HENCXTHOVEN, Emile van. - Jesuit, missionary, b. at Moll (Belgium) on 7 Oct. 1852, d. at Wombali (Belgian Congo) on 6 Apr. 1906. Having entered the Society of Jesus in 1873, he was rector of the College of Mons until, when the Jesuits were invited to take part in the evangelization of the Belgian Congo, he offered himself and set out from Antwerp on 6 March 1893, as superior and organizer of the new mission.
He founded a first station at Kimuenza (Leopoldville) and then a second at Kisantu, making it the radiating center of all the others and providing it not only with a church and schools, but also with workshops for every kind of trade, with printing presses, with herds and with extensive crops. His original initiative was the "farm-chapels," small secondary stations, which were to serve as a link between the various main stations, and consisted of a small group of Christians led by one or more catechists, provided with farming tools and livestock for cultivate the land, attract and instruct the pagans in religion and in agricultural work, offering them at the same time the example of an orderly, hygienic and profitable way of living. In 13 years he had already created six principal stations, linked by about 400 "farm-chapels". Having left the office of superior in 1901, he retired to the recent station of Wombali, where he devoted himself to his negroes without any regard until his death.
An abundant collection of letters of Fr. H., very rich in infortivation, information on the Congo mission and on its development is found in the periodicals: Précis historiques, Bulletin mensuel des missions belges de la C. d. J. (2-7 [1892-98]) and in the periodical that succeeded it: Missions belges de la C. d. J. (1-8 [1899-1906]).
Bibliography2 works
Celestino Testore