Person DS/UK/1288 Pazderka; Josef (1934-2002); Jesuit Priest Pazderka Josef 1934-2002 Jesuit Priest Male Born 21 March 1934 Boretice. Entered the Austrian Province of the Society of Jesus 13 May 1968. Ordained as a Roman Catholic priest 6 July 1974. Final vows in the Society of Jesus 1 December 1982. Died 8 April 2002 Prague.

Although a member of the Czech Province, Fr Pazderka spent more than half of his life as a Jesuit working in the British Province and when he died he was a member of the Mount Street Community and the Czech Province. Josef Pazderka (Joe) was born on 21 March 1934 at Boretice and went to school at the Jesuit college in Velehrad. His schoolin finished abruptly when the Society and all its works were suppressed by the Communist regime. He finished his studies in Breclav and left there in 1953. For the next 15 years he was unable to pursue higher studies or to emigrate, and underwent forced labour, finally completing technical training by means of extension courses. Pazderka was able to enter the Society in 1968 in Austria. When Czechoslovakia was invaded by the Warsaw Pact forces, he decided not to return and was ordained priest in Innsbruck in 1974. In 1975 he came to London and apart from his Tertianship at St Beuno’s in 1979 he stayed there until 1991. He assisted Fr Jan Lang in providing for the needs of Czech and Slovak emigrants in London at the Czech centre named Velehrad in Ladbroke Square and at the Czech Mass at Farm Street every Sunday. In 1991 he returned to Prague to help re-establish the Czech Province to which he belonged. After six years he returned to London and took over the running of the Czech centre from Fr Lang. He made frequent visits to the Czech Republic and it was during one of these that he died on 8 April 2002. His funeral took place in St James’ Church, Brno and he was buried in the nearby Jesuit Church. A memorial Mass was held at the Farm Street Church in London, which was packed with Czechs and Slovaks. Member of the Austrian Province of the Society of Jesus Letters & Notices, vol. 96, pp. 33-38 International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) 2nd edition - ICA 2004 ISBN 2-9521932-2-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 Yes RSomerset 04/03/2019 CURIA\mallen 25/08/2021 bc2d13a3-b3dc-48ff-8333-f7a35288a1dc