Martinus est né à Zevenbergen, Pays-Bas, le 19 novembre 1931. Il reçoit sa formation missionnaire à Sterksel, St-Charles près de Boxtel, Alexandria Bay aux USA, Ottawa au Canada où il prononce son serment missionnaire le 21 juin 1958. Il termine sa théologie à Totteridge, en Angleterre, et est ordonné à Rotterdam le 2 février 1959.

Martinus avait un bon jugement et il prenait facilement des initiatives. Il pouvait être impulsif, ce qui le conduisait à accélérer les choses. C’était un grand travailleur, persévérant, doué d’une forte volonté, extraverti et curieux. Son oncle était notre confrère Christian Balemans (+ 26 août 1979). Son frère Frans, Missionnaire d’Afrique, travaillait au Burkina Faso (+ 6 décembre 2012) ; son frère Chris fut prêtre diocésain en Allemagne.

Le 6 décembre 1959, Martinus part au Ghana, dans le diocèse de Tamale, à la paroisse de Damongo. Ce diocèse venait d’être divisé. Martinus va dans la nouvelle section dont la population est constituée principalement de musulmans, de pratiquants de la religion traditionnelle et de 1 500 catholiques. On y trouve la paroisse de Damongo, avec 200 catholiques seulement sur une population de 250 000 habitants. En plus des visites pastorales dans les villages, Martinus offre chaque matin un service médical. C’est une bonne occasion d’apprendre la culture et la langue gonja, parlée par 25 % des habitants de la paroisse ;
75 % d’entre eux parlent six autres langues. Les distances sont grandes. Dans ses “safaris”, il rencontre des catholiques qui n’ont pas reçu de sacrements depuis neuf ans. Il écrit en 1960 : “C’est la première évangélisation et ici, je me sens chez moi.”

En 1961, le gouvernement introduit l’éducation primaire universelle (UPE). Il y a vingt écoles dans la paroisse. Les prêtres les visitent deux fois par mois.

Au mois d’août 1963, Martinus va dans la petite paroisse de Salaga où se trouvent beaucoup de musulmans. Les protestants y sont présents depuis 14 ans. En 1964, les prêtres construisent un Centre de jeunesse. En 1965, Martinus est nommé curé à Bole. En octobre 1972, il retourne à Salaga où il sera curé pendant dix ans.

En juin 1979, le Régional écrit: “Martinus est un vrai pasteur. Il est populaire et respecté. Il engage les catéchistes et les religieuses africaines dans l’apostolat et il s’en occupe bien. Son enthousiasme et son optimisme indestructible sont spécialement remarquables.” À cette époque, Martinus est le représentant de la Société dans le diocèse, membre du Conseil presbytéral et vice-président du Conseil des prêtres diocésains.

En 1983, Martinus lance quatre “Petites Communautés Chrétiennes” dans sa paroisse. Elles vivent proches les unes des autres, se mettent au service les unes des autres, particulièrement des malades, des pauvres et des nécessiteux. Elles cherchent à approfondir leur foi et à favoriser la réconciliation. Les prêtres consacrent beaucoup de temps à former les responsables.

C’est à Tamale-ville que Martinus fait son premier vrai contact avec des personnes handicapées ; cette expérience l’accompagnera le reste de sa vie. Le gouvernement a une école technique, pauvrement équipée, pour 25 aveugles et jeunes atteints de polio ; c’est la seule école du genre pour une population d’un million et demi d’habitants.

Dès 1987, Martinus reçoit une aide annuelle de la municipalité de Nieuw-Ginneken pour rénover les bâtiments, les agrandir, fournir du mobilier et du matériel scolaire, comme des machines à coudre et des rouleaux de tissus. Après une formation professionnelle de trois à quatre ans, ces personnes handicapées retournent chez elles. Un modeste capital de départ et des instruments indispensables leur permettent de faire face à leur entretien personnel et de jouer leur rôle dans le développement du pays. En six mois, ces personnes handicapées sont passées du statut de “personnes inutiles” à celui de “personnes appréciées”.

En novembre 1988, Martinus devient curé de Damongo, puis doyen en mars 1989. C’est une paroisse très active et, cinq ans plus tard, Martinus part, épuisé, en Hollande. Après un bon repos de 16 mois, il retourne à Tamale comme Directeur du Centre diocésain de pastorale. Celui-ci dispose d’une centaine de lits et accueille une moyenne de trente étudiants par jour. Les sessions de formation des catéchistes, enseignants, étudiants et membres des chorales d’église prennent beaucoup de temps. D’autres rencontres traitent de la prévention du sida. Martinus est aussi engagé dans l’orphelinat local. Deux fois par mois, il célèbre l’eucharistie avec des prisonniers et il s’entretient avec eux.

