He was born in
Wiener Neustadt, entered the Jesuit order in Vienna in 1747 at the age of 16, and soon moved to
Graz to study philosophy, mathematics and theology. He taught school for several years, first at the
Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt and later at Jesuit schools in Vienna. He taught both public speaking and written composition. His sermons were popular. The sermon he preached on the coronation day of Emperor Joseph II (April 3, 1764) was subsequently printed. It brought Wurz to the attention of university administrators in Vienna and led to his appointed as professor of "sacred eloquence" at the
University of Vienna's theology department. He remained in this post until in 1776, even after his order was abolished in 1773. Writing in 1850, Jakob Fluck ranked Wurz as the best teacher of Homiletics in the eighteenth century. He retired to parish work, administering the parish of
Pierawart in Lower Austria until he died. == Publications ==