Gerhard Hradil

Abbot Gerhard Hradil

Gerhard Hradil OCist (born October 28, 1928 in Vienna ) is an Austrian priest monk and the 66th abbot of the Cistercian Abbey of Heiligenkreuz .

Life

Karl Hradil grew up in Vienna / Lainz and graduated from the Humanist High School in Hietzing in 1947 . At the Solemnity of the Exaltation of the Cross in 1947, he was accepted into the novitiate of the Heiligenkreuz Abbey and took the religious name Gerhard. After studying at the Heiligenkreuzer Institutum Theologicum , he was ordained a priest on November 23, 1952 .

From 1959 he was the parish administrator in Trumau / Lower Austria until he returned to the monastery in 1966 as master novice (until 1982), subprior and spiritual director . Until 1983 he was also clerical prefect, cantor and Latin professor at various times. In 1977 he was made prior and on June 10, 1983 elected abbot. His benediction took place on July 10, 1983. From 1984 to 1989 Hradil was chairman of the diocesan superiors conference and from 1991 to 1997 elected President of the Austrian Cistercian Congregation. In 1998 the Convention Chapter decided to extend his term of office, but he resigned on February 11, 1999 for health reasons.

He worked from 1996 to 1999 as a prior for the newly founded Commandery Baden-Wiener Neustadt of the Equestrian Order of the Holy grave in Jerusalem . The Grand Master of the Knightly Order, Edwin Cardinal O'Brien , received his doctorate from Gerhard Hradil on September 21, 2012 as Komtur mit Stern (Grand Officer with Star) .

After his retirement, Hradil served as a Magister of Juniores, spiritual and retreat leader; With the publication of the volume in 2011, he gave the editing of the Heiligenkreuzer Jahrbuch Sancta Crux to younger confreres after decades of work.

Web links

• Entry to Gerhard Hradil on orders online

predecessor	Office	successor
Franz Gaumannmüller	Abbot of the Heiligenkreuz Abbey 1983–1999	Gregor Henckel-Donnersmarck