By Jan Van Aert c.m.
Father Gerard Beunen was born in the small village of Roosteren in the Netherlands on October 1, 1915 during the first world war. From childhood he pledged to devote his life to God and, determined to serve his Church. He entered the Vincentian Congregation on September 20, 1935, and was ordained priest on July 19, 1942. In 1946, at he end of the second world war, Father Beunen was sent to Peking and later Tianjin in northern China, where he performed missionary work, headed the Legion of Mary and completely devoted himself to helping the poor and distressed. After four years China fell to the Communists and Father Beunen was forced to leave his beloved and impoverished friends whom he would think of day and night.
At the end of 1950 ,Father Beunen came to Taiwan where he took up the post of Head of the Communications Department of the Vatican Embassy to the ROC and head of the Dutch Vincentian Mission in Taiwan. In 1962 he established the Catholic Parish of Shihpai and actively developed pastoral work at the Veteran's Hospital. To take care of children with polio Father set up the Vincentian Polio Center in Chiaohsi in 1970, which has received excellent praise from the local people.
Another fact that fills us with admiration for Father Beunen is the center for seriously mentally and physically handicapped children. It has been in existence for 30 years now. Saint Anne's Home, which he set up in 1972. As Father Beunen came close to retirement age, a time to him to enjoy his leisure time, he still worked indefatigably, taking care of every single thing personally to help the handicapped. He worked tirelessly day and night, without any resentment or regret.
For most of his life Father Beunen adhered to the spirit of Saint Vincent and silently helped the children of China, and eventually making this foreign country his home. Although he was not a man to publicize his compassion and brotherly charitable contributions, he was soon known at home and abroad, and honorary titles were bestowed upon him one after the other; in 1993 he received the decoration Papal.Honor from Pope John Paul II; in December 1995, the Queen of the Netherlands bestowed on him the title of "Knight of the Order of Oranje-Nassau" and on July 17, 1996, the Catholic Providence University bestowed on Father Beunen an honorary doctoral degree. In 2001 Congregation of Mission of the China Province, established the "Father Gerard Beunen Social Welfare Foundation" in reverence of his respect for mentally and physically handicapped children.
In recent years Father Beunen has been confined to bed and after entering the Veteran's Hospital on April 14, 1999, he never again left that place until he was taken home the day before he passed away. At 4:30 in themorning of January 2, 2002, Father Beunen succumbed to respiratory failure at Saint Anne's Home,the house he built and loved so much. The life of Father Beunen spreads many years and many different important historical events. In each place he worked, his first concern was to serveGod in the poor in Taiwan, his home for more than 50 years, he has left an impressive legacy of service in the spirit of his spiritual guide, the Saint Vincent de Paul, may he rest in peace.
When I was in major seminary, Fr. Beunen visited us and he made a impression of a joyful father. He drove a big American car, which he could use from a friend, but later he changed another smaller car, because how he could collect money for the mission if it was driving such an expensive car.
In 1962 I came to Taiwan and Fr. Beunen was in the H.S.I.S (Holy See InformationService), where he made tapes for instructions and sold many band recorders for the use of the missionaries. We had quite often our meetings in his house and we could stay there overnight, although there was not much place. Later Tien Mu was rebuilt and we stayed there for our monthly meetings and Fr. attended them always. In 1964 he built the church in Shih Pai. In that time his most parishioners were people from the hospital, such as doctors and nurses and he baptized many people and not few of them became sister later.
In 1967 Fr. Beunen became the superior of the house Tien btu and he changed place with Fr. Hermans. For six years Fr. was the superior, I was his assistant superior and I do not remember big problems. Bad things we normally remember. So not much bad must have happened. During that time he started St. Anne's Home which started on 28 December 1972 (feast of the Innocent Children). In 1973, he was to busy to be superior (and I toke that over) and Fr. was parish priest in Tien Mu for the whole parish, Chinese and foreigners, he had his helpers ) and built St. Anne's Home. The building was finished in 1977 and Mgr VI'ang, who was auxiliary bishop of Taipei at that time and now is bishop in Taichung, blessed the house on 28 December 1977 (feast of the Innocent Children).
Father talked good care of his children and many times he carried children in his arms which surprised me (and others). Fr.Beunen wa wearing white clothes (because Pai Sen Fu is the priest in white) but he did not mind if children made his clothes dirty. The deep reason why he did this was his love for people a Jesus' word what you do for the least of mine you have done for me. This was reality for him, although he would not say that too loud or too often.
Fr. was not camera shy, because he thought it would bring in money, so that he could take care of his children. For himself, he did not need much. Ile liked music and had many tapes and he listened often. One on his fonder CI) was the one the Pope prays the rosary. Classic music he liked, but also folksong of his home province Limburg and when he was with Limburgers he talked always the dialect, but when other people came in, he changed to the official Dutch langu Ile spoke good English, in the inning a little like a football coach, bete he was that in American school to make some moneyfor his lis ing and that of the confreres. (Fr. Hermans told him how cap you teach people to play soccer, 4' because you never was good in it yourself. Fr. Beunen's answer is you are completely right that I was not as good player, but I know what good soccer is and that I teach them."
When French speaking people came to Fr. Beunen, he changed immediately to French, which he spoke also fluently. The same with German and his Chinese pronunciation was also good. Father was humorous, he liked to tell jokes and always nice one (the one you can tell under the Christmas tree =no dirty jokes. In his sermons Fr. likes to put in one or two jokes and people liked it. (One joke is when a baby was crying he would say: Good intentions and crying babies should be carried out immediately).
Father Beunen was a good priest and a good confrere, who was always there when help was needed. Fr. was happy he built tit. Anne's Home, Ile regretted it that he had not built a second one or even more. Father must be in heaven, because what Fr. did for the least of the people he did for Him who is judging him now. Father Beunen, my good friend, may you rest in peace and see you again.
