In Pace Christi

Fr. Jakob was born on 17 January 1932 at Kortsch-Schlanders, in the diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone. He entered the German-speaking diocesan minor located in the village of “Dorf-Tirol”, near Merano, which was then still under the diocese of Trent. Feeling he was called to the missionary life, in 1951 he entered the Comboni Institute and complete humanity studies at the diocesan seminary of Bressanone.

On 13 November 1953 he started his novitiate at Bamberg and on 8 September 1955 he took temporary vows. He was then sent to the Milland scholasticate to start theology at the diocesan seminary of Bressanone. On 2 February 1959 he pronounced perpetual vows and on 29 June of the same year he was ordained priest. He spent a couple of years in animation and vocations ministry in South Tyrol and was then sent to Peru. He reached Huánuco on 22 February 1962, and spent the rest of his life in the country.

As was customary at the time, without any preparation, he was sent to Llata, in the Huánuco mountain range, for one year (1962-1963). In 1964 he was sent to the heights of Cerro de Pasco, to the parish of San Miguel (1963-1968), in the diocese of Tarma. He afterwards devoted himself to missionary work in the communities of Ninacaca, Ulcumayo and Carhuamayo and then, for a year, at Arequipa, in the parish of Spirito Santo, founded by Mons. Lorenzo Unfried, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese. In 1982 he returned to the diocese of Huánuco as parish priest of the parishes of Ambo and Huacar “where the climate is the best in the world”, an unending spring, after years spent in the freezing temperatures of Cerro (4,380 m. above sea-level), Ninacaca and Carhuamayo, close to Lake Chinchaycocha.

In the nineties, Fr. Jakob worked in Huariaca, in the diocese of Tarma, dedicating himself especially to the sick and also to the people of the villages, together with Fr. Hilmar Gulba and, later on, with Fr. Lino Eccher. Fr. Jakob was not only a charismatic figure; he was also a man with much common sense: in the case of the latter church, for example, he was concerned about its shaky old foundations and it seemed necessary to build a new one. Instead, he found a way to reinforce the foundations and the church is still standing to this day in all its ancient splendour.

The Good Shepherd parish in Arequipa was the last community where Fr. Jakob lived. He worked there practising ministry for more than twelve years. The lack of understanding on the part of some confreres regarding his ministry to the sick caused him some pain. He was in charge of a large part of the community of the large parish church of Cristo Re. In January 2012, he was in Lima to celebrate his eightieth birthday.

The following month, after he had celebrated Mass, he suffered cardiac arrest. He was immediately assisted by the provincial and he recovered but during the following months he suffered several cerebral strokes that left him disabled. In August he became completely comatose. Thanks to the 24-hour care provided by the nurses, he survived another six years. The Lord called him to his Kingdom on 19 July 2018.

I we wish to speak of the figure of this great missionary, we must begin with his childhood among the Tyrol Alps. He was a naturally cheerful child and he was cheerful even in old age and in sickness, as long as he was conscious. His joyful nature greatly assisted him in community life. Those who knew him appreciated his spirit of welcoming and friendship. He inherited from his parents a “sixth sense” which, with time expressed itself in great charismatic ability. In the communities of Ulcumayo, Carhuamayo and Huariaca he founded charismatic groups with great vitality and missionary drive, some of which are still gong today.

Besides being a great pastor of souls, he had the habit of always improving the infrastructure of the parishes and churches. At Ulcumayo, for example, he bought land to build a centre with dormitories, dining rooms and rooms for meetings of catechists and charismatic groups, as well as a small sports centre for the youth.

Fr. Jakob became well known also for his gift of healing, so much so that, as soon as he arrived in Lima to stay a few days, the phone would start to ring in the provincial house: many people were asking to meet him to have him lay his hands on them and cure them or even cast out malevolent powers. It was said that Fr. Jakob could feel the presence of the devil. At the same time, he continued to guide the parish like any other parish priest serving his parish. Even though he had a joyful temperament, he lived an austere life, fulfilling the words of Jesus according to which it is necessary to fast and pray to heal some illnesses.
(Fr. Alois Weiss, mccj).
Da Mccj Bulletin n. 278 Suppl. In Memoriam, gennaio 2019, pp.73-77.