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Father Rinke de Vreeze SMA passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 27, in the rectory of his former parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Braamt (near Doetinchem). He reached the age of 98, having been a member of the Society for African Missions for 74 years. Father De Vreeze's funeral will be held on Monday, August 2, in Zeddam.
Rinke de Vreeze was born on November 8, 1922, in Bakhuizen, Friesland. He joined the SMA on July 15, 1947. Two years later, on July 16, 1949, he was ordained a priest. During the first years of his priesthood, Father De Vreeze carried out promotional work from Oosterbeek. In 1953, he was sent to England for further studies in London. In 1957, he was posted to Ghana, where he taught at the Saint-Theresa Minor Seminary in Amisan. He taught there for over ten years. In 1968, Father De Vreeze was appointed parish priest in Sefwi-Wiawso and simultaneously returned to teaching at Wiawso Secondary School.
From 1980 to 1981, he returned to the Netherlands for a sabbatical year. He spent that year with the Benedictines at Slangenburg Abbey in Doetinchem. Afterward, Father De Vreeze was sent back to Ghana. From 1981 to 1986, he worked as a parish priest in Aboso, Ghana. In 1986, he returned to his former teaching profession and was appointed to the minor seminary of Saint Mary in Apowa.
In 1989, Father De Vreeze returned to the Netherlands for good. But instead of retiring at 67 , he was appointed pastor of the Our Lady Parish in Braamt, a position he would hold for another 23 years. After all his work in Africa, Braamt became the location where he ultimately spent the longest period of time in one place. In 2012 – at the age of 90 – Father De Vreeze retired. He enjoyed nine more years of this time in his beloved Braamt. However, his health failed him in recent years.
The funeral service will take place on Monday, August 2nd at 1:00 PM in the St. Oswaldus Church in Zeddam, after which he will be laid to rest in the priest's grave in the cemetery in Braamt.
