Blessed Carl Lampert

Carl Lampert (9 January 1894 – 13 November 1944) was an Austrian Roman Catholic priest who served as the pro-vicar for the Diocese of Feldkirch in addition to being an outspoken critic of Nazism during World War II. This led to constant surveillance against him and his eventual arrests on several occasions. This culminated with his final arrest in 1943 and eventual execution by guillotine in 1944 alongside another Christian prisoner. He was declared to have been killed "in odium fidei" (in hatred of the faith) and was beatified on 13 November 2011 in Austria; Cardinal Angelo Amato presided over it on the behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, who had approved the cause. Lampert was born as the last of seven children of Franz Xaver Lampert and Maria Rosina Lampert in Feldkirch in 1894. He attended school in his hometown and would attend a state high school after the completion of his first studies; the death of his father seemed to jeopardize this but an uncle of his provided financial aid to him in an effort to see Lampert through his education. Lampert commenced his studies for the priesthood in 1914 in Brixen and received his ordination from Bishop Franz Eggar on 12 May 1918 during World War I. He celebrated his first Mass on 26 May 1918. Following his ordination he worked as a chaplain in Dornbirn and was involved in pastoral work with adolescents. In 1930 he moved - with the financial support of Bishop Sigismund Waitz - to Rome for studies in canon law and moved to new quarters at the Collegio Teutonico di Santa Maria dell'Anima until 1935 as a secretary to the Roman Rota. Pope Pius XI later made him a monsignor in 1935. On 1 October 1935, he was stationed in the Diocese of Innsbruck where Waitz wanted him to perform several administration duties. Around this time he was considered to be the diocese's new bishop but Pius XI did not choose him; instead he was made Pro-Vicar of that diocese on 15 January 1939.