The Person College, priests during epidemics

The Person College has nothing directly to do with epidemics. It was by Eschius, pastor of the beguinage, that a college was established here for the training of priests. But before that it was an orphanage and a guest house, founded in the early 14th century by an Arnoud vanden Cruce, also a parish priest of the beguinage.

Priests were certainly not immune to the epidemics. For example, Adrianus Heylen, archivist of Tongerlo Abbey at the end of the 18th century, recounts that in 1629 parish priest Joannes Hulst and his successor Joannes de Pauw became victims of the plague. Nine other priests would follow their fate. The Abbey of Tongerlo is said to have lost nine of its brothers in Diest between 1629 and 1636.

During epidemics, priests often continued to perform their normal duties such as celebrating the Eucharist, hearing confession and administering holy oil. It must be understood that the sacraments were part of the office of priest and that they could not simply be performed by cellebroeders or sisters. For example, the Capuchins who were also nurses will be given special permission to hear confession.

Being able to participate in the Eucharist was of particular importance to the citizens. Sometimes separate masses were organized for the plague sick. During the dysentery plagues of the 18th century, the Catholic churches, unlike the Protestant services, remained full. Together with the pilgrimages, it is not unlikely that this contributed to the spread of the diseases. It was also during this period that the priests made known to the illiterate people from the pulpit the measures of the government. During the Spanish flu, the priests had their hands full to visit the sick. In some villages, the death bells were no longer sounded to avoid panic or depression.

Jan Rymenams