The impending farewell had become apparent in the past few weeks. His health had already been damaged too much. Johann Zauner had already said goodbye to “his Naarners” in a moving letter. Nevertheless, on Sunday the news of the death of long-time Naarn pastor Johann Zauner caused dismay and sadness.
Johann Zauner was born on January 14, 1939 in Michaelnbach. After graduating from the Episcopal Gymnasium Petrinum in Linz in 1958, he entered the seminary and was ordained a priest on June 29, 1963 in the Mariendom Linz. From 1963 to 1969 he held positions as a cooperator in St. Florian am Inn and Perg. In 1969 he was appointed vicar and in the same year vicar of Naarn. A task that he carried out continuously for 50 years until 2019 as a caring and prudent pastor. The parish of Naarn, as it stands today, clearly bears the handwriting of Pastor Hans Zauner.
“Faith has always given me security, I have constantly felt that God is there, carrying me, even in difficult situations. That never left me,” said Zauner in an OÖN interview three years ago on the occasion of his retirement. Above all, the spirit of optimism in the Second Vatican Council encouraged him to approach people and to give them a belief that was adapted to the times: “I am one of the great people of God, who are traveling together through time.”
With the onset of a shortage of priests, from the year 200, Zauner took over the functions of parish moderator and parish counselor in the Machland parish for the parishes of Mitterkirchen, Arbing and Baumgartenberg. From 2000 to 2010 he also held the office of dean in the deanery of Perg. From 2004 to 2013 he was regional dean in the Mühlviertel region, from 1964 to 2002 dean’s youth chaplain in the dean’s office in Perg.
The blessing, requiem and burial will take place this Friday from 2.30 p.m. in Naarn. The celebration will also be streamed live on the internet. Prayer hours are also scheduled in Naarn (Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m.), Mitterkirchen, Baumgartenberg and Arbing (every Thursday at 7:30 p.m.).
Source: Nachrichten
