Blessed Eustáquio Van Lieshout

Biography

Blessed Eustáquio Van Lieshout, also known as Eustachius van Lieshout, Hubertus van Lieshout, and Humberto van Lieshout, was born on November 3, 1890, in Aarle-Rixtel, North Brabant, Netherlands. He was the eighth of eleven children in a deeply Catholic farm family and was baptized on the day he was born. Even as a child, Eustáquio showed a strong devotion to his faith and felt a calling to the priesthood.

Despite doubts from his family and teachers about his academic abilities, Eustáquio pursued his vocation and studied in Gemert, where he excelled enough to be accepted into the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He entered the novitiate in Tremeloo, Belgium, on December 23, 1913, and took the name Eustáquio. In 1918, he made his permanent vows, and on August 10, 1919, he was ordained as a priest.

For the next five years, Eustáquio served as an assistant novice master in the Netherlands, demonstrating his ministry skills and providing guidance to his charges and parishioners. However, his desire to become a missionary grew stronger, and in December 1924, he was sent to Spain to learn the Spanish language. In 1925, he was finally sent to Portuguese-speaking Brazil.

Eustáquio dedicated himself to the service of others over the course of his mission in Brazil. He spent ten years in Agua Suja, followed by six years in Poá, and another two years in Belo Horizonte. During his time there, he became known for his ministry to the poor and the sick, earning a reputation for holiness and miracles. Through the intercession of Saint Joseph, Eustáquio had the gift of healing, and countless people sought him out for help and support.

The fame of Eustáquio's holiness and the miracles associated with him began to attract so many people that it drew the attention of the civil government, who voiced their complaints. In 1942, his superiors decided to transfer him to a new location in order to prevent him from becoming the sole focus of the faithful instead of the faith itself. However, even after his transfer, thousands still sought him out, demonstrating the profound impact he had on the people.

Tragically, on August 30, 1943, Eustáquio passed away in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, due to typhoid fever. He was buried initially at the church of Santo Domingo in Belo Horizonte. In 1949, his remains were re-interred at the church of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in the same city.

Eustáquio's reputation as a holy man and his remarkable life of service did not go unnoticed. On April 12, 2003, Pope John Paul II declared him venerable, recognizing his heroic virtues. Later, on June 15, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI beatified him during a recognition liturgy celebrated in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, by Monsignor Walmor de Oliveira de Azevedo, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Belo Horizonte.

Blessed Eustáquio Van Lieshout, a devoted and selfless servant of God, continues to inspire and intercede for all those who seek his help, particularly in matters of healing and faith. His feast day is commemorated on August 30th.