CHILE, Carmen Maria Rogers. At dawn this passed June 1st, “the German priest who dedicated his life to creating Works in Chile,” arrived at the eternal Schoenstatt. Fr. Raúl Hasbún said, “the person of Father Jorge could be summarized in three evangelical words: silence, hope, and fidelity.”
“Let us ask Father Jorge!”
This proposal was heard a thousand times in Bellavista….. And Father Jorge, with the silent fidelity of Mary and his profound fatherliness, always had a ‘yes’ for everyone. With the gaze and the transparent joy of a child, he gave you the sensation that you were the one doing him a favor.
In an article published in EL MERCURIO during the last few days, it speaks of Father Jorge’s fruitfulness, one of the pillars of the Institute for Schoenstatt Diocesan Priests in Chile: “The foundation of the Nuevo Belén (New Bethlehem) Shrine, of the Casa San José (St. Joseph House) and the Society of Ecclesiastical History, are only some of the contributions of this German priest who died at the age of 83.
His Work in Chile
He arrived in Chile on July 29, 1967. In 1972, he was entrusted with the Parish of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in the West Zone of Santiago, and among other tasks, he collaborated with the construction of the “Nuevo Belén Shrine” in Quinta Normal.
Concerned for the formation of priests, he worked together with other priests to create a new structure at the Seminary of Santiago, and in 1972, with the group, he opened the Casa Las Rosas of the Seminary on Pradero 31, Vicuña Mackenna.
In 1980, Cardinal Silva Henríquez named him Spiritual Director at the Pontifical Major Seminary of the Custodian Holy Angels in Santiago. He was in charge of the library and worked intensely with the editing team of the REVISTA CATOLICA (Catholic Magazine) in which he published in each issue the anniversaries of the parishes and the biographical obituaries of the deceased diocesan priests.
In 1982, he participated in the foundation for the Society of the History of the Church in Chile. As a member of the Institute of Schoenstatt Diocesan Priests, he promoted the construction of Casa San José in Bellavista. He always remained connected to the Seminary as professor and confessor.
Silence, hope and fidelity
In 1985, he went on pilgrimage with the Chilean Family to Schoenstatt and to Rome. On one occasion – while traveling the streets of Rome – he narrated that he found an image of the Blessed Virgin, Patroness of Diocesan priests. Since there was not a sufficient amount of images, I later on bought some more and brought them as gifts; he recalled the anecdote twenty years later!
Always happy, always confident, always available…..truly, his life was a gift from the Blessed Mother for all of us who had the privilege of knowing him…..especially his family from the Shrine of Bellavista.