En juillet 2009, Martinus devient le directeur du projet CARDIS commencé en 1998. Le Frère Trevor Robinson, aidé par d’anciens enfants de la rue qu’il a formés, fabrique des tricycles, un total de 1 050 à fin 2010 ! Une religieuse prend soin des enfants de la rue et les aide à aller à l’école. Une autre s’occupe des enfants atteints de polio ou amputés d’une jambe. La Fondation Liliane offre des prothèses, des béquilles et les frais de scolarité jusqu’à l’âge de 22 ans. Martinus coordonne tout cela et prend soin des aveugles et des personnes handicapées. Deux fois par semaine, ils peuvent le rencontrer, et lui-même leur rend visite quand il peut. Zacharias, son assistant à temps plein, les visite aussi régulièrement et les connaît chacun par son nom. Ces rencontres lui permettent d’obtenir une information exacte sur leurs besoins.

Martinus avait remarqué beaucoup de détritus dans les alentours et le long des routes. Il acheta des seaux qu’il fit remplir quotidiennement par les jeunes dont il payait les frais de scolarité. Il faisait du compost avec les débris organiques ramassés et le reste partait à la décharge. Les jeunes apprenaient ainsi à travailler pour gagner de l’argent. Martinus écrit en 2011 : “Je suis encore bien content ici.” Ces dernières années, il avait réajusté son horaire de travail, disposant des après-midi pour la prière, la lecture, une promenade ou la natation.

Martinus fut renversé par une motocyclette et décéda le 30 mai 2013 à Tamale, où l’enterrement eut lieu le 7 juin 2013. Le jour suivant, nous avons célébré à Heythuysen un service commémoratif avec sa famille, ses amis et confrères.

Marien van den Eijnden

Père Daniel Schmitt

1924 - - 2013

Daniel naquit le 9 juin 1924 à Aillevillers-et-Lyaumont (Haute-Saône et diocèse de Besançon, France), dans une famille très chrétienne : quatre garçons entrèrent, en effet, au séminaire ; Armand et Jean, les deux aînés de Daniel, devinrent prêtres diocésains ; pendant ses congés, il aimera aller les aider, dans leurs paroisses respectives.

Il fit, comme eux, ses études secondaires au petit séminaire diocésain Saint-Colomban, à Luxeuil-les-Bains, et sa philosophie à celui de Faverney, tous deux situés en Haute-Saône. De là, il partit pour le noviciat à Maison-Carrée, en septembre 1942 ; il y prit l’habit, mais un document du 25 juillet 1943, daté de Mirabeau, et portant le cachet de Maison-Carrée, laisse supposer que le noviciat avait émigré pour un temps en Kabylie, peut-être en raison de la guerre. Celle-ci rattrapa d’ailleurs Daniel, dès le noviciat fini, comme beaucoup d’autres novices et scolastiques. Il resta sous les drapeaux d’octobre 1943 à septembre 1945, passant d’Oran à Strasbourg, puis à Rottenburg, et jusqu’en Autriche, comme en témoignent les rapports de ses aumôniers militaires, les Pères Jacques Ghys (+1991) et Georges Bertsch (+2002).

Une fois démobilisé, Daniel put enfin entamer ses études de théologie à Thibar (Tunisie), où il fit son serment le 29 juin 1948. On le jugeait peu intellectuel, mais très sensible, et surtout très habile de ses mains et donc bon bricoleur, très dévoué, débrouillard pour tout ce qui était matériel ; on déplorait seulement une trop grande timidité qui le rendait peu communicatif vis-à-vis des supérieurs. Il fut ordonné prêtre le 1er février 1949 et nommé au Burkina Faso pour le diocèse de Bobo-Dioulasso.

C’est à Niangoloko qu’il commença, le 20 novembre 1949, son ministère africain. Est-ce sa timidité et son goût prononcé pour le matériel ? Toujours est-il que son supérieur de l’époque le jugeait sévèrement, trouvant qu’il ne faisait pas assez d’effort pour l’étude de la langue et passait trop de temps à bricoler sa moto… De là, il passa à Dissin, le 4 juillet 1952, où, au contraire, le responsable du poste se félicitait qu’il se fût bien lancé dans l’étude de la langue des Dagari, une langue qu’il arriva à fort bien parler, et il louait son zèle, tout en signalant seulement, lui aussi, qu’il fallait le mettre en garde de ne pas se laisser trop prendre par le côté matériel.

Mais le jugement global des supérieurs était malgré tout très positif. Daniel, conscient des besoins de personnel dans son diocèse et dans la Société tout entière, apporta alors de plein gré sa participation financière à la construction du séminaire de Bonnelles, heureux de contribuer ainsi à la formation de futurs Pères Blancs.

