PARISH HISTORY

In the 1970s when there were not yet very many Filipinos in Vienna, it was the embassy officials who invited priests studying in Rome to come for the weekend to say mass for the small community that was forming. Fr. Michael Balaria (known to many as Fr. Mike) now a Monsignor in the diocese of Cabanatuan, was the one who was frequently invited. When he returned to the Philippines, Fr. Lorenzo Noronha, an Indian priest teaching at the university, assumed the responsibilities of chaplain between 1982 and 1984. The masses at the time were celebrated at the St. Ulrich Kirche on Burggasse. Although he is now retired, Fr. Noronha is still in Vienna.

It was in 1984 when the first official chaplain was appointed by the Archdiocese of Vienna for the Filipinos: Fr. Ruben Ramirez from the diocese of Imus, Cavite. The masses were transferred to the Jesuiten Kirche in the first district. Fr. Ruben stayed to serve the community until February 1986. Then, in late 1986 the Bishop of Puerto Princesa in Palawan Fr. Pedro Arigo came to Vienna to say the masses at the Jesuitenkirche for nearly two years.

Fr. Hermogenes Rafal came in 1988 to continue saying the masses at the Jesuitenkirche, before moving them to Am Tabor in the 2nd district. In those memorable days, enterprising parishioners sold food after the mass (it is still done in Rome at the church of St. Pudenciana) and mass-goers delighted in the opportunity to buy longanisa, siopao and other delicacies from their kababayan street-vendors. Fr. Gene now serves as a parish priest at the Immaculate Conception Parish in Dasmarinas, Cavite. When he left in 1991, Fr. Calixto Artemio Lumanandas, known to all as Fr. Tem, took over.

In 1995 Fr. Jose S. Demoy took over the chaplaincy; he continued saying the 11 a.m. Sunday mass at Am Tabor, and added a 7 p.m. mass at the SMZ Ost chapel. Seeing that these two masses were not enough to serve the ever-growing community, Fr. Joey increased the number of masses to 4. He introduced the Anticipated Mass at 7 p.m. on Saturdays at Stephansdom. Through the years, this Anticipated Mass has not only served the Filpino community but also attracts a high number of the English-speaking community living in Vienna. The 11 a.m. mass at Am Tabor was moved to St. Johann Nepomuk at Nestroyplatz. A Sunday mass at 1:30 p.m. was held at Emmaus am Wienerberg in the 10th district, and at 6 p.m. at the Mariahilf Kapelle on the Erzherzog Karl Str. in the 22nd district.

Finally in 2002, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn made the Church of Maria vom Berge Karmel at Stefan Fadingerplatz the centre of the Filipino Catholic Community in Vienna, and installed Fr. Joey as the parish priest of the resident Austrian community in that parish.

In the meantime, Fr. Lino de Castro was sent as an assistant priest and student in 2000. He stayed for two years before returning to become the parish priest at St. Joseph the Worker in Kaytitingga, Alfonso, Cavite.

The diocese of Cavite realized that one priest is not enough for the large Filipino Catholic Community in Vienna, and thus sent Fr. Conrado Amon under the same terms as Fr. Lino. In 2004, Fr. Conrad returned to become the parish priest of St. Gregory the Great Parish in Indang, Cavite.

Fr. Ely Dalanon took over Fr. Conrad's place in 2004, and Fr. Cyril Villareal joined the chaplaincy in 2005.