Wilhelm Josef Oomens

Who was Wilhelm Josef Oomens?

Wilhelm Josef Oomens SJ was a Dutch Jesuit and painter.

Wilhelm Josef Oomens was born in The Hague, Netherlands. He studied mathematics, physics and psychology. In 1949, he entered the congregation of the Society of Jesus and begun a study of philosophy and Catholic theology.

In 1957 he was ordained as a priest. From then on he acted as teacher and director of a grammar school and was longstanding director of the centre of orientation and cultural studies in Limburg. Following heart surgery, he was compelled to leave teaching, but continued as a priest in pastoral care in Sittard, Netherlands, near the border with Germany.

He enjoyed the work, so he asked the Bishop of Aachen, Klaus Hemmerle, to assign him a rectorate. Thus, the Bishop of Aachen appointed him as pastor at St. Antony, Eschweiler-Roehe, where he served until 2005. Here, he worked closely with the composer and church musician Franz Surges. Meanwhile, continued as a painter. He died 27 June 2008 in Nijmegen.