Fr Franz Jalics has died

Fr Franz Jalics SJ

The Jesuit, theologian and author, Fr Franz Jalics died last night (13 February) at the age of 93 at the care home in Budapest where he had been living since 2017. Fr Franz had returned from hospital the day before, where he had been treated for Covid-19.

Fr Franz Jalics is seen as a pioneer for the development of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises for contemporary times. In 1984 he founded the retreat house, Haus Gries. In his book 'Kontemplative Exerzitien' (Called to Share in HIS Life. An Introduction to a Contemplative Way of Life and the Jesus Prayer. A Retreat) he describes the 'Gries Way' of contemplative prayer.

Born in Budapest in 1927, Franz Jalics had a deep religious experience as a 17 year-old in the Second World War during the bombardment of Nurnberg which defined his subsequent faith journey decisively.

After his return to Hungary he finished his schooling and in 1947 entered the noviciate of the Society of Jesus. Under pressure from the Communist government he had to leave the country and finished his studies in philosophy at Pullach (near Munich) and Louvain/Belgium. After further studies in Chile and theology studies in Buenos Aires he became a lecturer in fundamental theology and dogmatics there, as well as accompanying Jesuit scholastics as their spiritual director.

In 1974 he moved into one of the slums of Buenos Aires in order to share his life with the poor. He was persecuted by the Argentinian military and was detained blindfolded for half a year in a cell. After 1978 Jalics lived in Germany where he gave retreats in contemplative prayer using a way which had resulted from the experiences of his own life.

The Austrian provincial, Fr Bernhard Bürgler SJ, who was Franz Jalics' successor at Haus Gries, directing it from 2004 - 2008, says:"I remember meeting his for the first time. It was shortly after he had come from Argentina to Germany. I was impressed by his charisma, by the story of his life, by his desire to lead people to God. I had the feeling that I was meeting a person who was aware of a task that he was being called to do, who knew what he wanted and who was able to show a spiritual way which is both do-able and helpful for the people of today. Since that time many people trusted themselves to his direction. They experienced him as someone who has experienced God and who wanted to bring others closer to Him: a 'Lebemeister' (spiritual guide). Spiritual people are being sought both inside and outside the Church, especially today.

Franz Jalics showed many people a way to God, to others and to themselves. He himself was led along this way and he moved consequently along it. Ever building on his own experience, he passed it on to others. This (Gries-) way is a prayer method, the contemplative Jesus prayer. However, it is more than that, it is a way of living; a way of dealing with the world, with other people and with ourselves. This way leads us from thinking to feeling and awareness, from the past and the future into the here and now, into the present. In this way, something of the presence of God can gradually shine forth, and in this way the I-Am-Who-I-Am can be experienced.

Franz Jalics was a practical man. His strength was less to think, write or speak about the essence of contemplation, but rather, quite practically, showing people a contemplative way, step by step, and accompanying them along that way. What he really cared about was describing what happens when we are on this way, what we encounter, how to cope with certain phenomena which occur and how we should behave in certain situations so that the way continues. Giving helpful instructions and accompaniment along a contemplative way is what his main concern was.

The simple way of prayer and life which he showed has deep foundations within Christian tradition. It meets a need in our present time. The longing for quiet and stillness, for simply being and for experience is great.

By showing this way, he managed to still a longing alive in many people. Transformation and healing occur on this way. Many people have experienced it. In religion, in Christian religion there is a great transformative power.

Through Haus Gries, the retreat house which he established, Franz Jalics created a place, well-known throughout Germany and even further afield than Europe that has become a point of reference and a home for many people. In times in which people find it difficult to have a commitment to the Church as a whole or to a particular parish, such spiritual places are significant. Up to the present day contemplative retreat courses are being offered there the whole year round. The atmosphere of stillness, of simplicity, of solidarity is tangible. It attracts people of differing heritage, differing ages, different religions or denominations. In Haus Gries they find a space in which they can come to their centre, to where the divine Word can become audible.

Person, way, place - these are three concepts which characterise Fr Franz Jalics' life-work and which seem to me to be pointing to the future. If the Church, if we succeed, to have more of it, then it is possible, in my opinion, to address the great spiritual longing of people today and "to help souls" - as Ignatius of Loyola, whose order Franz Jalics belongs to, expressed it.

Message from Haus Gries:

Last night Fr Franz Jalics, the founder of Haus Gries, died in Budapest at the age of 93. This is the information that the Hungarian provincial, Fr Elemer Vizi gave us early this morning. In December, on his name-day (3.12.) we had been able to speak to him on the telephone. He was very alert during this conversation. Looking back on it, we have realised that our farewell from Franz was with the song with which we always used to finish our telephone conversations, singing together the song from Taizé : 'Meine Hoffnung und meine Freude' (transl. My hope and my joy, my strength, my light, Christ, my assurance, in whom I trust and with whom I have nothing to fear). We believe that Franz has arrived in the light of God, in and with this trust in Christ. How often in his unforgettable reflections did he use to say: "In eternal life we will not think about God and we won't be doing anything for him, we will just gaze at him as he is". We are grateful for Franz and his contemplative way which he made accessible to so many people with such total surrender. With great joy we continue along this path in Haus Gries which he founded, and trust that the legacy which he has left behind will continue to be a blessing for many people in the future.

Fr Joachim Hartmann SJ

Dr Annette -Clara Unkelhauber

KontAkt (Initative Contemplation in Action) write: Through his contemplative retreat he has shown innumerable people the way of the Jesus prayer. When was once asked what he had recognised as his vocation, he answered immediately and without any hesitation: "To show people the immediacy of God!" This is the gift that he has given us, a truly divine gift

Elisabeth Huber, Engelbert Birkle, Martina Klenk and Sr Johanna Schulenburg from The Contemplation in Action Initiative express gratitude for all the reflections which Franz gave them. "We know that we are called to continue on this way and to help many more to find the immediacy of God. Let us pray and believe that he will be taken wholly into the light which so often shone from the depth of his eyes."

See also: ICN March 16th, 2013 - Argentina: priest issues statement on Pope Francis during junta years