Vitus Huonder
Swiss Roman Catholic bishop (1942–2024)
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Vitus Huonder (21 April 1942 – 3 April 2024) was a Swiss prelate of the Catholic Church. A Traditionalist Catholic, he served as Bishop of Chur from 2007 to 2019.
Vitus Huonder | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Chur | |
Huonder, circa 2013 | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| See | Chur |
| Appointed | 8 July 2007 |
| Installed | 8 September 2007 |
| Term ended | 20 May 2019 |
| Predecessor | Amédée Grab |
| Successor | Joseph Maria Bonnemain |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 25 September 1971 by Johannes Anton Vonderach |
| Consecration | 8 September 2007 by Amédée Grab, Francesco Canalini, Kurt Koch |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 April 1942 |
| Died | 3 April 2024 (aged 81) |
| Buried | International Seminary of Saint Pius X, Écône, Valais, Switzerland |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Alma mater | |
| Motto | Instaurare omnia in Christo (To restore all things in Christ) |
| Coat of arms |  |
Ordination history of Vitus Huonder | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Styles of Vitus Huonder | |
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| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Biography
Vitus Huonder was born in Trun on 21 April 1942. He studied at the Pontifical Atheneum Saint Anselm and at the University of Fribourg, earning a licentiate in theology. He was ordained a priest of the diocese of Chur on 25 September 1971 and then continued his studies, earning a doctorate in theology in Fribourg. He became vicar general of Chur in 1998.[1]
Pope Benedict XVI appointed him bishop of Chur on 8 July 2007.[1] He received his episcopal consecration on 8 September 2007 from Amédée Grab, his predecessor as bishop of Chur.[citation needed] His tenure proved controversial to some, due to his outspoken conservative views.[2][3]
Pope Francis accepted his resignation on 20 May 2019.[4] Huonder then chose to live out his retirement in an institute of the Society of Saint Pius X, with papal authorization, with the intention of living a quiet and prayerful life, celebrating the Tridentine Mass, and working for the revitalization of Sacred Tradition, which he saw as the only means of restoration of the Church.[5]
On 3 April 2024, Huonder died at the age of 81 in the Sancta Maria Institute in Wangs, following a serious illness.[6] His funeral Mass on 17 April was celebrated by Bishop Bernard Fellay, and Huonder was buried at the International Seminary of Saint Pius X in Écône next to the tomb of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.[7] Huonder's successor, Bishop Joseph Maria Bonnemain, attended the funeral, but did not take part in the celebration, due to the irregular canonical situation of the SSPX.[8]
