We mourn Johannes Siebner. He died on June 16th in Berlin-Kladow in the Berlin community hospital Havelhöhe. At the end of January he was suddenly and unexpectedly torn out of his office as Provincial of the German Jesuits due to a brain tumor illness. This was the last and highest of many offices, which he now held with great devotion and joy. We mourn for our deceased confrere, and we mourn together with his mother and brothers and sisters.
Johannes Siebner was born in Berlin on August 24, 1961. After graduating from the Canisius-Kolleg in Berlin, he first studied political science and Catholic religion. Particularly inspired by his commitment to youth work (KSJ) and by a longer stay on a kibbutz in Israel, he entered the Jesuit order in Münster in 1983. After his studies of philosophy in Munich, a two-year service with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Malaysia, after theological studies in Frankfurt Sankt-Georgen, priest ordination in 1992 in Cologne as well as additional studies and pastoral work in Erfurt he took up his first position as spiritual director of the KSJ and religion teacher at the Sankt-Ansgar-Schule in Hamburg in 1993. In 2001, he was appointed director of the international college St. Blasien in the Black Forest. In 2011 he will take up the post of Rector of the Aloisius-Kolleg in Bonn-Bad Godesberg. Twice his Province elected him as delegate to assemblies of the worldwide Order. During the 36th General Congregations Fr. General Arturo Sosa appointed him as the new Provincial Superior, also with the task of founding a new Central European Province together with the Austrian, Lithuanian-Latvian and Swiss Province. He took up his office as Provincial on June 1, 2017.
Johannes Siebner's work was marked by the pastoral concern of the Order: "To help the souls". As youth pastor in Hamburg he renewed and profiled the concept of associational youth work, also beyond the Hamburg area. The pedagogical culture and also the leadership culture at the colleges in St. Blasien and Bad Godesberg shaped a thoughtful and inwardly acquired understanding of the spiritual tradition of the Order. His joy in and also his ability to engage in public discourse made him known far beyond the borders of the Order and made him a competent and sought-after dialogue partner, pastor, advisor and speaker. He participated in the foundation of the "Centre for Ignatian Pedagogy" (Ludwigshafen), whose foundations he laid by publications ("School is there for pupils - why parents are not customers and teachers are not parents", Freiburg 2011). In his many and varied activities, he has always remained an extremely humane, humorous, analytically clear and at the same time empathetic pastor.
The exposure of abuse at Jesuit colleges and in the Jesuit order shook Johannes Siebner. He took over responsibility for the institutions towards those affected. In countless conversations with those affected, but also with families, years of former pupils, with employees and co-workers, he enabled individual and institutional reappraisal. He courageously intervened when those under his protection and those seeking protection turned to him. In extremely complex decision-making situations he endured hostility from the most diverse directions without losing sight of the goal, namely justice for the victims, protection for pupils and all those who entrust themselves to pastoral care. With this attitude, as Provincial he shaped pastoral standards and lived them himself.
The early death of Johannes Siebner leaves a gaping void and fills us with great pain. Jesus, who called out to Johannen Siebner: "Feed my lambs, feed my sheep" (John 21:15), may he now be received by him.
Impressive funeral in Berlin
On Thursday 30 July was the impressive funeral of Fr. Siebner in the Canisius Church in Berlin. Together with Fr Jan Roser, vice-provincial, Tomasz Kot, assistant to P. General, Bernhard Bürgler, provincial of Austria and Christian Rutishauser, provincial of Switzerland, stood at the altar. Fr. Klaus Mertes provided a very personal and profound homily.
This celebration was broadcast live on the internet and can still be viewed here.
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