Ordained to the priesthood at the age of 26 on March 15, 1936, Bilgeri was assigned as a missionary to Inkamana, South Africa, on April 6, of the following year. There, he served as assistant parish priest in the parishes of Mahlabatini and Nongoma and parish priest of Mahlabatini, until his nomination as Apostolic Vicar of the Vicariate Apostolic of Eshowe and Titular Bishop of the See of Germanicopolis on June 12, 1947.
Bilgeri received his episcopal consecration on September 14, 1947, at the early age of 38, from Archbishop Martin Lucas SVD., assisted by Bishops Joseph Adalbert Fleischer MHM., and Friedrich Osterrath OSB., becoming thus, the First Bishop of the Diocese of Eshowe.
The Bishop founded the Congregation of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Alban on January 6, 1957 and served furthermore as parish priest of Mtunzini from 1969 until his demise, which occurred on July 24, 1973, at 64 years of age, after 25 years of episcopate.
Ordained to the priesthood at the age of 26 on March 15, 1936, Bilgeri was assigned as a missionary to Inkamana, South Africa, on April 6, of the following year. There, he served as assistant parish priest in the parishes of Mahlabatini and Nongoma and parish priest of Mahlabatini, until his nomination as Apostolic Vicar of the Vicariate Apostolic of Eshowe and Titular Bishop of the See of Germanicopolis on June 12, 1947.
Bilgeri received his episcopal consecration on September 14, 1947, at the early age of 38, from Archbishop Martin Lucas SVD., assisted by Bishops Joseph Adalbert Fleischer MHM., and Friedrich Osterrath OSB., becoming thus, the First Bishop of the Diocese of Eshowe.
The Bishop founded the Congregation of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Alban on January 6, 1957 and served furthermore as parish priest of Mtunzini from 1969 until his demise, which occurred on July 24, 1973, at 64 years of age, after 25 years of episcopate.
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