Father Willibald Unger (birth name: John) was born in Hochfeld, Bavaria, in 1887. He was introduced to the Society in 1909 in Hamont, Belgium, when he began his studies for the priesthood. He came to the United States in 1911, and continued his studies in the seminary in St. Nazianz, Wisconsin. He entered the novitiate there in 1914, and he made his profession of vows on September 8, 1915. He was ordained in St. Ambrose Chapel on August 28, 1921. For the first few years of his priestly ministry, Fr. Willibald taught in the seminary and helped in the neighboring parishes. In 1925, he was sent to Milwaukee as the first pastor of Mother of Good Counsel Parish. Beginning with a small frame building that served as both church and school, the parish initially served about forty families. In 1929, a much larger church and school building was constructed. During the fifteen years of his pastorate, the parish grew to well over three hundred families, and there were over three hundred children in the school. In 1940, failing health forced him to relinquish the duties of such a large and busy parish, and he went to the much smaller St. Marin's Parish in Charlestown. He remained there until his death on June 25, 1948, the morning after finishing his annual retreat at the monastery. He was buried in the community cemetery in St. Nazianz.
--From "On Whose Shoulders We Stand", 2nd Ed, Society of the Divine Savior, 2005.
--From "On Whose Shoulders We Stand", 2nd Ed, Society of the Divine Savior, 2005.
Father Willibald Unger (birth name: John) was born in Hochfeld, Bavaria, in 1887. He was introduced to the Society in 1909 in Hamont, Belgium, when he began his studies for the priesthood. He came to the United States in 1911, and continued his studies in the seminary in St. Nazianz, Wisconsin. He entered the novitiate there in 1914, and he made his profession of vows on September 8, 1915. He was ordained in St. Ambrose Chapel on August 28, 1921. For the first few years of his priestly ministry, Fr. Willibald taught in the seminary and helped in the neighboring parishes. In 1925, he was sent to Milwaukee as the first pastor of Mother of Good Counsel Parish. Beginning with a small frame building that served as both church and school, the parish initially served about forty families. In 1929, a much larger church and school building was constructed. During the fifteen years of his pastorate, the parish grew to well over three hundred families, and there were over three hundred children in the school. In 1940, failing health forced him to relinquish the duties of such a large and busy parish, and he went to the much smaller St. Marin's Parish in Charlestown. He remained there until his death on June 25, 1948, the morning after finishing his annual retreat at the monastery. He was buried in the community cemetery in St. Nazianz.
--From "On Whose Shoulders We Stand", 2nd Ed, Society of the Divine Savior, 2005.
--From "On Whose Shoulders We Stand", 2nd Ed, Society of the Divine Savior, 2005.
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