De Dissin, il passa à Dano le 9 août 1955, puis à Nasso le 30 juin 1957, avant de revenir à Dano le 17 octobre 1958, après un court intérim de trois mois, pour remplacer le procureur diocésain en congé. Il resta à Dano jusqu’à la grande retraite qu’il fit à la Villa Cavalletti, à partir du 19 janvier 1963. Il était à l’aise avec tout le monde, aimé des gens et aimable en communauté, avec toujours la tentation, mais désormais mieux contrôlée, de se laisser prendre par le matériel, notamment par l’approvisionnement de la Coopérative. Le 2 avril 1963, il était de retour à Dissin, et le 20 février 1964, à Dano. Le 1er février 1974, il devint supérieur du poste de Legmoin et le 1er janvier 1978, vicaire à la cathédrale du diocèse de Diebougou, fondé quelques années plus tôt.

De 1978 à 1982, son évêque, Mgr Somé, le nomma dans l’équipe des puisatiers chargée de forer des puits dans les villages du diocèse. Là, ne mesurant pas sa peine, il se signala par sa compétence dans le choix des outils nécessaires et le soin apporté à leur entretien. En cet emploi, il était à l’aise, mais forcément il s’éloignait davantage de la pastorale ordinaire, s’isolant quelque peu de la communauté. En sentant peut-être le danger, à partir du 13 juin 1982, il demanda à faire la session retraite à Jérusalem et une année de recyclage en pastorale.

C’est alors qu’après 33 ans en Haute-Volta, le 1er juin 1983, intervint pour lui un changement de cap : alors qu’il était proposé pour le poste de Batié, il fut nommé à la Province de France et, le 1er janvier 1984, il fut invité à remplacer le Père Antoine Garnier comme procureur, au 5, rue Roger Verlomme, à Paris. Il garda cette fonction jusqu’à la fin 2005, 22 ans, un record ! et s’installa alors à Bry-sur-Marne pour un repos bien mérité.

Dans cette fonction de procureur, travail en soi ingrat, Daniel était dans son élément : tout confrère en mission, manquant d’une pièce pour sa voiture ou sa machine à écrire, pouvait compter sur lui. Celui qui, venu en congé, voulait se munir d’un outil de travail quelconque, trouvait en Daniel un conseiller averti, et les adresses les plus intéressantes pour se procurer, au meilleur prix, le matériel désiré. Quel missionnaire en brousse ne dut pas, un jour ou l’autre, faire appel à un procureur pour un dépannage urgent ? Daniel était l’homme de la situation. Pour avoir bénéficié plus d’une fois de ses services, le signataire de ces lignes en fait foi.

Le 15 novembre 2005, Daniel se retira donc à Bry-sur-Marne. Toujours passionné d’électronique, dépanneur officiel des téléviseurs et ordinateurs de la maison, il bricolait maints gadgets, simplement pour amuser la galerie, mais aussi pour décorer la chapelle. Quand le cancer des os le terrassa, il était occupé à fabriquer un robot, rien de moins !

Ces derniers temps pourtant, le décès de ses deux frères prêtres l’avait durement affecté et il sembla tout à coup n’avoir plus goût à la vie. Mais il refusait l’hôpital et voulait finir ses jours entouré de ses confrères. Le Seigneur l’a exaucé, le rappelant à Lui le 4 avril 2013 à Bry-sur-Marne, à la maison de retraite des Missionnaires d’Afrique où furent célébrées ses obsèques. Nul doute que le Seigneur l’aura accueilli avec bonté après tant d’années au service de la Mission.

Armand Duval

PROFILES

Father Julien Dereymaeker

1925 - - 2013

Julien was born on the 6th April 1925 in Laken, Belgium, into a family of seven children. A few years later, the family moved to Scheut (Anderlecht) where Julien received his primary schooling. He studied in the College of Saint-Pierre in Jette for his secondary education. Despite the fact that Scheut was the cradle for the Scheut Fathers (CICM), Julien joined the White Fathers and entered Boechout in September 1943.

This was followed by the novitiate in Varsenare and theology in Heverlee where he took his Missionary Oath on the 21st July 1949. He was ordained priest on the 8th April 1950. His professors considered him a promising candidate: energetic, passionate, enthusiastic, full of initiatives, and the temperament of a leader. He was recognised for his talent for organisation, a clear mind, always in good humour, straightforward and outspoken. However he could also be critical and sometimes lacked a sense of flexibility and he could be just plain stubborn. Before he left for Africa, he was sent for some basic teacher training in a French speaking school in Brussels.

