Fr. Jan Simon Westendorp, O.Carm.
November 19, 1936 – November 21, 1983
On this day we remember Fr. Simon Westendorp, O.Carm. whose life was a gift to the church in the Philippines. Fr. Simon worked wholeheartedly on social justice, wanting to bring God’s kingdom to the poor. His engagement with the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines allowed him to encounter Christ in the least, the lost, and the last.
Fr. Simon was born in Hengevelde, Municipality of Haaksbergen, the Netherlands on November 19, 1936.
He joined the Order of Carmelites on October 18, 1955 at the age of 18, professing his vows a year later on September 10, 1956. On July 9, 1961 he was ordained to the priesthood and shortly after that left for the Philippines, arriving on August 1964.
He was assigned as assistant parish priest in the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in New Escalante, Negros Occidental at the same time he was the rector of the Carmelite Minor Seminary.
It was there that he became involved in the establishment of credit union cooperatives, exposing him to the realities of the poor sugar plantation workers in Negros.
In 1976 he accepted the challenge of strengthening the church in Agusan del Sur, becoming the parish priest of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in San Francisco and prior of the community while serving as councilor of the Philippine Carmelite Commissary.
Simon believed that the church is not separate from the struggles of the people. He said:
“Our feelings and expectations regarding the near future are closely linked with the people’s struggle for liberation. Regarding religious life, we see no future unless we religious can integrate ourselves in the struggle of laborers and farmers for liberation. It should become ever clearer that this is a question of faith. This should be basic to our spirituality.”
In Agusan, Fr. Simon made sure that the church is clear in being in solidarity with the poor farmers who are being threated of losing their home, land, and livelihood from the Guthrie Palm Oil Project.
On November 21, 1983, Fr. Simon perished in the tragic sinking of MV Doña Cassandra along Surigao Strait. They were on their way to Cebu City for a convention of religious and church workers working for the betterment of the poor.
Witnesses relate that when the boat was sinking, Fr. Simon and the other church workers were busy distributing lifevests, calming passengers, and saving the children. With Fr. Simon were Sr. Nanette Berentsen of the Congregation of Sisters of Julie Postel; Religious of the Good Shephered sisters Consuelo Chuidian, Concepcion Conti, Virginia Gonzaga, Catherine Loreto; Salesian sister Josephine Medrano; and Sr. Amparo Gilbuena, MSM. They are collectively known as the Martyrs of Charity and are honored as one of the heroes of the martial law years.
Today, let us remember Fr. Simon and the rest of the Cassandra Martyrs in our prayers.