In Pace Christi

Fr. Anton was born on 20 February, 1937, at Lajen, in the Province of Bolzano. When he had finished primary school, he entered the Comboni seminary of Milland and, in 1957, at the novitiate of Bamberg, where he took first vows on 1 May, 1959. He studied theology in the diocesan major seminary of Bressanone. On 16 April, 1962 he made his perpetual profession and, on 29 June of the same year, he was ordained priest by Bishop Josef Gargitter, in Bressanone cathedral.

The road to the missions was open but he had to wait almost eighteen years before reaching South Africa: he was, in fact, first assigned to Spain. The German Combonians had opened a minor seminary in 1960, in the Spanish town of Saldaña. The growing number of students required young educators. In 1963, Fr. Anton was assigned to the new foundation and, on his arrival, he was put in charge of a large group of boys. In 1970, the Combonis in Spain, both Italian and German, decided to anticipate the reunification of the two branches by two years. This decision brought about the union of the four minor seminaries and the two novitiates and scholasticates. Fr. Anton was appointed superior of Saldaña in 1970 and of Palencia in 1973. He was also elected councillor of the united Province.

Eventually, the time came for him to go to Africa. Having done an English language course in London, he arrived in Johannesburg. He immediately began to study Sepedi. His first field of work was the great mission of Glen Cowie.

After a long period of pastoral work, he was offered a new activity in 1990. The Provincial Council of South Africa had decided to begin mission promotion and vocations ministry and to support these works with a missionary magazine. Fr. Anton was chosen to found and edit the magazine, something he was not keen on at all since he preferred direct pastoral work and had no journalistic experience and he had no time to prepare for the task. He accepted the post but first went to Rome to take part in a renewal course at Nemi at the Missionary centre of the Divine Word Missionaries. On his return, he moved to Silverton (Pretoria) and immediately began to prepare the first issue of the magazine which came out that same year with the title “Worldwide”. He devoted himself with success to the work of journalism with to his own satisfaction and that of the Province. He also took charge of the parish of Silverton. The Archbishop appreciated his work and his presence and appointed him a member of the diocesan tribunal. During those years, Fr. Anton helped the confreres to take care of the official process of obtaining or renewing visas.

After almost twenty years of mission work in South Africa, Fr. Anton was assigned to his Province of origin. He had never worked in the DSP, having been sent to Spain immediately after ordination. This was a great change for him as he had to leave his beloved mission. The Provincial of the time wanted to offer him the media sector and a place on the editorial board of “Kontinente” magazine. Fr. Anton went to Cologne for a course in journalism and a brief apprenticeship in editing, hoping to be given the position. He was very disappointed when the job was given to someone else.

Fr. Anton was assigned to the house of Josefstal/Ellwangen and appointed Director of the Centre and the Quasi-parish group. He was given the editorship of the Comboni insert of Kontinente magazine, of the Holy Redeemer Guild Calendar and other provincial publications. He carried on this work for ten years with his usual dedication, competence and punctuality. In 2008 the purpose and activities of the house of Josefstal were changed and its direction was entrusted to a new team of Brothers. Fr. Anton was assigned to the community of Milland/Bressanone.

At Milland he took in hand the administration of the community and was nominated by the bishop as Parish Vicar of two parishes not far from our house. With the change of the parish priest in 2014, Fr. Anton was appointed curate of the parish of Milland. He willingly and energetically accepted even this new task and but, unfortunately, sickness forced him to withdraw, little by little, from pastoral work. The treatment failed to cure or even slow the course of his sickness and he died on 10 May, 2016. Bro. Karl Josef Kolb assisted him from the first days of his sickness until his last breath.

On 13 May, he was buried in the cemetery of Milland after a solemn Eucharistic celebration in the presence of the diocesan bishop Mgr. Ivo Moser, the Vicar General, the Director of the Missionary Centre, around twenty confreres and the same number of religious and priests and many of the faithful from the parishes where Fr. Anton had worked. All were moved by the last goodbyes, a sign that the person, work and dedication of Fr. Anton were very much appreciated and recognised. The Superior of Milland, Fr. Hans Maneschg, said in his homily: “Fr. Anton had many talents and he placed them all at the service of the Kingdom of God; like any human being who walks on this earth, he had his limits and imperfections”.

Fr. Anton, in fact, had a rather difficult and tough character and this made it difficult to deal or stay with him. He found it hard to accept change or new commitments and said so. However, once he had got over the critical stage, he started to work with dedication, energy, competence and success in every place and activity.

It cost him dearly to accept his sickness and manage the last great crisis of his life which came upon him unexpectedly right in the middle of his new pastoral commitment in Milland. Little by little, his calm was restored and he regained that peace of soul that allowed him to say his last and final and most difficult yes to the will of God.
(P. Alois Eder).
Da Mccj Bulletin n.270 suppl. In Memoriam, gennaio 2017, pp. 78-82.