Caribbean
For a brief historical outline of the Netherlands Antilles click here.
For some religious data, click here.
Curaçao was first visited by Europeans in 1499 and was settled by the Spanish in 1527 and then by the Dutch, who established it as a major centre of trade for their West India Company. The entire native Indian population was deported to Hispaniola in 1515. Curaçao is the home of the oldest continuously inhabited Jewish community in the Western Hemisphere, having originally been formed by Sephardic Jews who immigrated from Portugal in the 1500s.
The island provided one special advantage for the Dutch - the finest natural harbour in the West Indies. At the south-eastern end of the island, a channel, St. Anna Bay, passes through reefs to a large, deep, virtually enclosed bay called Schottegat, the site of the capital town, Willemstad. The need for salt to preserve herring initially drove the Dutch to the Caribbean.
During the period 1660 to 1700, the Dutch West India Company flourished; the slave trade boomed, and the port of Curaçao was opened to all countries both to receive the incoming food supplies and to dispose of products from the plantations of South America. The island was subjected to frequent invasions from competing privateers and suffered during the wars between the English and Dutch. It has remained continuously in Dutch hands since 1816.
In spite of having very little rainfall or fertile soil, the island developed a major sugarcane-plantation economy under Dutch colonial rule; it now produces oranges, the dried peel of which is the base for the famous Curaçao liqueur that is distilled there. Aloes, which had originally been imported from Africa, do not require irrigation and are still exported for pharmaceutical uses. All water is distilled from seawater.
In 1920 oil was discovered of the Venezuelan coast. This signalled a new era for Curaçao and Bonaire. The two islands became centres for distilling oil. During WW II the Allies judged Curaçao and its refinery to be important enough, to establish an American military base at Waterfort Arches, near Willemstad.
After WW II Curaçao joined the rest of the Caribbean in a loud clamour for independence. On 8 April 2005 the population of Curaçao (133.644) voted for the Status Aparte like Aruba. The Netherlands Antilles were be disbanded on 15 December 2008, but Sarah Wescot, minister of Saint Maarten, would adjourn this date till 2010. The status of Syatus Aparte of the Netherlands is realised on 10 October 2010.
The Roman Catholic Pastoral Care.
The Roman Catholic pastoral care was organized in the Apostolic Prefecture of Curaçao since the appointment of Martinus, J. Niewindt (1796-1860) as the first Apostolic Prefect from 1843 till 1860.
The Dominicans on Curaçao.
The first name is the religious name.
The second the baptismal name.
His Dutch Dominican companions – Reginaldus, Cornelius Schrauwen (4 July 1831, professed 10 June 1851, ordination 21 October 1855, on the Antilles 11 July 1870, return to Nederland 19 November 1880, + 6 May 1887), Hyacinthus, Marinus Bergmans (8 March 839, professed 12 May 1861, ordination 5 August 1866, on the Antilles 11 July 1870, + 19 November 1870) and Josephus Köller (15 December 1834, professed 2 August 1868, on the Antilles 11 July 1870, + 11 March 1919) – sailed on the schooner 'Gouverneur de Ronville' from Holland on 3.6.1870 and arrived at Curaçao on11 July 1870.
So the Netherlands Antilles were a mission territory entrusted to the Dutch Dominicans between 1868 till 1952 with care for the parishes :
Otrabanda
1752; Barber 1832; Santa Rosa 1838; Santa Maria 1847; San Willibrordo 1949;
Westpunt 1849; Montagne 1900; San Mateo 1918; Janwé 1924; Soto 1925; Jandoret
1927; Groot Kwartier 1929; Wishi 1931; Suffisant 1949; Charo 1952.
Source: Monteiro, Dr. Marit. 2008. :Gods Predikers. Dominicanen in Nederland (1795-2000).Marit Monteiro en Uitgeverij Verloren. Hilversum. ISBN 978-90-8704-030-7. P. 8331.
Dutch Dominicans were Apostolic Vicar of Curaçao with the status of Bishop: Mgr Petrus, H. J. van Ewijk (Bishop 5.8.1869-1886). Mgr Ceslaus, H. .J. Reijnen (Bishop 1886-1887). Mgr Alphonsus Maria, H. Joosten (1837 - Bishop 1888- +1896). Mgr Ambrosius, J.. van Baars (6.4.1854 - Bishop 5.12.1897- + 1910). Mgr Gregorius, M. A. M. Vuijlsteke ( 31.7.1869 - Bishop 10.6.1910- 4.8.1930). Mgr Innocentius, I. P. J. j. Verriet (4.11.1880, Bishop 13.11.1931- +10.3.1948). Mgr Antonius, L. J. T. van der Veen Zeppenfeldt (11.10.18991 - Bishop 11.11.1948 -1956 - +4.7.1957).
View on Otrabanda,
Willemstad, Curaçao with the Saint Ann Church.
Netherlands Antilles ?? Mi Sc
Some Dominican activities.
The Dominican Jordanus.
Engelbertus, Antonius Onderwater (9 November 1850, professed 24 September 1870, ordination
15 August 1876, on the Antilles 17 June 1881, + 3 October 1891) founded the weekly magazine 'Amigoe di
Curaçao' (5 January 1884), the newspaper since 1941. In this issue, many Dominicans
wrote articles.