On the 19th September 1952, Julien left for Costermansville (Bukavu). He was appointed to Nyakariba, where he studied Swahili. In September 1953, he was appointed to the Teacher Training College in Jomba. He was made Inspector of Schools for the north of the Vicariate in 1957. He was also given pastoral responsibility for the ‘évolués’(people with some education). After his home leave and the Long Retreat in Rome, Julien returned to parish work and was appointed curate in Masisi, which meant that he had to brush up on his Kinyarwanda. Two months later, he was appointed to Nyakariba where he soon became Parish Priest.

After his home leave in 1967, he was appointed Director of the Busimba Institute in Jomba where he had been before. He was to stay there for eight years. Then he was needed in Lushebere where he was put in charge of the Pastoral Training Centre.

He returned to Goma in March 1979 to look after the pastoral care of students in secondary schools while, at the same time, being Parish Priest ad interim of the Parish of the Holy Spirit. In August 1979, he became ‘co-ordinator of schools’ which was a new position specially created by the Bishops when President Mobutu handed back the schools to the Church. This task occupied him until July 1982 when he was appointed Parish Priest of Birambizo.

When he returned from his home leave in 1985, he was given a whole new area of responsibility becoming Director of the Centre Interdiocésain de Pastorale, Catéchèse et Liturgie (CIPCL) in Bukavu. Julien was now able to use all his talents for training people and publishing works in the areas of Pastoral work, Catechetics, and Liturgy. This Centre served the entire Ecclesiastical Province of Bukavu. He worked there until 1998.

In the meantime, Julien was elected as Provincial Councillor for the Region. He was then appointed to Burhiba for vocation work. He also became active in an organisation founded in 1998 by a group of lawyers who wanted to defend the rights of poor people, farmers and prisoners. It was called APRODEPED (Action pour la Promotion et la Défense des Droits des Personnes Défavorisées). Julien had an office at his disposal.

However, he was called upon urgently in February 2001 to take over the direction, for a few months, of the Kivu Presses. He stayed at the Maison St.Paul. At the end of 2001, he returned to Burhiba as superior of the community and in October 2004, he took up residence in the Regional House “Maison Charles Lwanga” in Bukavu.

In the course of 2005, Julien’s mental state began to deteriorate little by little. It was noted that he was getting more and more forgetful. In his management of financial matters especially when it came to lodgements made by third parties, one began to notice more and more errors and it was also discovered that some unusual loans were being made. Alzheimer’s disease had claimed another victim. The Regional obliged him to withdraw from APRODEPED. He was replaced by a Congolese who came to Belgium to finish his Doctorate in Law. The Regional thought it best that Julien return to Belgium and Julien himself was aware of the situation. On the 14th January 2006, he left Africa for good.

He stayed in rue de Linthout for a number of months. Then, as he had always wished, he retired to live with his two sisters who were still living in the old family home at Scheut. For the next few years, Julien was able to take part in the different meetings of the confreres. However a time came when he was confined to the house. When his two sisters could no longer look after him, Julien moved to Avondrust Nursing Home (Varsenare) where he died barely a month later.

A multi talented missionary and a great worker, who well served the African church by his achievements and service, had left us.

The farewell liturgy took place on Saturday 20th April 2013 in Varsenare when he now rests with so many other confreres who have gone before him. Three days later, a Eucharist was celebrated at the Bandari Centre in Bukavu. Many young lawyers and members of NGOs as well as a senior police officer attended. They had come to give homage to somebody totally committed to justice.

Jef Vleugels

Father Karel Lauwers

1917 - - 2013

Karel was born on the 15th October 1917 in Ravels, a village in an area of moorlands to the north east of Antwerp, Belgium. He did his secondary school studies in the junior seminary of Hoogstraten from 1928 to 1936. In that same year, he entered the White Fathers in Boechout.

He did his novitiate in Varsenare where his novice master was Fr. Noterdaeme (+1954). He proceeded to Heverlee for his theological studies where he took his Missionary Oath on the 5th April 1942. He was ordained priest on the 26th April 1943. His professors underlined his great devotion, his obedience, and sense of duty. They also noted that he was very obliging, was full of enthusiasm, had a good sense of humour and was very cheerful. He worked quickly and was very tidy. He had a great gift for music and he played many instruments. In fact he had, with his brother Pierre, founded the Ravels’ Brass Band! In Heverlee, he also directed the brass band.

He was sent to the Catholic University of Leuven to study and he obtained a Doctorate in Canon Law. In October 1945, he was appointed to teach Dogmatic Theology and Canon Law in Heverlee. He was an excellent teacher, rigorous in his approach and juridical in spirit. This did not prevent him from criticising the Church expressing the sentiment that she had gone off the rails and become too much like a policeman! He spent 10 years at Heverlee and defended his doctoral thesis in 1951. He was appointed Rector in June 1952. As a Rector, he succeeded in welding the teaching staff into a real solid team and his direction was very much appreciated even if he could be somewhat abrupt in some situations.

