Eustáquio van Lieshout, SSCC (also Eustachius or Eustache; November 3, 1890 – August 30, 1943) was a Dutch Catholic missionary priest in

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

from the

Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary () abbreviated SS.CC., is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for priests and brothers. The congregation is also known as the Picpus because their first house w ...

. He was beatified in 2006 by Cardinal

José Saraiva Martins José Saraiva Martins, C.M.F. GCC (born 6 January 1932) is a Portuguese cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints from 1998 to 2008. Biography Born in Gagos de Jarmelo in Guarda, Portug ...

on behalf of

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

Life

He was born Huub van Lieshout on November 3, 1890 in

Aarle-Rixtel Aarle-Rixtel is a village in the Netherlands, Dutch municipality of Laarbeek in North Brabant. It lies about 4 km north of Helmond. Since the municipal reorganization of 1968 the Croy Castle, castle Croy is part of Aarle-Rixtel. History A ...

in the province of Brabant, the eighth of eleven children. His family was a very Catholic rural family. In 1903, he was enrolled in the

Latin school The Latin school was the grammar school of 14th- to 19th-century Europe, though the latter term was much more common in England. Other terms used include Lateinschule in Germany, or later Gymnasium. Latin schools were also established in Colon ...

in Gemert. After reading the biography of Damien de Veuster, van Lieshout transferred in 1905 to the

minor seminary A minor seminary or high school seminary is a secondary day or boarding school created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming Priesthood (Catholic Church), Catholic priests. They are generally ...

of the Picpus Fathers, becoming a member of the Congregation in 1913, at which time he received the

religious name A religious name is a type of given name bestowed for religious purposes, and which is generally used in such contexts. Christianity Catholic Church Baptismal name In baptism, Catholic Church, Catholics are given a Christian name, which should n ...

of Eustachius."Eustáquio van Lieshout (1890-1943)", Vatican News Service
/ref> Upon completion of his

theological Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of an ...

studies in 1919, he was ordained a priest in August 1919. His first assignment was as assistant novice master for his order. He was then assigned to the towns of

Maassluis Maassluis () is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of in and covered of which was water. It received town rights in 1811. History Maassluis was founded circa 1340 as a se ...

and

Roelofarendsveen Roelofarendsveen () is a town in the west of the Netherlands. It is located in the municipality of Kaag en Braassem, South Holland, about 10 km east of Leiden. History The village was first mentioned in 1575 as "Roelifaerts Veen", and means ...

South Holland South Holland ( ) is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.8 million as of January 2023 and a population density of about , making it the country's most populous province and one of the world's most densely populated areas. ...

, where he provided

pastoral care ''The Book of Pastoral Rule'' (Latin: ''Liber Regulae Pastoralis'', ''Regula Pastoralis'' or ''Cura Pastoralis'' — sometimes translated into English ''Pastoral Care'') is a treatise on the responsibilities of the clergy written by Pope Greg ...

for the many Belgian refugees. In recognition of his work, the King of Belgium knighted him in the Order of Leopold. He then spent two years in Roelofarendsveen as a parochial vicar. In 1924 he was sent to Spain to learn Spanish, in anticipation of an assignment in Uruguay. However, he ended up being sent to Brazil, where the language was Portuguese."Blessed Eustaquio van Lieshout", Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
/ref>

Career in Brazil

Van Lieshout, along with two other Picpus priests and three

lay brother Lay brother is a largely extinct term referring to religious brothers, particularly in the Catholic Church, who focused upon manual service and secular matters, and were distinguished from choir monks or friars in that they did not pray in choi ...

s, was sent to

, in response to an appeal for help by a local bishop. He arrived in Rio de Janeiro on 12 of May 1925 and had to wait until the 15th of July when he was appointed

pastor A pastor (abbreviated to "Ps","Pr", "Pstr.", "Ptr." or "Psa" (both singular), or "Ps" (plural)) is the leader of a Christianity, Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutherani ...

for the town of Agua Suja in Romaria.Eustaquio van Lieshout
Retrieved on 18 Jan 2018 The inhabitants in parish of Agua Suja, where he served as a pastor, were occupied in searching gold along the shores of the river Bagagem. These people being deeply Catholics didn't meet the Catholic behavior in their common life. Van Lieshout saw his apostolic aim to change them and, with the course of time, he managed to do this because people in his parish gradually acquired the taste to the virtuous life. In 1935 he was sent by his

religious superior In a hierarchy or tree structure of any kind, a superior is an individual or position at a higher level in the hierarchy than another (a "subordinate" or "inferior"), and thus closer to the apex. General A superior generally has the power t ...

s to Poá. After news spread of van Lieshout's transfer, the population of the town started a bloodless uprising to stop him from leaving. Nevertheless, he left in obedience to his superiors for his new parish, where he worked to oppose the widespread practice of

Candomblé Candomblé () is an African diaspora religions, African diasporic religion that developed in Brazil during the 19th century. It arose through a process of syncretism between several of the traditional religions of West and Central Africa, especi ...

