RIP: Br. Alberto Beckhäuser, OFM, Liturgist and Author

On March 28, 2017, the liturgist Br. Alberto Beckhäuser, OFM died in Petropolis (Brazil). He belonged to the Province of the Immaculate Conception in Brazil. The death was caused by pancreatic cancer discovered just last January. Br. Alberto was born on March 20, 1935 de Santa Catarina State in southern Brazil of a large family, emigrated from Germany and Latvia at the beginning of last century. He did his novitiate in 1957 and his solemn profession in 1960. After ordination in 1962 he studied in Rome at the Pontifical Athenaeum of St Anselmo, where he earned a doctorate in Sacred Liturgy. Beginning in 1967, he taught Liturgy in Petrópolis. From 1974 to 1979 he performed the service of Novice Master. Since his return to Brazil he was part of the Liturgical Commission of the Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) and was its director from 1986 to 1991. For many years, he was coordinator of the Commission for the translation and edition of the liturgical texts of the CNBB and following the Second Vatican Council contributed to the publication of Missals, Lectionaries, books of the liturgy of the hours, Rituals and Benedictions in Brazil. In recent years, he was also part of the Committee on the revision and update of the Franciscan Missal. In addition to his tireless commitment to teaching, which lasted for 48 years, and at the service of the Brazilian Church, Br. Alberto has published 24 books on theology and liturgical spirituality, has co-authored another 16 books and wrote about 200 articles for various magazines (Revista Eclesiástica Brasileira – REB, Vozes e Grande Sinal – among others). On various occasions, he was also an Assistant of the SFO and of the Poor Clares in Brazil.