Karel finally left for the Congo on the Sobelair flight of 31st August 1956. At Bagira, a district near Bukavu, he took charge of the primary schools (900 pupils), the Xaverians, the Choir, as well as the Legion of Mary for all of the Kivu area. He was also an official in the Diocesan Tribunal (and was to remain so until he left for good). The language was always a problem for him despite all his efforts. Nevertheless, he was delighted to be involved in the real life of the people. With some teachers, he began a group for Gospel sharing.

In August 1957, he was sent to teach in the junior seminary of Mugeri as teacher of poetry ( this was the second last year of the traditional Belgian system of secondary education). He wrote: “The Canon Lawyer who becomes a teacher of poetry! It will be canonical poetry”. At this time, the translation of the Legion of Mary handbook appeared and Karel became an enthusiastic supporter. In 1959, he was appointed curate in Kadutu. Thanks to his enthusiasm, the Church was full every Sunday afternoon with the praying and singing of the Legionaries. At the time of Independence, an antireligious campaign started and those involved in Catholic action were the first to be targeted. In January 1961, Karel and Georges Defour were arrested and taken by force to the Rwandan border. They were accompanied by Bishop Mulindwa and some confreres who were also seriously insulted and threatened. Karel remained in exile until October and then he was able to return to Kadutu.

From 1965 to 1967, Karel was Parish Priest in Bagira. In September 1968, he moved to the Parish of St. Theresa and at the same time was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese and secretary of the Bishop. Karel moved again in 1971 and was named Parish Priest of Burhiba. At the same time, he was working very hard as chaplain to the Legion of Mary and in the Chancellery of the Archdiocese. He received some of the refugees fleeing from Burundi as a result of the events there in 1972. The last few years took a lot out of him and the reoccurrence of a persistent ear infection which had troubled him since the novitiate finally got the better of him and he asked to return to Belgium.

Karel left Bukavu in July 1976. From Ravels, he wrote to the Provincial: “The abrupt transfer from pastoral work to work in another domain is very painful for me. This does not mean that I want to cut my links to the Society. She has been too dear to me over all the years for that” and he continues: “ In reality, what I would really like to do in the years that are still left to me, is to get myself some pastoral work in the Diocese here in the Campine area.” An agreement with the Diocese of Antwerp meant that Karel was able to work as curate in the parish of Saint-Pierre in Turnhout. Besides the ordinary parish work, he took charge of a group working for aid and development in the missions. He also visited many families in their homes. On the 9th December 1979, he was solemnly installed as Parish Priest in the Parish of Saint-Lambert in Overbroek (Brecht).

He was to remain there until September 1992. At the same time he was a member of the Diocesan Tribunal for Antwerp.

Karel officially retired in October 1992 and took up residence in the family of Frans Meeusen and Maria Meesters in the little village of Hoge Mereyt near Overbroek. Every day, he celebrated the Eucharist in the convent of the Maricoles Sisters. He was still available when the parish needed him. However, the time came when his state of health meant that the family could no longer look after him. Karel, himself, asked to be admitted to Varsenare. At the beginning of October 2006, he arrived at the ‘Chateau’. However within a few months, he had to be placed in the nursing home of ‘Avondrust’ as he was getting more and more lost and did not know where he was. He lost all sense of reality and in the beginning of April 2013 he began to decline very rapidly. He was confined to bed in his final days. On the night of Saturday and Sunday on the 21st April 2013, he died peacefully and gently. We buried him on the 26th April.

He was a zealous and competent missionary who liked to repeat: “Saa haina huruma” (time has no mercy). He was a good pastor to his sheep. He had great devotion to our Lady. A friendly and happy confrere has left us. May he rest in peace.

Jef Vleugels

Father Leo Bossuyt

1929 - - 2013

Leo was born on the 11th January 1929 in Zwevegem about six kilometres from Kortrijk. He was the fourth of five children. His parents were hard working small farmers. Leo did his secondary schooling in the college of St. Armand in Kortrijk. In September 1949, he entered the White Fathers in Boechout. This was followed by the novitiate in Varsenare (1951-1952) and theology in Heverlee where he took his Missionary Oath on the 16th July 1955. He was ordained on the 1st April 1956 and he commented that “this was the best April Fool’s joke of my life”. His teachers did not consider him to be a great intellectual, but he compensated for this by sheer force of will and working hard. They noted particularly his modesty and his discrete obliging nature. They said: “always in good humour and as the oldest of the students, he did not say much, but always gave a good example”. One of the teachers added: “Leo will be a holy priest and an excellent confrere!”

