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Los dos jóvenes chilenos con Paul Jentz The two Chilenas with Paul Jentz Die beiden Chilenen mit Paul Jentz |
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Christi Jentz hablando sobre Gilbert Schimmel Christi Jentz sharing about the mission of Gilbert Schimmel Christi Jentz spricht über die Sendung von Gilbert Schimmel |
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Paul y su mamá en el cemeterio Paul and his mother at the cemetary Paul und seine Mutter auf dem Friedhof |
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Tumba de Gilbert y Joanna Schimmel The tomb of Gilbert and Joanna Schimmel Grab von Gilbert und Joanna Schimmel Fotos: Jentz © 2005 |
USA, Paul Jentz (11 years old). That glorious day that Gilbert Schimmel died and we believe went to Heaven is February 15. We believe this because he said, on his death-bed, "All three are here…Now I’m going home!" On this day we go to Gilbert’s grave at St. Adelberts Cemetery in Milwaukee to commemorate his life and death. Usually we go alone because other people have a hard time getting there whether the reason is poor health, bad weather, or other activities to do.
This year, we were lucky enough to have two Operation Mario guys come with us to the cemetery, Ramon Undurraga and Diego Calderon Ramirez. The Operation Mario guys are a group of college-aged men from Chile who come to promote and help Milwaukee Schoenstatt grow at the college branch level. On the way there, my mother (who was driving) gave them a brief tour of downtown Milwaukee. Because of road repairs we had a hard time getting to the cemetery. In spite of this we made it there without further trouble.
When we arrived at the cemetery gravesite, we ceremoniously cleaned it as we always do. Then my mother recounted a story of an instance were Gilbert helped us to find a lost item. My brother, Elliot, had lost his hearing aid in early February, and a hearing aid is expensive to replace. "He lost it playing football in the snow," my mom explained. February 15th fell on a Sunday that year so we visited the grave as a family. My brother petitioned Gilbert, "Help me find my hearing aid." We all agreed agreed, "Yes!"
We later discovered that the hearing aid had been found at the same time that we had been visiting the grave.
The pioneers' motto
One of our traditions at the grave is to sing the motto of Fr. Kentenich’s Pioneer group of which Gilbert was a member. We taught them to sing it and read history from the day’s event: While Gilbert and Joanna Schimmel were visiting Fr. Joseph Kentenich, Joanna Schimmel shared, "Father told us that while he was praying in the Milwaukee Shrine, the words of our Motto came to father Kentenich’s mind: I belong to the Father and the Mother. Now and forever. Long live the Shrine! Father said these words of this motto should be used as a greeting among our Schoenstatt people, whenever we would meet and greet , for talks or anytime we would meet as Schoenstatt Children who believe and honor our M.T.A. We wrote the words and immediately drove out to the Wackers. We knew this was a special gift from our M.T.A to our Father in the Shrine and now we his children would carry out what Father Kentenich wanted us to do. Well lost no time telling the Wackers who were very happy and they too spread the words to the Schoenstatt Shrine people. Father was pleased.
One day Father Kentenich, Sister Winifred and Joanna Schimmel visit Gilberts grave. Our motto was imprinted into the stone. Sr. Winifred lit a small candle and put a few flowers on Gilbert’s grave. Father prayed. We sang a Schoenstatt song. Father said this is our future home, not a large building, a hotel, no this little plot of land. Father added we have Joseph Engling’s spirit, not his body. Here we have Gilbert Schimmel’s body, now we must capture Gilbert’s Spirit."
The Operation Mario guys were very interested and wanted to learn more. It was a great Gilbert Schimmel Day.