Josef Ratzinger, thanked his parents and all the people who had taught him to live according to God's Word in a clear voice.
He remembered his godmother Elisabeth, who had given him a chalice made of silver and gold with beautiful rock crystals for his priestly ordination.
He bequeathed him and his primiz robe, which he removed without further ado, to his home parish of Moosen. He gave his small Gothic chalice, which he received from a pastor, to the Moosen pilgrimage church and his chasuble to St. Johannes Rettenbach.
It is sewn from upholstery fabric from the Himolla company.
"Now every church has a gift from me," he beamed, which touched those present.
Then Deputy District Administrator Franz Hofstetter took the floor and reported that Mundigl was the fifth of eight children in Hubenstein and, as was the custom at the time, had to study to be a pastor.
"But for you it wasn't a duty, it was a calling." As a person, Mundigl is rooted in the old Bavarian soil and cultural tradition, but he has managed to break old habits.
Music and the district pilgrimage were always important to him.
For his work, he was named a cultural award winner and honorary citizen of the district and awarded the Golden Ring of Honor.
For 20 years he also celebrated the May prayer in his home village of Aham, followed by a snack, Hofstetter said.
This year it was the last time, Mundigl announced, which moved Hofstetter to tears.
For his services to Erding, the prelate received the golden city medal as the highest award.
Mayor Max Gotz said that he left all the church buildings in Erding "in tip top condition" and that he also came to events when he was retired.
Taufkirchen's mayor, Stefan Haberl, recognized his love of music as something he had in common with the celebrant.
And Manfred Slawny, thanked Mundigl because he always made time for SC Moosen.
The chairwoman of the parish council, Doris Hamacher, thanked him for his “personal, Bavarian way of proclaiming the faith”.
And Father Dominik wished that the prelate would often visit the seniors in the Moosen enclave.
With a "Gods god, Pfiad Eich", Mundigl said goodbye and let his nephew Hannes push him out of the church, not without shaking hands with many people and praying with the large relatives at the family grave after the service.