Leo was appointed to Rwanda and left for there on the Sobelair flight of 26th March 1957. He began as a curate in Muhoroho but moved three months later to Ruhengeri where he began to study the Kinyarwanda language. He was part of the founding team of the new Parish of Kibingo, on the shores of Lake Kivu, in November 1959. He was put in charge of the schools and the youth. He proved to be a very good football coach. A few months after he had been appointed Parish Priest, the Parish was handed over to the Diocesan clergy. In February 1964, Leo was Parish Priest in Mururu-Cyangugu. After his first home leave, he was appointed Parish Priest at Mushaka where he was to remain for three years. He said later that it was in this parish that he spent the best years of his life. In 1965, he was appointed Parish Priest of Birambo but the following year, he returned to Mushaka.

During his home leave in 1968, he began to suffer from problems with his intestines, an illness that was never to leave him. He stayed for a time in Boechout supervising the removal of furniture after it had been sold. Then, he was appointed as the first bursar of our new house in Berchem. In July 1971, Leo was appointed Superior in Varsenare. He took the opportunity to visit the great number of families of White Fathers living in the area. In December 1975, Leo was able to return to Rwanda. He stayed for a little time in Busasmana before returning to his beloved Mushaka. He was to remain there for ten years. In the meantime, Cyangugu had become a Diocese in 1981. When he celebrated 25 years of priesthood, Leo said: “I have been applauded today on the occasion of my jubilee, but I know that I am only the donkey that carried Jesus”. For a number of years already, he was an enthusiastic member of the Charismatic movement.

Leo did the session/retreat in Jerusalem in 1986 during his home leave. He was appointed to Mushishiro Parish in the Diocese of Kabgayi. He was given the responsibility for the schools, youth and the charismatic groups. In July 1991, he returned to the Diocese of Cyangugu, to Mwezi Parish. Two years later, he discovered another side of Rwanda when he was curate in Nyagahanga in the Diocese of Byumba. He wrote: “just a few months later, the genocide erupted with unbelievable ferocity. The confreres of Nyagahanga were the only White Fathers to have stayed at their post right up to the end. The local people were very appreciative of their presence during those difficult days. After a well earned rest, Leo returned to Nyagahanga in the beginning of 1995. Apart from one year spent re-establishing the Parish of Rushaki, Leo stayed at Nyagahanga until his definitive return to Belgium. In August 2001 during his holidays, Leo had surgery on his arteries from which he never fully recovered.

At the beginning of March 2002, Leo was appointed to rue Linthout in Brussels in charge of reception. He welcomed visitors and confreres for the next eight years always with a big smile and a sincere interest in everyone. As he had a lot of free time, he prayed a lot, of course, and read a good deal but he also took up writing. He wrote a long account, full of anecdotes about the years he spent in Ruhengeri.

When, he was installed in the ‘chateau’ in Varsenare in September 2010, he began to write another document which he entitled: “Le vieux bréviaire et les jours sombres” where he recounts how he appreciated very much the prayers of the psalms during the darkest days of the genocide and how he felt so powerless faced with the unleashing of so much violence and sin. He wrote at Easter 2012: “The Psalms reveal the sinner in man”. In May 2012, he gave a detailed account of the events that took place in Nyagahanga from 3rd April 1994 until his departure for Belgium in February 1995.

Leo asked to be admitted to “Avondrust” in September 2012 as he was now in constant pain and little could be done in hospital to give him relief. It was there that on the 13th April 2013 that he passed away surrounded by his confreres. He was buried on the 18th April in our cemetery.

When Bishop Louis Van Steene (+1983) was Master of Novices, he wrote on the subject of Leo: “his obituary will be short, because there will be no big achievements to mention, but he will have accomplished an awful lot of good work” He was so right.

A final word from Leo: “My haunting and frustrating experiences of 1994 have been progressively transformed in me into the grace of God that heals. He is always there for us even where we do not expect Him. The love of God is much stronger than any evil that men can inflict on one another”.

Jef Vleugels

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”.
(Romans 8: 18)

Father Martinus Balemans
1931 - - 2013

Martin was born in Zevenbergen, Netherlands on the 19th November 1931. He received his missionary formation in Sterksel, St.Charles near Boxtel, Alexandria Bay (U.S.A.), Ottawa (Canada), where he took the oath on the 21st of June 1958, and Totteridge (England). He was ordained in Rotterdam on the 2nd of February 1959.

