At the Vigil Mass on Tuesday evening at Lidcombe and at the Funeral Mass on Wednesday (10/9) at the SVD Chapel at Marsfield we farewelled our beloved father Viktor on his last journey to Lord.

At the ensuing funeral, among the picturesque surroundings of the Macquarie ParkCemetery, we have laid father Viktor to his eternal resting place. Afterwards we have returned back to SVD for a modest wake in father’s honour.

Eulogy for Father Viktor

Father Viktor has enjoyed every moment of his adult life helping others to find Christ whilst putting his own needs second. He’s inspired many to become devout Catholics and better people in general.

A spontaneous larrikin, yet having the highest regard for authority. Such an influential figure on his congregations wherever his life journey of serving Christ has taken him.

Forever positive, yet humble, Father Viktor has done it all. He’s traveled the world, spoken many languages, evangelised masses, built schools and churches, christened thousands and during his most personal journey of all he’s cared for our Slovak Catholic Community in Lidcombe for 16 years, being forever proud of his Slovak heritage.

More like a father figure than a priest to us, we’ve enjoyed his humility and a beautiful soul to the fullest. Our congregation has acquired the highest reverence for our beloved chaplain’s living the Word of God. There was his complete and utter devotion of one’s life to the help and support of individuals and the community for all to see. Despite of any mistakes that we’ve made, his positive outlook and fatherly encouragements have guided us on the virtuous path. Not to mention his warm and loving disposition and time given to all walks of life, young and old, a friend or a stranger, believers or non-believers. What a living example of a missionary life!

As I’m sure God intended, Father Viktor has also been one of the most colourful characters among the SVD missionaries. Always a livewire, his cheeky inner spirit has shone through on number of occasions. Many of us could fondly recall his deliberate cornering of unsuspected visitors in the corridors at the Yallambie nursing home with his walking frame. And there was his penchant for sorting out rubbish from the wheelie bins on the floor of our Community Hall. Uncanny!

Privately, he’s loved to cultivate the rose bushes no matter how thorny they got. And they have been everywhere…  Yet, his only indulgence in private life was his ‘girlfriend’, as he’d used to call a Czech herbal liquor, Becherovka. That was always a birthday present of his choice.

Nothing has been too hard or insurmountable for father Viktor. Always smiling and in good spirits. Only an unjust treatment meted out to him by Archdiocese of Sydney for standing by our Community has made him cry.

We’re greatly going to miss his presence even though that at the end we’ve all prayed for an early conclusion of his losing battle with illness and his well-deserved reunion with Lord.

Thank you for being there for us! You’re always going to remain in our hearts and prayers!

Lest we forget this small man, but a Giant of a person.

May God greet him in Paradise!

Larrikin Rose

Praying hands and his smiling face
Are shining bright on our daily race
His beautiful spirit is riding us high
Helping us along to live in his die

Forever upbeat, always is yours
No matter hardship or weepy chores
Proud of our success, he’s one of us
With that virtuous life he’s passing on us

Christ’s now summoned him to share His fame
To celebrate all achievements in His name
That impish spirit with a beautiful pose
Our beloved Slovak larrikin rose