Other issues edited by Dutch Dominicans were: 'La Uninon' by Ludovicus, Alphonsus, Joannes Jansen (10 June 1845-professed 2 January 1867, ordination 15 August 1872, on the Antilles 11 July 1875, + 14 November 1929), later 'La Cruz' (1 May 1900). For children: Witwiek en La Blanca (1 May 1891).
Many Dominicans were pastor in the hospital, in the 'Mgr.Verriet Institute', the clinic 'David Ricardo Capriles', and as rector of the Franciscan Sisters of Breda.
The Center Emaus.
Kas di Orashion.
Bernardinus,
Gerard, P.A. van Baars
(2 September 1926, professed -18 September 1948, ordination 25 July 1954, on the Antilles
9 December 1955, + 18 October 1995) was a member of the reflection center Emaus (Kas
di Orashion), started in Soto (1978). The community of religious sisters,
fathers, brothers housed the former home for difficult uneducable children,
guided by the Fraters of Tilburg (Nederland). Emaus gave courses about religion
and spirituality. It was also home for the Caribbean Bishops Conference, and
other groups.
Bernardinus van Baars may be named as initiator of the Bible-translation in
Papiamento. He published his translation of all the Psalms in 1982.
Monteiro,
Dr. Marit. O.c. p. 771.
The Bishopric of Willemstad since 1958.
After the foundation of the Bishopric of Willemstad (Curaçao) in 1958, the Bishop is responsible for the pastoral care. As first Bishop was appointed Michael, J. M. Holterman, O.P. (1 November 1906, professed 23 September 1926, ordination 15 July 1931, on the Antilles 1932, Bishop 9 December 1958 -7 August 1973, emeritus + 22 October 1988).
Monteiro, Dr. Marit. O.c. p. 561 etc.
On request of the Bishop, Dutch Dominicans took the pastoral care for new founded parishes of Brievegat 1959; Buenavista 1959; Zuid Bonam 1961.
The Dominican Vitus, Paul, H. F. Brenneker (7 May 1912-professed 18 September 1932-on the Antilles --- return --- + 7 February 1996),was very interested in the culture and history of the Antillean People. Together with his friend Elis Juliana he collected from the fifty's 50 publications, prints, a collection of 'werkliederen', muzik di zumbi, stories, and thousands of objects: amulets, whips, millstones, musical instruments, religious objects (voodoo and brua).
His collection is preserved by the national Archaeological Anthropological Memory Management, the Curaçaos Museum, the Museo Tula, the Public Library, and the National Archives.
Source: Jong, Ton de en Hendrikse, Norbert. 2008. De gezegende erfenis. Nalatenschap van 1200 Nederlandse religieuzen op Curaçao. Hilvarenbeek, P. 49.
: Monteiro, Dr. Marit, 2008. O.c. p. 755-776.
The Dominican Sisters of Voorschoten started their work on Curaçao from 1892 till 1953).
On 11 July 2009 a roundabout or traffic circle on Curaçao was opened, named after the
Dominicans.
Literature and sources:
Monteiro, Dr. Marit. 2008. Gods Predikers. Dominicanen in Nederland (1795-2000).Marit Monteiro en Uitgeverij Verloren. Hilversum. ISBN 978-90-8704-030-7.
De Jong, Ton en Hendrikse, Norbert. 2008. De gezegende erfenis. Nalatenschap van 1200
Nederlandse religieuzen op Curaçao.
Ton de Jong,
Hilvarenbeek. ISBN 978-907747-23-0. NUR 686.
Marcha, Dr.
Waldemar. 2009. Gods Wijngaard in De West. Caribic Publishing B.V.
Uitgeverij WP, Amsterdam. ISBN 978-090-6665-928-5.NUR 523.
Philately.
The history of the Saint
Anna's Church is reminded in the diaries
of Bartolomeus Senior and Bartolomeus
Junior (1742-1873), published by Reginaldus, Hein Nooyen, O.P.( 14
February 1919,
professed 18 September 1939, ordination 26 July 1944, on the Antilles --- return
to Nederland ---): Tot memorie. Curaçao 1974,
116 pages.
The altar of St. Anna's Church (1752) in Otrabanda, Willemstad, Curaçao.
Netherlands Antilles 1970, Mi 217, Sc 324.
100th Anniversary of the 'Amigoe di Curaçao'.
Netherlands Antilles 1984, Mi 513-515, Sc 405-407.
The Saint
Ann Church, built by the Augustinian Miguel Grimon in 1752, was
rebuilt by Stephanus, Franciscus, Andreas, Everardus van de Pavert, O.P. (26
November 1860, professed
24 September 1882, ordination 15 August 1888, on the Antilles 14 March 1889, + 28
December 1930) in 1902.
It was the Bishop's cathedral till 1958.
With consent of Rome, Mgr M. Holterman chose the church of Santa Famia
in Willemstad, Curaçao, as his cathedral in 1958.
The side wall of the Saint Ann Church, Willemstad, Curaçao.
Netherlands Antilles 2008, Mi -- Sc --
The artist Arnoldo Maas, O.P. (4 May 1909-27 November 1981) painted a Christmas scene in the church Santa Famia in Willemstad, Curaçao.
Left panel 'the Virgin and Child with churchgoers' of a triptych in the church Santa Famia, Willemstad, Curaçao, by Arnoldo Maas, O.P.
Netherlands Antilles 1997, Mi 941, Sc 619.