Fr. Charles Vermeulen C.Ss.R, a Roman Catholic priest who served in Dominica for almost 60 years, has died.
He died at the Princess Margaret Hospital on Sunday, December 4.
Fr. Charles, as he was called, arrived in Dominica by boat in 1959 from his native Belgium.
In those days traveling to Dominica from Europe was not easy.
He traveled from his native land to South Hampton, England.
From there he took a boat and traveled for 11 days before reaching Dominica.
He arrived in Roseau at midnight to begin his new life as a missionary.
His work took him to the islands of St. Kitts, Anguilla and Antigua. However, it was in Dominica that he would spend the majority of his missionary life.
Fr. Charles has worked in many parishes across Dominica and is well known among Catholics on the island.
In 2006, he was awarded the Sisserou Award of Honour, Dominica’s second highest award.
Fr. Charles was a member of the Redemptorist Congregation, a religious order which has a presence in more than 77 countries around the world.
Fr. Charles was born on January 14, 1931 in Ouwegem, Belgium, the sixteenth child of Alphonse and Irma Vermeulen.
Fr. Charles professed his Religious vows on September 15, 1952 in St. Truiden, Belgium.
He was ordained a priest on September 15, 1957 in Louvain, Belgium.
A few highlights from Fr. Charles life :-
1959: Fr. Charles was appointed to the West Indies by Fr. De Ceuninck and arrived in Dominica where he was the assistant priest at the Cathedral
1960-1961: Assistant priest in Basseterre, St. Kitts
1961-1964: Assistant priest in St. John’s Antigua
1964-1965: Acting Dean of the Cathedral and Superior of the Redemptorists
1966-1969: Parish priest of St. Alphonsus Church, Goodwill
1970-1986: Dean of the Cathedral and Vicar General of Diocese
1985-1989: Fr. Charles spent a lot of his time and energy building the Holy Redeemer Retreat House which was officially opened in May 1991
1989: Parish priest of Wesley for three months
1991-1994: Parish Priest of St. Louis, Marie Galante
1994-1995: Parish priest of Soufriere
1995-1999: Parish Priest of St. Ann, Massacre
1999-2002: Director of the Holy Redeemer Retreat House, Eggleston, Dominica
2002-2008: Parish priest of Our Lady of Fatima, Newtown
Truly a SPECIAL & Stella Priest… He will be sorely Missed! You Passed away on a Sunday- The Lord’s Day- (See Rev 1:10) the day after which this very Island was named Dominica. You were a true servant of the Lord and although You were from Belgium by birth -You truly became a Son of the Soil. Father Charles, MAY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WELCOME YOU INTO PARADISE!!!
Your Sterling Contribution to SO MANY DOMINICANS CAN NEVER BE FORGOTTEN- ESPECIALLY AFTER HURRICANE DAVID ETC. I trust that as Many of us as possible will try to IMITATE the Great Life YOU Lived for the Lord Jesus. Deepest Condolences to the Redemptorist Community as well…
May the Angels and Saints of God- lead You to Abraham’s side. Eternal Rest Grant Unto Him Oh Lord! And May Perpetual Light shine upon Him! May He Rest In Peace! Amen!!!
On behalf of the Redemptorist Family and Fr. Charles’ Family (One is due to visit this week, while on a Caribbean Cruise) thanks a million for those kind sentiments.
May God bless you All abundantly!!
Thank you for your services to Dominica and for making some of us better human beings with your guidance .My you rest in Peace in God’s Love
Our hearts are restless oh Lord,until it finds rest in you
You touched the lives of so many
My family and I will be forever GREATEFUL that you were our Spritual Father and a family friend.
We will MISS you. May you rest in God’s eternal Peace. Will love you always
RIP Father Charles. Condolences to this family, the Bishop, the priests and all parishioners who knew and loved him.
I knew him in the 70’s and 80’s when I served as an alter boy. Quite stern, but very committed to the cause in which he enlisted. As Dean of the Roseau Cathedral, he was our “boss”, and he saw to it that we were treated with respect. Acolyte meetings on a Saturday afternoon at the Roseau Presbytery was the highlight of our week. In those days there was a large guava tree right by the fish pond, and it bore guavas all year round. Eating those ripe guavas was my specialty. I would like to believe that he made his peace with his Maker before his closed his eyes. Alas, my brother, alas!
You have been a staple in the lives of many Catholics through the years. You have touched many lives. I remember you from my high school days and beyond. It was always good seeing you. Rest In Peace Father Charles as you enter the Gates of Heaven. We need all the Angels looking out for us here on earth. You will be missed.
Rest In Peace Sir, condolences to your friends and family
RIP
May he Rest In Peace
RIP Father Charles. Thanks for your dedicated service to God and our country
May your soul rest in peace father..
May his soul rest in peace
Fr. Charles saw in me what I was afraid to see in myself. He was kind and stern when needed, and he truly supported young people.
I never told him how he touched my life. I will truly miss him, but I know he is in peace with His Father now.
Faith is words coupled with action.Fr. Charles constructed important church buildings in the Diocese of Roseau;but more so He provided the where it all to many a youth to attend school in order to build their foundation for life.With out this assistance I do not know?????
