The Servant of God Toni Zweifel Born 1938 (, ) – died 1989 (Zürich, ) Graduate Engineer, first managing director of the Limmat Foundation in Zürich tonizweifel.org

Sensitivity in dealing with others

After a professional meeting at But he always did this in the most encouraging way. Conversely, he let the headquarters of the Limmat pleasant way. himself be corrected. In the begin- Foundation in Zurich, Toni Zweifel He lovingly took care of his ning, he tended to be over-exacting was driving a Frenchman, Michel mother’s needs. She suffered from in his use of time. For example, after Baroni, to the central station. On depression as she grew older, and coffee in the early afternoon, he left the way they got into a minor traf- always sought moral support in the house for the office at lightning fic jam, but it became more and him. Toni devoted many long phone speed. One day somebody pointed more doubtful whether they would calls to her and wrestled free days out to him that this caused some still reach the train to Paris on time. from his work to visit her and to ac- unease and tension among the oth- Toni let his guest get off at a certain company and encoourage her. ers. Toni immediately changed his point and sent him on foot to take a habit: From then on, he stayed at Like everyone who has family shortcut. But in vain, Baroni arrived home for a few more minutes and and professional contacts with peo- two minutes late. To his surprise he did a few things before returning to ple, Toni also encountered the mis- found not only the train waiting at work. takes and limitations of others. He the platform, but also Toni. He had met these with great understanding If Toni was treated unfairly, he arrived in time with the car and had and patience. To avoid falling into reacted calmly and charitably. persuaded the conductor to wait a negative attitude, he deliberately This was particularly impressive until Baroni arrived. “You see,” he focused on each person’s positive when he was about to carry out his said to him with a smile, “here in sides, which he then sincerely ad- project of building an international Switzerland we will do anything for mired. Sometimes he went so far conference center. At this point, a a Frenchman, even let a train leave massive, many-month- late!” long media campaign This anecdote illustrates the typi- was unleashed with cal way Toni cared for the needs of humiliations and false others: courteously and at times claims, causing the inventively. From St. Josemaría he project on which he had had learned that charity – caritas – worked with the best of does not exhaust itself in organiza- intentions for years to tional and financial commitment to be canceled. Yet, during humanitarian goals, but must first that entire time, not a and foremost shape your life with single bitter or deroga- those close around you. tory comment escaped Toni’s presence made you feel him, not even in the most private circles. good. He was always available for Toni with some friends on a mountain top (1980). conversation, chores or solving spe- In short: his Christian cific problems. That was not to be as to write down these merits and faith had made Toni a very affable taken for granted because he was to consider them in prayer. But person: cheerful, sensitive, helpful, involved in many difficult tasks. that did not stop him from alerting radiating confidence. In him, the Therefore, he often divided his time someone to his mistakes, if it was often-cited ideal of love of neighbor to the minute, and thus might have objective and appropriate; but he had become a concrete reality. to change his plans unexpectedly. also always did this in a kind and

Opus Dei Prelature in Switzerland – Office for Causes of Beatification and Canonization – Information Bulletin No. 7, 2018 With ecclesiastical approval 4PRAYER 4ANSWERS TO PRAYERS God our Father, you have entrusted the earth to ENOUGH PARTICIPANTS IN CULTURAL EVENTS mankind to build it up and so give you glory. In the years when I lived in Germany, I met Toni Through your grace, your servant Toni imbued once. I was introduced to him and we exchanged a his work with professional quality and a few words. Since his death, I have often turned to him Christian spirit. and asked for his intercession, dozens of times now, Help me also to carry out my work in a way always in an area that I thought was particularly close that gives you glory; and grant that my exam- to his heart. ple will lead many people to discover the dig- I work as a university teacher, but for some time nity and divine meaning of their daily activity. now I have also been involved in the organization Deign to glorify your servant Toni and through of academic activities: congresses, lecture series, his intercession grant me the favor I ask of you etc. Often, this is connected with all kinds of small . . . Amen. problems – and with the big question: Will enough Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father. people show up? Toni is my colleague in this ...... area. Only two examples. In 2009, I was elected In conformity with the decrees of Pope Urban VIII, we declare chairman of an international society, which was in a that there is no intention of anticipating in any way the judg- somewhat sleepy state. To reactivate it, I convened ment of the Church, and that this prayer is not intended for an international conference in Barcelona for 2012. public use. It was the first time in years, and it was not at all clear if it would succeed. It did! From the viewpoint Those who receive favors through the intercession of Toni Zweifel of participation – and even from the financial point are requested to contact the address below or [email protected]. of view! Toni’s grave in the Fluntern Cemetery in Zürich can be And then in 2013, I moved to Peru to work at a reached by taking streetcar no. 6 to its last stop (“Zoo”); university. As soon as I arrived, the rector asked me to and then taking the main path from the cemetery entrance initiate the university’s cultural center with a variety to Grave no. 80610, just before the upper end of the path, of activities for “the general public.” It was a huge on the right. challenge: I hardly knew the country, and scarcely any funds or facilities were available ... But it has been running, now for three years, to our complete 4PUBLICATIONS satisfaction. It’s good to work with an intercessor who 1. Informative Bulletins, nos. 1 to 5. knows the university world well and was responsible 2. Dipl.-Ing. ETH Toni Zweifel: Ein Berufsleben im Dienst in his lifetime for setting up many such projects an Gott und den Menschen, Vice-postulation of in Switzerland, Zurich 1996, 2nd ed. himself. E. B., Peru 3. Toni Zweifel: Une vie professionelle au service de Dieu et les autres, Le Laurier, Paris 2009, ISBN 978-28-6495-308-1. 4. Toni Zweifel: Una vita professionale al servizio di Dio e MY BROTHER CHANGED HIS LIFE degli uomini, Edizioni Ares, Milan 2009, ISBN 978-88-8155- 479-9. My brother K. has been living in Delhi and working 5. Augustin L. Kindler, Toni Zweifel. Geheiligter Alltag, Adamas in a factory for several years. He didn’t take care of Verlag, Cologne 2017, 208 pages, ISBN: 978 3 937626 36 9. himself, he had the habit of not saving money, and 6. Agustín López Kindler, Toni Zweifel – Huellas de una was easily cheated by other village boys who would historia de amor, Ediciones Rialp, Madrid 2016, 192 pages, ISBN 978-84-321-4694-7. stay in his room with him for one or more months and leave without paying for the rent and the food. I asked Toni Bhaya [‘brother’ in Hindi] every day 4HOW CAN I HELP? for about one year to help my brother become a good If you would like to help defray the costs of this canonization boy. I read the prayer for private devotion, asking him process, please send your contribution to the following to make my brother like him, to have a good life. address, marking it as “process of Toni Zweifel”: Since the end of 2015, my brother has improved. The Prelature of Opus Dei in Switzerland Office for Beatification and Canonization Causes He has opened a bank account and started saving Restelbergstrasse 10, 8044 Zürich / www.opusdei.ch money. I give thanks to Toni Bhaya, and I keep on IBAN CH50 0900 0000 8510 0342 9 asking him for more help for my brother. BIC POFICHBEXXX L. X., New Delhi PostFinance AG, Mingerstrasse 20, 3030 Bern, Switzerland. Many thanks!