Commemoration Father Rudi
Abagyenda Bareeba! Wisdom is found by those who travel.
With boundless joy in his heart and a strong faith, he dedicated his life to other people,
especially in Uganda.
Now, in addition to the impressive traces of his life’s work, he leaves behind an infinite
amount of love, hope and inspiration. It is with great gratitude that we bid farewell to
Father Rudi Lehnertz
Missionary of Africa – White Father
| * 2nd March 1940 in Hetzerath |
† 26th September 2024 in Trier |
His siblings with families and friends
Missionaries of Africa – White Fathers
Germany – 54523 Hetzerath, Fam. Knopp, Hauptstraße 17 and 54292 Trier, Weiße Väter, Nordallee 1
The funeral service followed by the burial of the urn will take place on Saturday, 19th
October 2024 at 2:00 pm in the parish church of St. Hubertus in Hetzerath.
Abagyenda Bareeba! Weisheit findet, wer sich auf den Weg macht.
Mit grenzenloser Freude im Herzen und starker Glaubenskraft widmete er sein Leben den
Menschen, vor allem in Uganda.
Nun hinterlässt er neben den beeindruckenden Spuren seines Lebenswerks unendlich viel
Liebe, Hoffnung und Inspiration. In großer Dankbarkeit nehmen wir Abschied von
Pater Rudi Lehnertz
Afrikamissionar – Weißer Vater
| * 2. März 1940 in Hetzerath |
+ 26. September 2024 in Trier |
Geschwister mit Familien und Freunde
Afrikamissionare – Weiße Väter
54523 Hetzerath, Fam. Knopp, Hauptstraße 17 und 54292 Trier, Weiße Väter, Nordallee 1
Der Gottesdienst mit anschließender Urnenbeisetzung ist am Samstag, 19. Oktober 2024
um 14:00 Uhr in der Pfarrkirche St. Hubertus in Hetzerath.
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Condolence Message from the Family of Mr. & Mrs. Sylvester Mabweijano of Kabale, Uganda.
Dear the Lehnertz Family,
The Community of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers),
All Friends.
It is with deep sorrow that we join you all to convey our heartfelt condolences for the passing of our dear friend Rev. Fr. Rudi Lehnertz. We give glory to God for the life of Fr. Rudi and also for the blessing of having shared in his illustrious life in Uganda.
We also join you to mourn the recent loss of another family member Daniel Knopp and Rev. Father Otto Bailer, both good friends of our family from the time that they lived and worked in Uganda.
Fr. Rudi came into our lives in the early 1980s during the time he was the Headmaster of St. Joseph’s Vocational School at Nyamitanga in Mbarara. From that time Fr. Rudi became not only a great friend but a spiritual mentor, guardian and advisor to our immediate and extended family.
As all friends of Fr. Rudi can testify, when you became Fr. Rudi’s friend, you would also became a friend of his friends as well as a friend of his family in Germany. This is a testimony of his great generosity of Spirit.
A man of faith as a Religious Priest in the Catholic Church, Fr. Rudi not only dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel but he lived the word of God in spreading love, friendship, and joy. He eagerly shared his great knowledge, skills and expertise with us through our various life journeys.
Indeed Fr. Rudi was loving towards the family. Our walk with Fr. Rudi went beyond friendship and he became family, he became a mentor, encouraging our personal growth, education and career journeys. He shared in our joy and in consoled us in our times of sorrow. His imprint in our lives is immeasurable.
As we bid farewell to our dear friend we are comforted in our belief that Fr. Rudi has gone to rest in God’s Heavenly Kingdom.
His Memory will forever live in our hearts. Rest in everlasting peace Fr. Rudi.
May the Almighty God strengthen the family during this time and enable you to celebrate his fulfilling life on earth.
Fr. Rudi Lehnertz, you have served God, you have preached the Gospel and you have shared the Love of Christ with others especially with me, my family and many Ugandan people who were so lucky to meet you.
May God reward you with eternal glory. May the God you chose as a young man shine his face upon you and give you eternal glory 🙏🙏🙏
You have inspired me with your love and works of Charity. You have given me a career by paying my tuition fees to become a lawyer that I am today. I can’t say it all🥰🥰🥰🥰
Rest well with the Angels mydear Fr. Rudi🥰🥰🥰🙏🙏🙏
Bahemuka Liz and children Bernadine melissa angel and georgina wish to send condolence mesage to the family of Rudi. That the Lord may grant you strength during this difficult time. Its not easy for usto believe that our dear friend, parent ,guardian is gone . We are going to miss him for he was always with us at all moments. Most of all we can never forget his love. But we believe that he has gone to a better place.May his soul rest in peace.
