Ordination of Kilian Deppisch FSO

Bregenz, 28 June 2025: On the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Fr Kilian Deppisch FSO from Marktheidenfeld (Germany) was ordained a priest in the newly renovated parish church of St Gallus in Bregenz by Bishop Benno Elbs, Bishop of Feldkirch, through the laying on of hands and prayer. The ceremony was attended by 30 priests, many relatives, friends and guests from Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Belgium.

Our new priest has been a member of the Spiritual Family The Work since 2016. He completed his novitiate and his studies in Rome. In the summer months during his studies and in an intership year after his studies, Fr Kilian gained a wealth of pastoral experience: he worked in Lourdes as a volunteer, served in pastoral care in Vienna (Austria), Wiesbaden (Germany), Villers (Belgium) and in a parish in Italy , and taught in Gisingen Feldkirch (Austria) religion in the local primary school.

Bishoo Benno ordaining Fr. Kilan Deppisch.

In his sermon, Bishop Benno Elbs pointed to the reason for Fr Kilian's vocation - to Jesus Christ himself, who is God's YES to the redemption of mankind. The priest, who is called to act in the person of Christ, becomes an extended YES of God for people. Bishop Benno developed this Yes of God with three thoughts.

The priest is a friend of life - in administering the sacraments, God says yes to every person.
The priest is a praying person. The priest is called to pray on behalf of people and for their intentions.
The priest is a man of grace. The world cannot be put right by visions and concepts, because God is already at work with his grace and acts.

»God has said YES to you, your parents have said YES to you. Today, the Church says YES to you and to your vocation to the priesthood.«

Bishop Benno

A place with family tradition

The parish church of St. Gallus in Bregenz is not only a special place for Father Kilian, but also for his parents. It was there that they exchanged their vows exactly 33 years ago. As the newly ordained priest emphasised in his closing remarks, he owes them a great deal: their testimony of faith, their kindness and their support on his path to the priesthood.

Pastoral care

Fr. Kilian will serve as assistant priest at St. Sebastian Parish in Feldkirch/Gisingen, where he already spent his year as a deacon. He will perform his pastoral ministry together with his confrère, Fr. Peter Willi FSO.

»I want to live for God, and I want to live completely for Him.«

Fr Kilian Deppisch

Ordination of Kilian Deppisch FSO

The priest is a friend of life - in administering the sacraments, God says yes to every person.

The priest is a praying person. The priest is called to pray on behalf of people and for their intentions.

The priest is a man of grace. The world cannot be put right by visions and concepts, because God is already at work with his grace and acts.