P. Joseph Claude Siebenaler

Padre Joseph Claude Siebenaler nació el 24 de octubre de 1945 y tenía 77 años. Hizo sus primeros votos el 15 de septiembre de 1965 y fue ordenado sacerdote el 16 de julio de 1972.

Actualmente vivía en Luxembourg (Luxemburgo). Pertenecía a la Provincia EUF.

Venite ad me, omnes qui laboratis, et onerati estis: et ego reficiam vos. (Mt 11,28)

Rome, September 28, 2023

Dear Brothers,

We have received the sad news of the death of Fr. Claude Siebenaler, a confrere from Luxembourg currently belonging to the Francophone European province, who passed away on September 26, 2023.

Fr. Claude spent much of his life and service in the Congregation in Rome, where he carried out various tasks entrusted to him by the General Government. However, he was already familiar with the city, having studied theology at the Gregorian University from 1968 to 1972. In 1982, after eight years of missionary work in Chile, he returned to Rome, having been called to serve in the General Curia, where he began his work first as Assistant to the Secretary General, and nine months later, in October 1982, he was appointed Secretary General. This ministry of his lasted more than 16 years. On January 1, 1999, Fr. Siebenaler was appointed Procurator General of the Congregation and served in this important position for another 13 years, until January 1, 2012. After completing this position, he worked at the Centro Studi Dehoniani in Rome from 2012-2015, returning permanently to his home province in 2015.

Throughout these years, Fr. Claude became known by many confreres as a wise and humble man, a religious of great faith and dedication in the service entrusted to him. In his diligence, he knew how to use his abilities for the good of our religious family and for all those who sought his help. In fact, as early as 1991, Fr. Siebenaler served for many years as the ecclesiastical advisor to the Embassy of his country, Luxembourg, at the Holy See, for which he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

All this did not prevent Fr. Claude from remaining evangelically simple and close to his confreres and many others, who appreciated his openness and his constant willingness to meet and share his time and vast knowledge. Some of us remember how his deep knowledge of the city of Rome, where he lived for 38 years of his life, was widely known and admired among the confreres.

Claude Siebenaler was a humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord, for whom generosity and fidelity were authentic values lived daily. Grateful to God for Fr. Claude’s life, we wish to accompany him with our prayers.

In agreement with what is stated in our General Directory (DG 69.4), I would like to ask that in every community of our Congregation a Holy Mass be celebrated in his suffrage.

Let us also remember in fraternal prayer our dear confrere, giving thanks for the gift of his life and service.

I enclose another letter written by Fr. Claude himself, which he sent to his community and family at the end of August, when he entered the palliative care home where he later died.

With the entire General Administration, I join in the prayers of the EUF Province, the entire Congregation, his family, and friends for his eternal rest with Our Lord.

In Corde Iesu,

Fr. Carlos Luis Suárez Codorniú SCJ, General Superior

ALEA IACTA!

Les dés sont jetés !

 Voici que commence une nouvelle période de ma vie. La nouvelle ne m’est pas tombé dessus comme un éclair d’un ciel serein. Depuis longtemps j’ai réfléchi sur ce qui doit arriver un jour ou l’autre. Voilà que le moment est arrivé de se préparer tout doucement à la vie en salle d’attente, au moment où le Seigneur me tendra la main et me dira : « passons à l’autre rive ».

 Je suis prêt, car depuis longtemps j’ai remis ma vie dans les mains du Dieu tout aimant. Je viens avec les mains vides, mais avec toute ma confiance en un Dieu miséricordieux.

 À ceux à qui j’ai fait mal durant ma vie, je demande sincèrement pardon du fond du cœur. À tous ceux qui m’ont fait du bien durant ma vie – il y en a beaucoup, vraiment beaucoup, beaucoup – je dis un grand MERCI sincère, également du fond du cœur. Que le Seigneur leur rende au centuple tout cela dans son amour infini.

 Merci surtout pour vos prières. Je sais que vous ne le négligez pas et je crois en la force de la « communion des saints ». C’est pour moi une source de joie, de lumière, surtout en les moments difficiles.

 Ce matin j’ai demandé à mon médecin oncologue s’il valait la peine de rentrer à Clairefontaine. La réponse était NON ! – Une ambulance a été réservée pour me porter le 28 août à la Maison OMEGA, à Luxembourg-Hamm, à côté de la maison de retraite pour personnes âgées. Même si c’est dur, comme si souvent dans la vie, la réponse ne pouvait être autre que FIAT !

 S’il y aura d’autres nouvelles importantes, je vous tiendrai au courant.

Avec mes salutations très cordiales et fraternelles dans le Cœur de Jésus.

 Claude