Fr. Rudi Lehnertz, you have served God, you have preached the Gospel and you have shared the Love of Christ with others especially with me, my family and many Ugandan people who were so lucky to meet you.
May God reward you with eternal glory. May the God you chose as a young man shine his face upon you and give you eternal glory 🙏🙏🙏
You have inspired me with your love and works of Charity. You have given me a career by paying my tuition fees to become a lawyer that I am today. I can’t say it all🥰🥰🥰🥰
Rest well with the Angels mydear Fr. Rudi🥰🥰🥰🙏🙏🙏
Fr Rudi, may the Good Lord rest your Soul in peace, and may he comfort your family, friends and the members of the White Fathers Missionaries of Africa. Rest in peace Father until we meet again in heaven🙏🙏
Condolences to the family of Fr Rudi
I have been moved to condole with Fr Rudi’s family, not that I have not met him face, but because many friends of my family are mourning his passing due to the amazing gifts of love he has accorded them! Furthermore, the wealth of spiritual service he has rendered to my Country, Uganda is more than enough to move me render such condolences.
Rest peacefully, Father Rudi!
We thank God for for Fr. Rudi’s life and what he was able to achieve during his mission in Uganda, at St Joseph’s Vocational School Mbarara in particular.
May his soul rest in eternal peace 🙏🏽
Dear Family of Late Fr..Rudi,
It’s with my deep heartfelt condolences to you upon the demise of Fr. Rudi. He not only represented your family but also was a good messenger of God in Uganda. He did his best and left a legacy by his big heart. He served the people of God faithfully till the end. May the Lord God grant you (the family) His choicest blessings for the gift and care of Fr. Rudi and grant him Eternal Life for his charitable works to the people of God.
As we gather here to celebrate the life of our dear friend Fr. Rudi, let us remember the laughter, love, and joy he brought into our lives. May his memory continue to inspire and uplift us as we navigate this world without him. Together, we can honor his legacy and cherish the beautiful moments we shared. We love you always Rudi.♥️♥️
May his family be comforted in the Lord.
May Fr. Rudi’s soul rest in peace. Till we meet again. 🙏🏽🕯️🕯️🕊️
To the family of Father Rudi, I shall remember Father Rudi as a person full of life and a generous heart. I will also remember the picnics and the various occasions he blessed with his presence. May his soul rest in peace. AMEN
Celebrating the incredible life of Rev. Fr. Rudi Lehnertz, the Headmaster of St. Joseph’s Vocational School Mbarara, from 1980 to 1983. The love, care, wisdom and mentorship that he provided to us will forever be in my heart and memories. May His Soul Rest In Eternal Peace. Amen.
Thank you Lord for the life of Fr Rudi who left us on the 26th September. I appreciate his family especially the parents (RIP) for the good upbringing and to have allowed him to join priesthood, which mission enabled him to touch many souls. His duties in the Lord’s vineyard for sure, were well done🙏
I got to know Fr Rudi young girl when he visited us with Fr Otto(RIP).
Fr Rudi fought illiteracy by educating many me inclusive.
Fr Rudi was a good listener and he would give advice where necessary. He was a good counselor in all fields. You would go to him with a heavy heart and leave a happy person with a light heart. He was a strict person like any other parent ,his strictness would bear good fruits🙏🙏
I am honoured to have known Fr Rudi. Thank you for loving me the way I am. You have left a big gap in many lives. You will never be replaced. We loved you much but God loved you more. Till We meet again. Your Legacy will live among us and we shall follow your example.
To all who visited Fr Rudi when his life was fragile and we couldn’t, thank you so much. The nurses and doctors, thank you.
Condolences to his family, residents in Trier, friends to Rudi and the MAFRA family.
Me and my son Hillary will miss you big.
You Fought a Good Fight. Till we meet again. We CELEBRATE YOU.
In the picture with the kids (Joshua, Dr. Joelle, Anita and Leonard) is a clear depiction of who Father Rudi was! A loving person with a big heart. Our kids were always happy and excited to be around him.
Dear Fr.Rudi,
We will miss you for the rest of our lives. Thank you for your life of service, Thank you for your big heart that loved us unconditionally.
We celebrate your life as you join our parents in heaven (say hello to them for us)
You will forever be in our hearts.
With love Vastina, Hamujuni and Family.
