God, the Lord of Life, received our brother to his eternal home on Monday 11 March 2019.
P. Severin Karl Wohlmuth OSB, a Benedictine monk priest of Benediktinerstift Göttweig (Austria), served on the Spiritual Council of the Diocese of St. Pölten and the Consistory Council of the Archdiocese of Vienna.
Karl Wohlmuth was born on 6 March 1940 in Pfaffing, in the Göttweiger Stift parish of Mauer near Melk. He attended grammar school in Lambach and Linz and completed his studies of theology in Salzburg. On 1 November 1965, he made his solemn monastic profession. On 17 July 1966, he was ordained in Loosdorf by Bishop Franz Zak.
During his chaplaincy years from 1966 to 1970, he worked in St. Veit, Rohrbach, Hainfeld and Pyhra. From 1970 to 1997, he served as pastor in Markersdorf and Haindorf, for more than a quarter of a century, then from 1997 to 1998 as a hospital chaplain in Vienna, and concurrently as a temporary chaplain in Retz and Ziersdorf. Finally from 1998 to 2011, he was moderator in Grafenwörth and Feuersbrunn. During his retirement, he resided in the parish of Grafenwörth and continued to work as a pastor. In early 2018, he returned to full-time residence at the monastery.
Father Severin dedicated all of his heart and soul as pastor, having a big heart especially for all of the marginalized in society, and taking particular care of the prison chaplaincy. His commitment was valued, as demonstrated by his being commended as honorary citizen of the market towns of Markersdorf-Haindorf and Grafenwörth, and by being awarded the Golden Medal of Merit of the Province of Lower Austria.
He had suffered many setbacks to his health over the past several years, but his death still came as a surprise to everyone in the community, as he had been together with them at lunch even the day before. Father Severin remains etched forever in memory, remembering his humble and quiet nature.
P. Severin was laid in state on Monday 18 March 2019 at 10 .00 in the Erentrudiskapelle of Benediktinerstift Göttweig. At 14.00 that day, the Holy Eucharist was celebrated in the abbey church, followed by his subsequent burial in the monastic cemetery. It is asked that his peaceful repose be remembered in prayer and at celebrations of the Eucharist.