Gilles Wach(bornTroyes,26 November 1956) is a French Roman Catholic priest, co-founder and Prior General of theInstitute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest,asociety of apostolic lifeofpontifical right.
The Reverend Gilles Wach | |
|---|---|
| Prior General of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest | |
 | |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 24 June 1979 byPope John Paul II |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 November 1956 (age 67) |
| Nationality | French, Gabonese |
| Alma mater | Seminary of Genoa, Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas |
| Coat of arms |  |
Ecclesiastical career
editAfter finishing secondary school, he entered the seminary ofParay-le-Monial,where he did a year of formation. He moved to the seminary of the Diocese ofGenoa,where he met Philippe Mora, who would be his friend and co-founder of theInstitute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.He was ordained a deacon byGiuseppe Cardinal Sirion 29 June 1978, and a priest byPope John Paul II,on 24 June 1979, among other 24 deacons, including his friend Philippe Mora.[1]He pursued his studies inRome,residing at thePontifical Irish Collegewhile studying for his doctorate in Theology at thePontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas,with his thesis on St.Francis of Sales,Pédagogie de l'amour. L'éducation de la charité chez saint Francois.During this time, he worked withSilvio Cardinal Oddi,then Prefect of theCongregation for the Clergy.He joined the Traditionalist Opus Sacerdotale, a priestly association led by Abbé Pierre Lourdelet, at the late 1980s, and he played an important role in the foundation of the Opus Sacerdotale inMoissac.
Wach was nominated Vicar General of the Diocese ofMouila,inGabon,on 19 June 1989, by Cyriaque Obamba, which he was until 1995, when he became Vicar General emeritus.
He founded theInstitute of Christ the King Sovereign Priestwith Philippe Mora in 1990, a society of apostolic life, which was granted pontifical right in 2008. The ICKSP celebrates primarily theExtraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.He has been Prior General of the ICKSP since its inception until 2008, when he was elected for a six-year term. He was reelected for another six-year term in November 2014.[2]He was elected for a third six-year term on 24 August 2020.[3]
On 24 June 2024, Wach, accompanied byRudolf Michael Schmitz,was received in a private audience withPope Francis.According to the ICKSP, the Pope insisted that the institute "continue to serve the Church according to our own proper charism."[4]
References
edit- ^Jean Paul II Angelus, 24 June 1979 (French)
- ^Letter of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" upon his reelection, 7 November 2014 (Italian)
- ^Feast of Saint Barthélemy Letter 24 August 2020, by Canon Guitard
- ^"Private audience of the prior general and the sovereign pontiff".icksp.org.uk.2024-06-25.
