We regret to announce the death at the “Marienklinik” in Bozen, Italy  on 20^th  February 2012, at the age of 87, of

Fr Karl Meraner

May he rest in Peace

Fr Karl Meraner was born on 13^th June 1924 in the village of St Michael –Eppan in the Diocese of Trient, Italy. He was the son of Josef Meraner and Caterina Steinegger, and he had three brothers and five sisters. One of his brothers is a priest of the Diocese of Brixen-Bozen, and one of his sisters is a religious sister with the “Franziskaner Missionsschwestern von Mariahilf”. He received his secondary education at the Johanneum, Dorf Tirol, and the Vinzentinum in Brixen where he passed his “Matura”exam in 1943. Karl studied Philosophy in Brixen from 1943 to 1944, but then had to serve in the army from 1944 to 1945. After the end of the war, and his return home from a prisoner of war camp, he studied Theology in Brixen from 1945 to 1947, and then at St Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, London from 1947 to 1949. He took his Perpetual Oath on 29^th May 1948 at St Joseph’s College and was ordained priest there on 10^th July 1949 by Archbishop Mathews.

After his ordination Fr Karl Meraner was appointed to do further studies at Cambridge University, and he completed his studies with an MA in 1955.  He was appointed to the Diocese of Kisumu in 1955 and served as a teacher and principal at Mbaga, and the Teachers Training Colleges at Asumbi and Kibabii. From 1959 to 1963 he taught in the Mill Hill Colleges at Burnhall and Freshfield. He returned to Kisumu in 1963 to teach at St Mary’s Yala from 1964 to 1985, serve as parish priest of Ojolla from 1985 to 1994, and to function as diocesan secretary from 1994 to 1999. After the celebration of his golden jubilee as a priest he retired to his native country and took up residence in the Missionshaus in Brixen. In 2009 he retired to the Herberthaus in Brixen.

Karl was described as a conscientious teacher and pastor, who rendered faithful missionary service in the parish, schools and teacher training colleges at home and abroad. In his life as a missionary he showed dedication and commitment to the wellbeing of students and parishioners, their faith education, and the skills needed to apply the knowledge of faith to their lives.

Fr Karl Meraner’s health deteriorated gradually during the past months. His care needs increased, and he was transferred to the Marienklinik in Bozen last week to receive the best care possible. He died there peacefully this morning at 5.00am. The funeral mass will take place at the parish church in Brixen on 23^rd February at 1.30pm followed by burial at the Mill Hill plot in the cemetery of the municipality.      

 The previous obituary (3/2012) was that of Fr Wim Hogenkamp, who died at Missiehuis Vrijland, Oosterbeek, the Netherlands, on 19^th  February 2012.