RIP: 9/12/2024 - Steinfeld

Fr. Vianney (Gerhard) Kahlig was born on 16 January 1936 in Jasnik in Sudetenland. His start in life was not easy having endured severe setbacks at a young age. In addition to a sister, he had a brother who was blind, and his mother was deaf. His father was killed in the war. As a result of the loss of the war, his family was expelled, and they went to Bavaria where he completed primary school. After his grammar school education in 1954 he spent a year at the Hermann-Josef-Kolleg in Steinfeld and then from 1955 to 1958 at the Salvatorkolleg in Bad Wurzach, where he completed secondary school. Then he joined the Salvatorians and began his novitiate in Passau on 1 May 1958. He was given the religious name Vianney. He made his first profession on 1 May 1959 in Passau. From 1959 to 1965 he studied philosophy and theology in Passau and Bonn. He interrupted his studies for a year and during that time was prefect and teacher in Jammelshofen. On 15 July 1965, he was ordained a priest in Cologne Cathedral. As a priest, Father Vianney worked in a wide variety of apostolates: as a hospital chaplain, teacher and school chaplain, chaplain and parish priest in Cologne, Horrem, Neuss, Hildesheim, Laatzen, Schöningen, Braunschweig and Verden. Since 2015, he spent his retirement in Steinfeld, where he helped with pastoral care for the first few years. The last years were marked by illnesses and a steady decline in his strength. Fr. Vianney always continued his theological education; he was very well read. It was very difficult for him to accept that he could no longer work actively. Until the end, he always remained interested in what was happening in the order. He participated in prayer and community life as far as he was able. On 9 December 2024, he returned his life into the hands of the Savior after a short stay in hospital. Fr. Vianney was 88 years old, professed for 65 years, and ordained for 59 years.