Eustaquio van Lieshout
Encyclopedia
Blessed Eustáquio van Lieshout (November 3, 1890-August 30, 1943) was a Dutch
missionary
in Brazil
, and a religious and priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
.
He was born as Huub van Lieshout in Aarle-Rixtel
in the diocese of 's-Hertogenbosch in the province of North Brabant
of the Netherlands
. While still a young priest in Europe
, in recognition of his work, the King of Belgium knighted him in the Order of Leopold. He was pastor for a while of Roelofarendsveen in the Netherlands.
fathers and three brothers, arrived in Brazil
in 1925, in response to the call of a local bishop. There he tried to follow the example of Father Damien
de Veuster.
In Agua Suja in Brazil
, the population started a bloodless uprising to stop him from going to Poá
where he was sent by his superiors. In obedience, he travelled to Poá
where he opposed spiritistes
. His blessings and cures of the sick made the little village a center of pilgrimage (as well as the troubles that came with it).
Railroads were not able to furnish transportation for the great crowds; the lack of adequate housing meant that not even sanitary conditions prevailed. The police were no longer able to maintain order. Merchants sold bad food at high prices and thieves and robbers roamed the pilgrimage area preying on innocent victims. Father Eustáquio was ordered to leave his 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 this priest, but they were afraid of the crowds and the troubles that would follow.
The Cardinal Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro
instructed him to leave the capital city by midnight. Subsequently, a fanatical crowd blocked traffic and invaded church rectories looking for him. 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
, 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 card of introduction. In this fashion, Father Eustáquio was able to give himself altogether to the work of his parish. After a week of sickness caused by an insect bite, he died on August 30, 1943.
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 making wounds. Miracles are attributed to him.
, June 15, 2006, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil at a liturgy conducted by Walmor de Oliveira de Azevedo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Belo Horizonte, and presided over by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and a religious and priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
The Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of the Perpetual Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar is a Roman Catholic religious order of brothers, priests, and nuns...
.
He was born as Huub van Lieshout in Aarle-Rixtel
Aarle-Rixtel
Aarle-Rixtel is a town in the Dutch municipality of Laarbeek in North Brabant. It lies about 4 km north of Helmond. Since 1997 the castle Croy is part of Aarle-Rixtel.Until 1997, Aarle-Rixtel was a separate municipality.-External links:*...
in the diocese of 's-Hertogenbosch in the province of North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. While still a young priest in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, in recognition of his work, the King of Belgium knighted him in the Order of Leopold. He was pastor for a while of Roelofarendsveen in the Netherlands.
Career in Brazil
Van Lieshout, with two other PicpusPicpus
Picpus may refer to:* Cimetière de Picpus, a cemetery in Paris*The Picpus Fathers, an order of the Catholic Church, whose official name is the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary*Picpus, a journal edited by Charles Asprey and Simon Grant...
fathers and three brothers, arrived in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 1925, in response to the call of a local bishop. There he tried to follow the example of Father Damien
Father Damien
Father Damien or Saint Damien of Molokai, SS.CC. , born Jozef De Veuster, was a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium and member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a missionary religious order...
de Veuster.
In Agua Suja in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, the population started a bloodless uprising to stop him from going to Poá
Poá
Poá is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The water extracted from Fonte Áurea, or the Source of Gold, is sold throughout Brazil...
where he was sent by his superiors. In obedience, he travelled to Poá
Poá
Poá is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The water extracted from Fonte Áurea, or the Source of Gold, is sold throughout Brazil...
where he opposed spiritistes
Spiritism
Spiritism is a loose corpus of religious faiths having in common the general belief in the survival of a spirit after death. In a stricter sense, it is the religion, beliefs and practices of the people affiliated to the International Spiritist Union, based on the works of Allan Kardec and others...
. His blessings and cures of the sick made the little village a center of pilgrimage (as well as the troubles that came with it).
Railroads were not able to furnish transportation for the great crowds; the lack of adequate housing meant that not even sanitary conditions prevailed. The police were no longer able to maintain order. Merchants sold bad food at high prices and thieves and robbers roamed the pilgrimage area preying on innocent victims. Father Eustáquio was ordered to leave his 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 this priest, but they were afraid of the crowds and the troubles that would follow.
The Cardinal Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro
Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro
The Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil was established as a territorial prelature on July 19, 1575. It was elevated to the status of a diocese on November 16, 1676. It was later elevated to a metropolitan see on April 27, 1892. On May 6, 2003, the territorial abbey of...
instructed him to leave the capital city by midnight. Subsequently, a fanatical crowd blocked traffic and invaded church rectories looking for him. 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
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
, 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 card of introduction. In this fashion, Father Eustáquio was able to give himself altogether to the work of his parish. After a week of sickness caused by an insect bite, he died on August 30, 1943.
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 making wounds. Miracles are attributed to him.
Beatification
Following a December 19, 2005 rescript from the Holy See declaring authentic a miracle attributed to his intercession, Father Eustáquio was beatified on the Feast of Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi (feast)
Corpus Christi is a Latin Rite solemnity, now designated the solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ . It is also celebrated in some Anglican, Lutheran and Old Catholic Churches. Like Trinity Sunday and the Solemnity of Christ the King, it does not commemorate a particular event in...
, June 15, 2006, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil at a liturgy conducted by Walmor de Oliveira de Azevedo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Belo Horizonte, and presided over by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the complex process that leads to the canonization of saints, passing through the steps of a declaration of "heroic virtues" and beatification...
.