Fr Johannes Römelt CSsR RIP...

On Saturday, March 9th, Father Dr.Johannes Römelt died unexpectedly in Basel (CH). He was a member and former superior of the Province of St. Clement of the Congregation of the Redemptorists. Most recently, he was coordinator of the Order's Europe Conference. Information about the funeral will be published asap. 

In memory of Father Dr Johannes Römelt, Redemptorist (1960-2024)

There was great shock when the news came around midday on Saturday, March 9th that Father Johannes Römelt had died suddenly in the morning of that day. He was visiting friends and preparing to visit a museum, one of his favourite pastimes.

Father Johannes Römelt was born on November 5, 1960 in Salzgitter. He spent his youth in Bonn , where he graduated from high school in 1979 at the Collegium Josephinum Bonn. After his novitiate in Forchheim, he took his first vows with the Redemptorists in 1980. This was followed by theological studies at the congregation’s college in Geistingen (1980-1987). During this time, he took life vows in 1983. In 1984-1985 he studied at the order's moral theological institute in Madrid.

After his studies, Fr. Römelt gained practical experience in confession-, telephone- and counseling-ministry (1987-1988) in Trier. This was followed by eight years of postgraduate studies with the Jesuits in Munich. There he received his doctorate in 1996 for a thesis on Wilhelm Dilthey. It is telling that Father Römelt seemed to be fascinated by a thinker who was fundamentally concerned with understanding.

From 1996 he was responsible for formation and leadership in his order. He was (almost) continuously a member of the provincial chapter and the provincial council of the provinces of Cologne and (from 2005) St. Clement. He led the formation community of the German-speaking Redemptorists in Würzburg (1996-2005). This was followed by six years in the Kirchhellen ‘Youth Monastery’ (2005-2010). During this time, he was also appointed Superior of the Cologne Region of the Province of St. Clement (2008) until he was elected Provincial in 2011. He held this position until the end of 2017, when he was appointed coordinator of the Order's Europe Conference - a task that he fulfilled until the end of his life. In this role, he was, among other things, co-responsible for the implementation of the 26th General Chapter (2022-2023).

Father Johannes Römelt always combined his missionary commitment in science, formation and his service in leadership with personal advice and support. As a man of prayer and the word, he was in his element in liturgy, preaching and proclamation. Care and balanced formulations were important to him. He also attached great importance to having a good command of the languages in which he was spoken to and had to speak. As an art lover, aesthetics was also very important to him in many areas. In his leadership, pastoral care and personal contact, he was characterized by balance and care and he strived for understanding and a thorough and patient listening to the spirit and the signs of the times. All of this made Johannes Römelt beloved as a person and a welcome and dear friend.

The following words were dear to him and were perhaps his 'trade secret'.

“We should work on perfecting our vibrational quality. We should prioritize what elevates our soul, our vibration, and what liberates us within: love, compassion, empathy, tolerance, the ability to forgive, a smile, balance, wisdom, kindness. In our daily actions towards others and ourselves - through meditation, prayers, through everything that can raise our level of consciousness and bring us closer to enlightenment." (Bertrand Piccard, The Right Altitude)

Dear Johannes, our travel companion, go now with God, your Redeemer.
May the angels accompany you to paradise.

Eric Corsius, 

Wittem March 12th