Josef Hrdlička
Josef Hrdlička (born 19 January 1942) is a Czech Roman Catholic prelate who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Olomouc from 1990 until his retirement in 2017. Since 1990 he has also held the titular see of Thunudruma.
Also recorded as Josef Hrdlicka
Josef Hrdlička

Daniel Baránek · Self-photographed · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Josef Hrdlička
- Born
- 19 January 1942
- Birthplace
- Velké Opatovice, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
- Nationality
- Czech Republic
- Occupation
- pedagogue · translator · catholic priest · poet · opinion journalist · catholic bishop · auxiliary bishop
- Languages
- Czech
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Documentary summary
Josef Hrdlička (born 19 January 1942) is a Czech Roman Catholic prelate who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Olomouc from 1990 until his retirement in 2017. Since 1990 he has also held the titular see of Thunudruma.
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Note VALÉORINE
Josef Hrdlička (born 1942) is a Czech auxiliary bishop, catholic bishop and catholic priest, among other activities. The auxiliary bishop was born in Velké Opatovice. Josef Hrdlička held the positions of auxiliary bishop and titular bishop and worked in Olomouc and Ostrava. Languages used include Czech.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q555920 · wikipedia · Josef Hrdlička
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Type — Bishop • Honorific Prefix — His Excellency, The Most Reverend • Name — Josef Hrdlička • Title — Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Olomouc • Church — Roman Catholic Church • Archdiocese — Olomouc • Appointed — 17 March 1990 • Term End — 1 February 2017 • Other Post — Titular Bishop of Thunudruma (1990–present) • Ordination — 1 July 1972 • Ordained By — Štěpán Trochta • Consecration — 7 April 1990 • Consecrated By — František Vaňák, Vojtěch Cikrle and Karel Otčenášek • Birth Name — Josef Hrdlička • Born — 19 January 1942 • Birthplace — Velké Opatovice, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia • Motto — Vos dixi amicos ("I have called you friends")
Early life and education
Early life and education
Hrdlička was born on 19 January 1942 in Velké Opatovice. After graduating from the grammar school in Jevíčko in 1959, he was unable to attend university because of religious discrimination under the Communist regime and worked as a labourer for eight years. In 1967 he entered the Saints Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology in Litoměřice. He completed his theological studies after the faculty returned to Olomouc and was ordained a priest on 1 July 1972 by Bishop Štěpán Trochta.
Priestly ministry
Priestly ministry
Following his ordination, Hrdlička served in several parishes in northern Moravia, including Ostrava, Hoštejn, Hynčina, Maletín and Mírov. From 1986 he was parish priest in Liptaň, Pitárná, Třemešná and Vysoká in the Bruntál District.
Episcopal ministry
Episcopal ministry
On 17 March 1990, Pope John Paul II appointed Hrdlička titular bishop of Thunudruma and auxiliary bishop of Olomouc. He received episcopal consecration on 7 April 1990 from Archbishop František Vaňák, with Bishops Vojtěch Cikrle and Karel Otčenášek serving as co-consecrators. His episcopal motto is Vos dixi amicos ("I have called you friends"). Within the Czech Bishops' Conference he chaired the Commission for Divine Worship and the Council for Culture and Historical Monuments. Pope Francis accepted Hrdlička's resignation as auxiliary bishop of Olomouc on 1 February 2017, after he had reached the canonical retirement age. In 2023, the Czech Bishops' Conference requested prayers after Hrdlička was hospitalized in serious condition following a stroke.
Other activities
Hrdlička is the author of numerous works of spiritual literature and has translated English Christian poetry into Czech, including works by Gerard Manley Hopkins and G. K. Chesterton. Between 2003 and 2005 he prepared the radio series Dialog víry a hudby ("Dialogue of Faith and Music") for Radio Proglas.

Fotografie z biskupského svěcení Pavla Konzbula v Brně 29. června 2016.
Vít Kobza · Biskupství brněnské

Fotografie z biskupského svěcení Pavla Konzbula v Brně 29. června 2016.
Vít Kobza · Biskupství brněnské
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Josef Hrdlička”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q555920: Josef Hrdlička
Unverified · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Bishop Josef Hrdlička. Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
- 2.Bishop Josef Hrdlička Is 65. Církev.cz. 14 January 2007.
- 3.Mons. Josef Hrdlička. Archdiocese of Olomouc.
- 4.Biskup Josef Hrdlička. Církev.cz.
- 5.Rinunce e nomine, 01.02.2017. Holy See Press Office. 1 February 2017.
- 6.Svatý otec přijal rezignaci biskupa Hrdličky. Církev.cz. 1 February 2017.
- 7.Spojme se v modlitbě za biskupa Josefa Hrdličku. Církev.cz. 17 November 2023.
References
Citations
References
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
38,960 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Josef HiršalAuthor
- Josef HlouchAuthor
- Josef HolečekAuthor
- Josef HoraAuthor
- Josef JirečekAuthor
- Josef Jiří KolárAuthor
- Josef Julius WecksellAuthor
- Josef JungmannAuthor
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