Netherlands

The Castle of Gemert is definitively bought by the Spiritans. Rome December, 1988: The Post-Synodal Exhortation by Pope John Paul II on the vocation and mission of lay people in…

The first lay associate signs a contract with the Congregation on leaving for Tanzania. Another follows shortly afterwards.

A new missionary awareness team is set up in Eindhoven.

Closure of junior seminary at Weert. The senior scholasticate also closes at Gemert, because of the small number of students; those remaining attend the faculties of Heerlen, Nijmegen and Amsterdam.

The last session of the Provincial Chapter at Gemert which had begun in 1969. The Chapter opts for a collegial administration with a pro-vincial team of 5 members.

Baarle Nassau is closed because there are no more candidates to be brothers. The noviciate is transferred to Gemert. The junior seminary at Weert produces novices for the last time.

Inauguration of the Theological Institute of Eindhoven (TIE) in which the Spiritan scholastics of Gemert take part.

The junior seminary at Weert is officially recognised by the State as a secondary school.