Martin had a sound judgement and was cheerful by disposition. He took initiatives easily and could be impulsive meaning that things got rushed sometimes. He had a strong will, was a hard worker and was determined in what he did. His uncle was our confrere Christian Balemans (Bro. Canut + 26.8.1979). His brother Frans worked as a White Father in Burkina Faso (+ 6.12.2012) and his brother Chris was a diocesan priest in Germany.

On the 6th December 1959, Martin left for Ghana, to Damongo Parish in Tamale Diocese. That diocese was inhabited mostly by Muslims and followers of Traditional Religions. There were only 1,500 Catholics. There was one older parish and two had just been set up, one of which was Damongo. There was a population of 250.000 of which just 200 were Catholics. In addition to pastoral visits in the villages he provided medical care every morning. It was a good opportunity to learn the Gonja culture and language which was spoken by 25 % of the parish. The other 75 % spoke 6 other languages! The distances were vast: that is why Martin met Catholics on his safaris who had not received the sacraments for 9 years. He wrote in January 1960: “It is sheer primary evangelisation and I do feel at home here”.

Halfway through 1961 the government introduced Universal Primary Education under which the village population had to provide the buildings. There were 20 schools in the parish and the priests visited them twice a month.

In August 1963, he moved to Salaga parish, a smaller place with many Muslims. The priests looked after 10 schools. In 1964, they built a Youth Centre. In September 1965, he moved to Bole becoming its parish priest. He returned to Salaga as Parish Priest in 1972 and he remained there for 10 years.

In June 1979, his Regional Superior wrote: “Martin is a true pastor, he is popular and respected. He knows how to involve catechists and African Sisters in the apostolate. Especially noteworthy is his enthusiasm and indestructible optimism”. In that period, Martin was the regional representative of the WF in the diocese, a member of the Priests’ Senate, and vice-chairman of the Diocesan Priests Meeting.

In 1983, Martin started four “Small Christian Communities” in the parish. They lived close to one another, wanting to live more fully a Christian life by being of service to one another. They paid particular attention to education and instruction, to deepening their faith, to the sick, poor and needy, and reconciliation. The priests spent a lot of time forming those responsible.

Martin made his first real contact with the disabled in Tamale. That experience remained with him for the rest of his life. The Government had a technical school with very limited means for some 25 young people who were blind or handicapped because of polio. It was the only one for 1½ million inhabitants.

From 1987, Martin received a yearly grant from the municipality of Nieuw-Ginneken to renovate the existing buildings and to build an extension. The grant also provided for furniture and materials such as leather for handbags and shoes, sewing machines and bolts of cloth. After 3 years’ vocational training, the disabled could return to their villages with the essential tools and a modest starting capital. Before coming to that vocational training they were considered a burden. It was impressive to see the development they went through in the first 6 months from a “no-use” to a valuable and appreciated “person”.

In November 1988, Martin moved to Damongo becoming the parish priest, and in March 1989 he was made the Dean. It was a busy parish and he had to return to the Netherlands after five years due to exhaustion. After a good rest of 16 months, he returned to Tamale as Director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre, which had 100 beds and catered for an average of 30 students a day. A lot of attention and time was spent on formation, with sessions for catechists, teachers, students, church choir members, and AIDS prevention. Martin was also involved in the local orphanage and twice a month he celebrated the Eucharist with prisoners and had a chat with them.

In July 2009, Martin became the Project Manager of CARDIS (Care for Disabled) which had been started in 1998. Brother Trevor Robinson trained former street boys to make tricycles and they had made 1,050 by the end of 2010! A Sister took care of street children and helped them go to school. Another Sister took care of children with polio or who were amputees. Through the Liliane Fund she got prostheses, crutches, and school fees up to their 22nd birthday. Martin had to coordinate all that and he took care of the blind and the disabled. Every Tuesday and Friday they could come and see him, and he visited them when he could. His fulltime salaried assistant, Zacha­rias, visited them regularly and knew everyone and so they had exact information about what was needed.

Martin noticed a lot of rubbish along the roads in the neighbourhood, so he bought buckets and the youths he helped with school fees filled them daily. With the bio-material he made compost, the rest went to the dump and the young people learned to work in order to gain money. In April 2011, he wrote: “I am still quite pleased with my life here”. In more recent years, he readjusted his working pace and he devoted the afternoons to prayer, walking, swimming and reading.

He was knocked down by a motorcycle and died on the 30th May 2013 in Tamale. The burial took place in Tamale on the 7th June 2013. The next day, a memorial service was held in Heythuysen attended by relatives, con­freres and friends.

