Today, March 4th marks the 20th Anniversary of the martyrdom of Fr. Alfred Kunz.
Just a quick jaunt down memory lane...
My favorite memory is his laughter which lasted until he slapped his leg and had tears running down his face. I was very blessed to teach in his school as well as direct his choir. He married us and baptized 2 of our children. I was expecting our 3rd child when I received the news. My husband came home to tell me and he stuttered, truly, my first thought was he had brought me home a new puppy. Good grief. (Fr. Kunz would have laughed about that one) The shocked lasted many years. We have missed him so much. I believe it took me about 3 years before I didn't weep during the "Asperges Me" during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Fr. Kunz was not a singer but he gave it all the gusto he had! (I am chuckling a bit here and so would anyone else who remembers!)
A young picture of Fr. Kunz.
Fr. Kunz cooking at a fish fry!
He also spent his time counseling people all over the world until the wee hours of the morning, taking in some 4 hours of sleep a night. He fixed our cars... which, when he helped us buy one, was a Volkswagen... of course! Many breakfasts some of us teachers would have with him at O'Malley's; he'd always have an egg over easy (I think it was called) with dry wheat toast. (while the rest of us had a buffet or eggs benedict and he'd always arrange for me to get a little bowl of stuffing!) We had a teacher bridal shower for me just before he married us, he showed up and brought me a case of cherry 7-up. haha! I could never count the number of meals, which was always a spiritual experience, we teachers were blessed to have with him! He was by far the best spiritual director one could ever have. I remember laughing right out loud in the confessional. The days I went as a teacher with my class the kids would ask what on earth was so funny.
Before I started teaching 2 college friends and I went out to meet him. He gave an amazing Homily at Mass and my first random thought was, "He is going to die a martyr." A God-incident random thought, indeed.
Fr. Kunz gave the best homilies, so good I found myself often in tears. A very powerful saintly man.... faithful in every way, not the way the media would like to smear his virtuous reputation. The homily he gave 10 days before he died was on forgiveness and forgiving our enemies no matter how much they hurt us. It was a blessing to have those words to cling to after he was so brutally murdered.
Just before advent (or lent, I forget which) before Fr. Kunz died, he gave me one of his purple vestments to fix for him. He said he would like me to make the neck line larger. I did so, though I am not much of a seamstress nor was I at that time. I presented it to him and he said it was perfect. I was very surprised he only wore it once. Then when I paid my respects after his death, I was shocked to see that it was the very one I had fixed for him. It doesn't look very purple in this picture, but I have another picture somewhere... actually, I have many pictures I will have to find and share.... After the funeral I scoured my house for any tiny remnant or scrap or thread of that fabric. I was so disappointed I could not find a single piece.
But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and the torment of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure was taken for misery: And their going away from us, for utter destruction: but they are in peace. And though in the sight of men they suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality. Afflicted in few things, in many they shall be well rewarded: because God hath tried them, and found them worthy of himself. wisdom 3:1-5
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord and let Perpetual Light shine upon him. May he rest in Peace!
We miss you! Your memory lives on, you have not been forgotten.
Enjoy these videos!
Video of Fr. Kunz's Homily at our wedding on June 24, 1995.
Recent article here and yes, his reputation was corrupted by the corrupted, he was a very good and holy man and priest. Thou art a priest forever... and forever he remained. May you rest in Peace.
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office hopes to re-invigorate the investigation of this case, and encourages anyone with information to contact the TIPS line at 608-284-6900 or email at
tips@danesheriff.com
I really enjoyed reading this! I so wish that I was able to get to know him! Thanks for sharing, Julie! :)
ReplyDeleteHe was awesome!
DeleteI've always wished I could have met him. The second video was so beautiful. I have yet to watch the first one.
ReplyDelete