Condolences to the order, I hope the modern priest love his legacy and like Fr. Jolly walk the parishes meet the sick and the down trodden, that’s what the vocation was called to do, not passing with air condition vehicle and not even stopping to give a ride. Please live the legacy of this great man, that’s what he would want. REST IN Eternal Peace Fr.. Charles
Condolences to the order, I hope the modern priest love his legacy and like Fr. Jolly walk the parishes meet the sick and the down trodden, that’s what the vocation was called to do, not passing with air condition vehicle and not even stopping to give a ride. Please live the legacy of this great man, that’s what he would want. REST IN Eternal Peace Fr.. Charles.
May his soul rest in peace
Adios and thank you Fr. Charles for dedicating well over half of your life to ministering in Dominica. Remember his construction skills,. I am not a Roman Catholic, but we all must recognise his contribution to the society as a whole. Many of the newer churches, church halls, Roman Catholic schools and homes for the aged were built or rebuilt and repaired under his direction, particularly after the destruction caused by Hurricane David in 1979. Rest in Peace Padre!
The news came as a shocker, even when I knew he was ill. His life here among us, as a servant of the Lord was an extra-ordinary one. He has left his mark on on the Diocese, not only in the physical structures he built, but indeed in the spiritual area. He was dedicated to his work as a missionary priest. We will miss his weekly sojourn at the Roseau Market, the warm embrace and his ever present encouraging words. Whatever his weaknesses, perhaps, a bit weary of not being entirely in control, forever insisting on leading, he was a good man. A gentle soul. May he rest in peace.
My sincere condolences to his priest fraternity, the Redemptorist Fathers.
May your soul find eternal rest in the presence of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.
God bless you ,father Charles.Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
Rest in eternal peace Fr Charles. God saw you were now tired and called you home.
Truly, may his soul rest in peace.
It is a path that we all must tread upon unless the Lord comes for His own.The question is Are you saved? or are you waiting for death, and then you will know whether you will be in heaven or hell.If that is the case,It will be too late.People can only be saved here on earth not after death.Oh accept Him today.Be ready for He (Christ) may call today.
Here we go with those so called call themselves Christians who say Catholics are not Christians. Who are you to determine your own salvation. Salvation is not something we determine for ourselves. Because of Jesus’ death we are redeemed but who are we to determine salvation. Stop mixing up the two. The Bible said by our good works he shall know them. Start doing what right and fixing up all you so called Christian life and stop bashing the Catholic church.
Father Charles is way ahead of you. As for you, you do not know if you will make it for you left the One and Only True Church Our Lord established on earth.
If you think you are so intelligent why did you renounce Catholicism? Get back to the Catholic Church! Return to the Faith so that Our Lord Jesus Christ will save you.
No one saves himself but for the grace of God. No one in human form knows if he will be saved. Too many as you are presumptuous that you are already saved. Oh my! This is false teaching.
Keep in mind Our Lord said, “Only those who perform the Will of His Heavenly Father will be saved. You cannot be saved if you continue to speak ill of and persecute the Catholic Church for it is not an act of love. Do not wait until you die. It may be too late for you. Ask God forgiveness with a humble and contrite heart. May He forgive you.
i am going to miss this man. When I see this man I see what a priest and a missionary is supposed to be. He was such a loving, truthful and steadfast man.
So sorry to know of Fr. Charles passing. His work on earth was done. The Lord called him home for his eternal rest.
He was always a nice, pleasant priest. He always smiled. I never once saw him look serious. Of course, only when he celebrated Holy Mass, The Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He still had that pleasant look on his face.
Dominica became his home. He was comfortable residing there.
His confreres will greatly miss him. My heartfelt sympathy to you, all others who knew him and whom he served in all the parishes.
Eternal rest grant unto Father Charles, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen!
May the soul of Father Charles and all other souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen!
Dr. Charles was a solid man with build like John Paul II. Yet there was gentleness and unwavering commitment to him. At age 16, I made a visit to him at St. Alphonsus presbytery. He attended to my frank concerns and gave insights which significantly influenced my career choices.
I wonder, when he arrived, if Fr. Charles had any inkling what his impact would be! May perpetual light shine upon him as we celebrate and continue his work here in Dominica.
I served Fr. Charles as an Altar Server in the early 60s and he was a Friend of the Family like most of the Families of St Alphonsus Parish, Goodwill. On receiving an invitation from the Abbot of the Monks of St Benedict in, Indianapolis, U.S.A. to come and see, what their Life as a Monk was. I went to Fr. Charles for his counsel and “he told me that I would be a lost to the Caribbean if I was to go”, then he suggest the I discuss the matter with Fr. Warner (deceased), who was the Vocation Director.. And thus my initiation into the “Life” of the Redemptorsit Congregation.
I will be forever grateful to Fr. Charles for the many lives he has touched in his missionary Mission as a Priest and a Redemptorist. May His Soul Rest in Peace!
May he rest in peace. He will be missed for all the work he did in Dominica.
Will always remember him for his tremendous work in the Fatima Parish. He certainly did a lot for that parish and all the others he served in. Gone but not forgotten
RIP in peace my brother strengh to yr family and friends.
Rest in peace Fr. Charles, like Fr. Stoekel you will be missed. It was a privilege working with you in my parish.
Thanks for your service to the catholic community and the island on a whole .may you reast comfortly in the arms of God.
Wow i am shocked, although he was up there in age i didn’t expect this. May you rest in peace you certainly did a lot of work for God and the Church in Dominica.