. His blessings and cures of the sick through the intercession of St. Joseph made the little village a noted center of pilgrimage. This, however, brought major problems to the town. Railroads were not able to furnish transportation for the great crowds; the lack of adequate housing meant that sanitary conditions were inadequate to the need. The police were no longer able to maintain order. Merchants sold bad food at high prices and thieves roamed the pilgrimage area preying on innocent victims. Van Lieshout was ordered to leave the parish to prevent these conditions from continuing. Despite this, tremendous crowds followed him everywhere. Brazilian authorities became so alarmed that they ordered him out of towns and villages. No one had anything against him, but they were afraid of the crowds and the commotion that would follow him. The

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to * Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae ***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...

Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro instructed van Lieshout to leave the capital by midnight. Subsequently, a fanatical crowd blocked traffic and invaded church rectories looking for him. He left Poá in May 1941. Somehow, he managed to find a hiding place and passed a year in peace and happiness. His final appointment was as pastor of

Belo Horizonte Belo Horizonte is the List of largest cities in Brazil, sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population of around 2.3 million, and the third largest metropolitan area, containing a population of 6 million. It is the List of cities in Sout ...

, where he lived the last two years of his life. He was given an assistant who was able to control the crowds. No one was permitted to enter the rectory without a letter of introduction. In this fashion, van Lieshout was able to devote his complete energy to the work of his parish. After a week of sickness caused by an insect bite, he died on August 30, 1943. He spent his last years in the precincts of Celeste Império around Jardim Montanhês, where he served his masses in chapel Cristo Rei. He travelled a lot all around the area and resumed his mission in the following words "health and peace" towards the faith and charity. Eustáquio van Lieshout
Retrieved on 18 Jan 2018 At his death, on his body was found a penitential pointed iron chain, buried so deep in his flesh that it could not be removed without tearing the flesh. Miracles are attributed to him. At first he was buried at the church of Santo Domingo, Belo Horizonte. But then he was reinterred at the church of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Belo Horizonte in 1949.Eustáquio van Lieshout (1890-1943)
Retrieved on 18 Jan 2018

Beatification

Eustáquio van Lieshout was venerated on April 12, 2003 by Pope John Paul II (decree of heroic virtues). Following a

papal rescript Papal rescripts are responses of the pope or a Congregation of the Roman Curia, in writing, to queries or petitions of individuals. Some rescripts concern the granting of favours; others the administration of justice under canon law, e. g. the ...

of December 19, 2005, which declared authentic a miracle attributed to his intercession, van Lieshout was

beatified Beatification (from Latin , "blessed" and , "to make") is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their name. ''Beati'' is the ...

in Belo Horizonte on June 15, 2006, the

Feast of Corpus Christi The Feast of Corpus Christi (), also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, is a liturgical solemnity celebrating the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist; the feast is observed by the Latin Church, in addition to ...

that year, at a service led by the Archbishop of Belo Horizonte, Walmor de Oliveira de Azevedo. It was presided over by Cardinal

, Prefect of the

Congregation for the Causes of Saints In the Catholic Church, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, previously named the Congregation for the Causes of Saints (), is the dicastery of the Roman Curia that oversees the complex process that leads to the canonization of saints, passi ...

, acting on behalf of

References

Sources

*
Vatican Announcement of the Beatification of Father Eustáquio van Lieshout, SS.CC., June 14, 2006
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lieshout, Eustaquio Van 1890 births 1943 deaths Picpus Fathers 20th-century Dutch Roman Catholic priests Dutch emigrants to Brazil Roman Catholic missionaries in Brazil Brazilian beatified people Dutch beatified people People from Laarbeek 20th-century venerated Christians Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Deaths due to insect bites and stings Beatifications by Pope Benedict XVI Dutch Roman Catholic missionaries