Josef Milz | ANZ Clergy


About Help Contact login Rev Josef Milz SJ Title: Rev First Name: Josef Middle Names: Preferred Name: Surname: Milz Order: SJ Date of Birth: 25-Dec-1841 Place of Birth: St Polten Country of Birth: Austria Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination: Country of Ordination: Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Date of Death: 25-Feb-1915 Place of Death: Innsbruck Country of Death: Austria Date of Burial: 1915 Place of Burial: Country of Burial: Austria Find A Grave URL: FindaGrave - Person Photo FindaGrave - Grave Photo Biographical Notes Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017: Milz, Josef Missionary, provincial; born St Polten, Austria, 25 December 1841; died Innsbruck, Austria, 25 February 1915, aged 73. Joseph Milz entered the Society in Austria, 17 September 1857. He was an outstanding scholastic and for most of his life after tertianship he was a superior, known for his concern for others, his peace of mind and his kindness. He was rector, prefect of studies and master of novices at St Andrä, and provincial, 1882-88. He worked at the tertians' house in Vienna, giving retreats, 1895-96, and did parochial duties at the Vienna residence, 1896-97. He was sent to Australia in 1897, and first worked in the parish of Norwood, assuming authority as superior of both the Austro-Hungarian missions. He visited the Northern Territory mission that year. He remained at Norwood negotiating the transfer of the missions to the Irish province and also did pastoral work, until the disastrous flood at the Daly River, when he visited the Territory again and decided to close the mission on 19 July 1899. He returned to Norwood, and then negotiated the transfer of Jamestown, Georgetown and Kooringa to the Port Augusta diocese. When the final union was concluded, 27 April 1901, he returned to Austria, leaving Adelaide on 11 May 1901. After leaving Australia, Milz was rector of the theologate at Pressburg and superior of the Vienna residence, 1901-07. In 1914 he was spiritual father at Innsbruck, hearing confessions and giving domestic exhortations. He also arranged the republication of several books, and the publication of his own sermons. In Australia he was sharply criticized by McKillop and Reshauer for being high-handed and overbearing in his manner of acting. He certainly showed himself impatient with the dilatoriness of the Irish Jesuits, but perhaps he had good cause. However, no one can deny his efficiency, and his willingness to give himself to pastoral work while he was detained in South Australia. Whether he was right in closing the Northern Territory mission is a question that is open to conjecture. (Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Title:

Rev

First Name:

Josef

Middle Names:

Preferred Name:

Surname:

Milz

Order:

Date of Birth:

25-Dec-1841

Place of Birth:

St Polten

Country of Birth:

Austria

Date of Ordination:

Place of Ordination:

Country of Ordination:

Ordination Diocese:

Seminary:

Date of Death:

25-Feb-1915

Place of Death:

Innsbruck

Country of Death:

Austria

Date of Burial:

1915

Place of Burial:

Country of Burial:

Austria

Find A Grave URL:

FindaGrave - Person Photo

FindaGrave - Grave Photo

Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Milz, Josef

Missionary, provincial; born St Polten, Austria, 25 December 1841; died Innsbruck, Austria, 25 February 1915, aged 73.

Joseph Milz entered the Society in Austria, 17 September 1857. He was an outstanding scholastic and for most of his life after tertianship he was a superior, known for his concern for others, his peace of mind and his kindness. He was rector, prefect of studies and master of novices at St Andrä, and provincial, 1882-88. He worked at the tertians' house in Vienna, giving retreats, 1895-96, and did parochial duties at the Vienna residence, 1896-97.

He was sent to Australia in 1897, and first worked in the parish of Norwood, assuming authority as superior of both the Austro-Hungarian missions. He visited the Northern Territory mission that year. He remained at Norwood negotiating the transfer of the missions to the Irish province and also did pastoral work, until the disastrous flood at the Daly River, when he visited the Territory again and decided to close the mission on 19 July 1899.

He returned to Norwood, and then negotiated the transfer of Jamestown, Georgetown and Kooringa to the Port Augusta diocese. When the final union was concluded, 27 April 1901, he returned to Austria, leaving Adelaide on 11 May 1901.

After leaving Australia, Milz was rector of the theologate at Pressburg and superior of the Vienna residence, 1901-07. In 1914 he was spiritual father at Innsbruck, hearing confessions and giving domestic exhortations. He also arranged the republication of several books, and the publication of his own sermons.

In Australia he was sharply criticized by McKillop and Reshauer for being high-handed and overbearing in his manner of acting. He certainly showed himself impatient with the dilatoriness of the Irish Jesuits, but perhaps he had good cause. However, no one can deny his efficiency, and his willingness to give himself to pastoral work while he was detained in South Australia. Whether he was right in closing the Northern Territory mission is a question that is open to conjecture.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)

Rev Josef Milz SJ

Biographical Notes