Ignác Stuchlý was born in Silesian Boleslav on December 14th, 1869. In September 1891, he began studying theology with the Dominicans in Olomouc, which has forced to leave. In 1894, he became a Salesian novitiate in Turin and continues in his studies. He became a priest in November 1901 in Gorica.
In October 1910, he leaves Gorica and heads to Ljubljana to help the Salesians expand their mission there. This work was much complicated by the first world war. After the war, Father Stuchlý was sent to Veržeja for two years, after he returned to Ljubljana to finish the construction of a new church, which was finally completed in 1924.
A year later, he is sent to Perosa (Italy), which became a center for Czechoslovak Salesians and aspirants. It was at this time that interest in Salesians became quite strong in Bohemia and Moravia, and in 1927, the Salesians purchase a house in Fryšták from the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. Early on September 28th, 1927, 17 boys and 3 Salesians arrived from Italy to Fryšták.
On September 15th, 1935, Ignác was named Inspector General of the newly established Czechoslovak Salesian Province, which in December 1939, after the beginning of the war, had to split up and Ignác become an Inspector General of the independent Czech provinces.
During the Second World War, many Salesian houses were taken over by the Nazi occupiers. In 1943, even the house in Fryšták had to be taken over in order to house children from bombed out Hamburg and later, member of the Hungarian army. After the war, Fryšták once again becomes the home of Salesian aspirants.
In 1949, Ignác has many health problems, ultimately culminating in a stroke on March 5th, 1950. He is bedridden and on April 13th, 1950, communist militia and police occupy the house in Fryšták, arresting all those inside. He was then placed in a retirement home in Lukov, Zlín region, where he was factually a prisoner, not being able to leave. In January, 1953, he has another stroke and dies on Saturday, January 17th, at 22:25, at the age of 83.
He is buried in the cemetery in Fryšták.
