von Werden, Peter

Peter von Werden, S.J, was born in 1928 in Hochneukirch, Diocese of Aachen, Germany. In 1944 he was drafted, together with his whole class of fellow students, as "Luftwaffenhelfer" [air force assistant] and on May 1,1945, became a prisoner of war of the Soviet army, but was released after 4½ months. In 1949 he began his theological studies in the diocese of Aachen, becoming a member of the Jesuit order in 1950. The priestly course of studies included "work to gain experience," which included work in a coal mine, medical work in a hospital, and supervision in a boarding school. After studies at the Philosophical College in Munich and the Theological College in St. Georgen and his ordination in 1960, von Werden continued theological studies and did pastoral work. In 1964 he moved to Brazil, working in parishes on the outskirts of the cities of Nova Friburgo and Sao Paulo as well as in the interior of the states of Bahia (e.g., in the parishes of Barra do Mendes and Brotas de Macaúba in the Diocese of Barra at the Sao-Franzisco River) and Piaui (Núcleo Colonial do Gurguéia). Finally he accepted an invitation by a group of Jesuits to work with them in assisting various Native groups in the State of Mato Grosso. Peter von Werden translates English and German material of this website into Portuguese.