On behalf of the entire Rugunda Family of Mbarara we wish to post here our profound condolences and at the same time our hopeful spirits for the life, sacrifice, love love love of your true servant in Christ Rudi Lernhraz. Thank you for being 💯 a Rugunda/Babugura. Rest Thee Well
Nobby
I got to know Fr. Rudi Lehnertz in 1l970 at Immaculate Heart Girls Secondary School when I was in S2. Fr. Rudi came as our Chaplain and teacher for CRE. He was a very friend priest. I don’t what he found in me but I found myself being liked by both him and our Headmistress who was a French Canadian, Sr. Ghislaine Halley (RIP). Whenever we would go for dancing in Kitunga High School or Makobore SS, all the girls would jump on a lorry but as for me, I would go with Fr. Rudi and Sr. Gertude. One day he went to my home village in Kisoro and made sure he met my parents before he returned to Nyakibale. From there the friendship continued even after I had left Nyakibale.
One time I was attending a course at Kianda College, Nairobi and he surprised me when our Principal called me that I had a visitor so as soon as the lesson is over, I should come and meet my visitor. When I finished I went to the reception and I got a shock when I saw him seated. I got very excited and emotional at the same time. We greeted and then set off in his car, went for a cup of tea and thereafter he dropped at my hostel and left.
When he was at St. Joseph’s, Nyamitanga, I visited him on my way to Kisoro for my leave and he was happy to see me. I asked him where Sr. Ghislaine was and he told she had moved to Rwanda (Byumba) and he immediately offered to take me there.
Fr. Rudi was a very caring, loving and supportive human being and yet he did all these with a lot of humility. May the good Lord reward him for all his good deeds while on earth.
When I was transferred from Arusha, Tanzania to Uganda, Fr. Rudi made sure to check on me each time he was free. He made sure he brought all his relatives who visited him to my home to greet me. I remember his sister Theresa, brother Mark, his inlaws, nieces and nephews.
Fr. Rudi, your friendship, support, care and legacy will forever be cherished. May your soul rest in perfect peace.
Dear Stefan and all Fr. Rudi family.
My family, Joshua and myself join you to mourn a dear friend, parent and mentor, Fr. Rudi. Please accept our very sincere Condolences.
Am Margaret Hamujuni Tuhumwire saddened by the Passing of Fr. Rudi Leunertz, a great man of God that I have knowin since I was a child in Senior one at Immaculate Heart Girls Senior Secondary School in Rukungiri District of Uganda when he was my Teacher of Religious Education.
My young sister and I, were in the same class and we resembled which confused especially foreign Teachers among them Fr. Rudi. He was very kind to us and to many other students and he became a Special friend to the entire Hamujuni family. We loved him and he loved us back. He guided and counselled us on how to live dignified lives.
He was always standing with us in thick and thin. He even loved our friends. His generosity of Heart opened doors of success to many of us. He always shared whatever he had with those in need.
He participated in our weddings, baptisms and social events. He would accept invitations to our homes however small because he had a big Heart. I always told people that if there is a Father in real sense, it is Father Rudi.
Father, you have gone so soon. How sad that you have not been able to make your last visit to Uganda where we loved and treasured you.
I prayed that you get well and I make it there to hug you before you go to Heaven, but God has not allowed it to happen.
May the Angels receive you in great honour as you receive your Crown as a Victor of Selflessness, non-discrimination, love, kindness and a preservation of Human Dignity.
May your Soul Rest in Eternal Peace.🙏🏾🙏🏾
Margaret is a sister oj Beatrice, Vaster and Juliet of Hamujuni Family
Entebbe, Ugand
The Lehnertz Family,
The Community of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers),
All Friends.
I stand with you to celebrate the well-lived life of Fr. Rudi Lehnertz, whom I trace from 1973 in the environs of Immaculate Heart Girls’ Secondary School, Nyakibale, Uganda, to September 2024, when a call to uplift his legacy set in. As young learners in their early teens, Fr. Lehnertz won our admiration for taking care of our spiritual, social, and academic needs. His care did not stop with us at the secondary level, for I vividly recall the candle Fr. Lehnertz lit when I was defending my PhD thesis because he could not physically be present! His gesture was not only extended to me but all known to him. What a considerate and neutral priest in Fr. Rudi, as we later addressed him. No wonder he always welcomed sharing development ideas that were never shelved but saw the birth of the Immaculate Heart Old Girls Association and others that directly and indirectly transfer the gains from the shared interactions lined up in Fr. Rudi’s networks. Reconnecting with Fr. Rudi through physical visits, prayer, WhatsApp messages, emails, video calls, and phone calls meant moments of joy, laughter, humor, and reunion—essentials of good mental health. I will live to celebrate Fr. Rudi and uphold his legacy. May the God you served and made His word known to many grant your soul eternal peace.