DONDERS, PIETER, VENERABILE

DONDERS, Pieter, Venerable. – Priest, b. at Tilburg on 21 Oct. 1809, d. at Paramaribo on 15 Jan. 1887. At the age of 22 he entered the seminary as a servant, because of his modest circumstances and mediocre intellect. He devoted his free hours from work to study, making excellent progress, so much so that at 28 he transferred to the major seminary at Helaar, and on 25 July 1841 was ordained priest. The following year he left as a missionary for Surinam (Dutch Guiana) where he became the apostle of the lepers at Paramaribo. In 1866 he took the habit of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, continuing his mission among the indigenous peoples. Before the Sacred Congregation of Rites the cause of beatification of D. is under way, and his heroic virtues have been approved.