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German Catholic theologian and writer (1926–2019) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lothar Zenetti (6 February 1926 – 24 February 2019) was a German Catholic theologian, priest, and author of books and poetry. In Frankfurt, he was both a minister for young people and a parish priest. He was also active on radio and television. His songs, for example the popular "Das Weizenkorn muss sterben" and "Segne dieses Kind", appear in both Protestant and Catholic hymnals.
Lothar Zenetti | |
|---|---|
Zenetti in 1978 at St. Wendel | |
| Born | 6 February 1926 Frankfurt, Germany |
| Died | 24 February 2019 (aged 93) Frankfurt, Germany |
| Education | Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology |
| Occupations |
|
| Ecclesiastical career | |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Ordained | 28 September 1952 |
| Writings | Das Weizenkorn muss sterben |
Congregations served | St. Bonifatius, Wiesbaden St. Wendel, Frankfurt (1962-1995) |
Zenetti was born in Frankfurt am Main.[1] From 1931 he attended the Bonifatius-Schule, and the Goethe-Gymnasium beginning in 1936. He began national service in 1943, first with the Luftwaffenhelfer, then with the Reichsarbeitsdienst. At the end of the War, he was a prisoner of war, first of the Americans, then the French. During this time he began to study theology at the so-called Stacheldrahtseminar (barbed-wire seminary) of Chartres.[2][3]
Back in Frankfurt, Zenetti completed his Abitur and studied at the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology. He graduated in 1952 and was ordained a priest on 28 September 1952 by Wilhelm Kempf in Limburg an der Lahn. He worked as a Kaplan (vicar) in Oberbrechen, Kölbingen, Königstein im Taunus and at St. Bonifatius in Wiesbaden. In 1962 he became Stadtjugendpfarrer (minister for young people) in Frankfurt. He was a parish priest in St. Wendel in Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen from 1962 to 1995.[4]
Zenetti published several books and many poems. His song "Das Weizenkorn muss sterben" (The wheat kernel must die), part of Catholic and Protestant hymnals, is popular.[1][5] About 150 of his poems were set to music in the genre Neues Geistliches Lied (NGL), several were included in hymnals, others appeared in song collections and were recorded, like the ballad "Was keiner wagt" by the singer-songwriter (Liedermacher) Konstantin Wecker.[1][4] He translated hymns by the Dutch priest and lyricist Huub Oosterhuis into German, such as "Ik sta voor U in leegte en gemis" to "Ich steh vor dir mit leeren Händen, Herr" which is part of both Gotteslob and Evangelisches Gesangbuch.[1] He also wrote texts and songs in the Mundart (dialect).[4] Zenetti worked on the public television series Das Wort zum Sonntag,[6] and was the representative of the Catholic Church for the broadcaster Hessischer Rundfunk.[3][4]
In 1984 Zenetti was awarded the prize Humor in der Kirche (Humour in the church) by the Diocese of Limburg.[4] He died in Frankfurt on 24 February 2019 at the age of 93.[1][7]
Forty-eight publications by Zenetti are listed by the German National Library (DNB).[8]
Some of Zenetti's songs have been included in hymnals, such as Evangelisches Gesangbuch (EG) and the Catholic Gotteslob.[2]
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