USA, Judy Harlow. A celebration of “Music and Memories” drew 300 Schoenstatt family members from six states to the International Center in Waukesha, Wisconsin on Dec. 16th to honor Fr. Gerold Langsch on the 40th anniversary of his ordination.
Fr. Gerold, who was born in East Germany and moved to Fulda with his family as a young boy, was ordained as a member of the community of the Schoenstatt Fathers on Dec. 17, 1972 along with eight others. He had dreamed about being a priest since he was a young boy and credits his uncle, Fr. John Langsch, and a diocesan priest, Fr. Joseph Schmidt, as two men who encouraged his vocational dream.
Fr. Gerold’s first association with Schoenstatt came when his mother was recovering from childbirth at a Schoenstatt retreat center. He and his brother Edwin, who died two days after his 20th birthday as a result of a motor bike accident, joined the Boys Youth there. Gerold loved the charism of the movement, later attending Schoenstatt seminaries in Munich and Muenster.
Meeting Father Kentenich
“When we started, we were 49 from nine nations,” Fr. Gerold said.
One of the great joys of his vocational journey included being able to meet Schoenstatt’s founder, Fr. Joseph Kentenich.
Fr. Gerold recalls the day Fr. Kentenich died in Schoenstatt and how he and the other seminarians went to Schoenstatt to spend the week of the funeral there.
During that time, it sunk in that he and the other seminaries were now charged with the task of the growth of the movement. This was going to be a challenge, but to Fr. Gerold, it came down to showing love and serving the people. “Love and service, that’s what we needed, and Father (Kentenich) was good at that,” he said.
The Lord uses me
While there were the usual periods of doubt during his vocational journey, Fr. Gerold said spiritual help came from his late brother, Edwin, whom he called “my first patron saint for my priesthood,” and an epiphany experience during his ordination ceremony. Fr. Gerold said suddenly the story of Moses and the burning bush came to mind, and he thought, “From now on, I am not alone … The Lord uses me. He makes me his instrument, His partner, His sign of love, and now He gives me strength.”
Several months after his ordination, Fr. Gerold flew to the United States for his first assignment in Texas, working in the movement in Youth and Family Ministry, as a retreat master and counselor. A year later, he was joined in by his colleague and friend, Fr. Hector Vegas.
Fr. Gerold was transferred to the International Center in 1982. Since then he has worked with all family branches, including Women, Youth, Men, Couples, and the Rosary Campaign and most recently as the leader of the Family Federation.
The Battle Hymn of Our Vocation
The Dec. 16 celebration began with Holy Mass in the Provincial House, with Fr. Mark Niehaus, Fr. Francisco Rojas, Fr. Robert Mueller and Fr. John Grennon, a Discalced Carmelite from nearby Holy Hill, National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, concelebrating with him. Fr. Dieter Haas, who was in the seminary with Fr. Gerold and has worked with him for the four decades of his priesthood, was able to be at the celebration. Fr. Dieter suffered a stroke three years ago and now resides in a rehabilitation home several miles from the Center.
At the conclusion of the Mass, people joined in the song Fr. Gerold wrote for the day, entitled “The Battle Hymn of Our Vocation,” using the melody from Battle Hymn of the Republic. Fr. Gerold also presented a bouquet of roses to the Blessed Mother in gratitude for her guidance. He did this at his 25th anniversary with his mother presenting the roses. This time Lydia Concepcion, a representative from the movement in Atlanta, Georgia assisted him in this act of gratitude and love.
I want to be natural … I want to be close to the people … I want to be approachable
Dinner followed the Mass, and then members the various braches took over, treating Fr. Gerold to a program to show their love for him and appreciation for his dedicated spiritual direction over the past 30 years. Songs, plays and tributes highlighted the program, which also included the presentation of a framed congratulatory certificate from Pope Benedict XVI.
Fr. Gerold also showed off his dancing skills, “cutting a rug” with his cousin, Irene Winkler, who lives in Madison.
With the help of Sr. Miriam, Fr. Gerold put together an interesting power point, which showed his home and family and pictures of the stages of his years in the seminary and his priesthood.
After spending 40 years in the United States, Fr. Gerold said, “I took root here … I feel very much at home.”
Fr. Gerold’s goal as a Schoenstatt Father remains constant — being like Father Kentenich, a father to the Schoenstatt family. “I want to be natural … I want to be close to the people … I want to be approachable,” he said.
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| January 3, 2013 – Fr. Gerold Langsch |