Marien van den Eijnden

 

Father Daniel Schmitt

1924 - - 2013

Daniel was born on the 9th June 1924 in Aillevillerset-Lyaumont in the Department of Haute-Saône and the Diocese of Besançon, France. He came from a deeply Catholic family; in fact four of the boys joined the seminary. His older brothers, Armand and Jean, became diocesan priests. During his holidays, Daniel liked to go and help them in their respective parishes. Daniel did his secondary schooling in the Diocesan Junior Seminary of Saint-Colomban, at Luxeuil-les-Bains.

He studied Philosophy in the Major Seminary at Faverney both of which are located in Haute-Saone. From there, Daniel left for the novitiate in Maison-Carrée and in September 1942, he received the habit of the Society. A document dated 25th July 1943, at Mirabeau and with the seal of Maison-Carrée, leaves one to suppose that the novitiate was forced to move to Kabylia for a period of time probably because of the war. Once his novitiate was finished, Daniel was called up for military service and with many other students served in the armed forces from October 1943 to September 1945, serving from Oran to Strasbourg and then on to Rottenburg and Austria as the reports of the military chaplains (both White Fathers), Frs. Jacques Ghys (+1991) and Georges Bertsch (+2002), testify.

Once he was demobilised, Daniel was able to begin his theological studies at Thibar in Tunisia. He took the Missionary Oath on the 29th June 1948. He was not considered an intellectual but very sensitive. He was practical and a good handyman, very devoted and resourceful in material matters. Concern was expressed about his profound shyness which made communications difficult with his superiors. He was ordained priest on the 1st February 1949 and was appointed to Burkina Faso for the Diocese of Bobo-Dioulasso.

On the 20th November 1949, he began his African ministry in Niangoloko. His Superior did not have a great opinion of him finding that he did not make enough effort to learn the language and that he spent too much time repairing his motor bike. From there, he moved to Dissin on the 4th July 1952. Here the Superior was full of praise for his efforts at learning the Dagari language, which he learnt very well, and he also praised his zeal while at the same time warning that he should be careful not to spend too much time on material things. In general the judgement of his Superiors was positive. As for Daniel, he was very much aware of the need for personnel in his diocese and in the Society as a whole, so he contributed willingly to the construction of the seminary in Bonnelles, very happy to contribute to the training of future White Fathers.

From Dissin he moved to Dano in August 1955 and from there to Nasso in June 1957 before coming back to Dano in October 1958 after replacing the Diocesan Bursar who went on holidays for three months. He stayed at Dano until the time of his Long Retreat at Villa Cavaletti in 1963. He was at ease with everybody, well liked by the people and kind in community. He was always tempted, but now it was more under control, to get too involved in material things especially when it meant keeping the Cooperative supplied with goods. He spent some time in Dissin from April 1963 and then returned to Dano in February 1964. On the 1st February 1974 he became superior of Legmoin and on the 1st January 1978 he was appointed curate in the Cathedral of Diebougou Diocese which had been founded a few years earlier.

From 1978 to 1982, Bishop Soma appointed him to a team of well diggers who were given the task of boring wells in the villages of the Diocese. He gave himself totally to this work and he showed great competence in his choice of the essential tools and their maintenance. He was in his element but it obviously meant that pastoral work took a back seat and even meant he became isolated from community life. Perhaps sensing the danger he did the session-retreat in Jerusalem in 1982 and did a sabbatical year in pastoral studies afterwards.

On the 1st June 1983, he changed direction. After 33 years in Burkina Faso (Haute Volta) and even though the mission of Batie was proposed to him, he received an appointment to the French Province to replace Fr. Antoine Garnier as Bursar. He began on 1st January 1984 and took up residence in rue Roger Verlomme in Paris. He was to remain in this post until 2005, a period of 22 years, a record! As Bursar, a work that is often thankless, Daniel was very much at home. Any confrere on mission who needed a spare part for his car or his typewriter could rely on him. Anyone coming on holidays who wished to track down any kind of tool would find Daniel an informed advisor and a reliable source of addresses where one could find the necessary piece at the best possible price. Any missionary in the bush who needed something urgently could rest assured that Daniel would rise to the occasion. The writer of these few lines can testify to that.

Daniel retired to Bry-sur-Marne in November 2005 for a well earned rest. He was always interested in electronics and he became the official repair man for televisions and computers in the house. He did a lot of tinkering with many gadgets simply to amuse the brethren or to decorate the chapel. When he was struck down by cancer of the bones he was occupied with making a robot, if you please! However he took the death of his two brothers very hard and he seemed to lose the will to live. He refused to go to hospital wishing to spend his final days surrounded by his confreres. The Lord heard his request and called him to Himself on the 4th April 2013. The funeral was celebrated in our house in Bry-sur-Marne. No doubt the Lord will welcome him warmly after so many years at the service of the Mission.

Armand Duval