Fr. Edgar Koning, O.Carm
May 9, 1932 – March 31, 2020
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Today, March 31, we remember Fr. Edgar Koning, O.Carm., who joined our Lord on this day in 2020.
Fr. Edgar played a vital role in bringing to the fore the injustice against the Filipino people.
Fr. Edgar arrived in the Philippines in 1965 and managed Mount Carmel College and Magdalene Hospital in Escalante City, Negros Occidental.
For eight years he worked to protect the rights of the poor farmers of Negros and shared in the struggle of the poor.
Fr. Ben Wolbers, O.Carm. said that Fr. Edgar “found it difficult to cope with the far-reaching corruption the country suffered from the unjust ways in which the large landowners treated their workers.”
Because of this he was overworked and eventually became ill and after eight years in Philippines, in 1973, he was forced to return to the Netherlands.
Even though based in the Netherlands, he continued to work for justice and peace in the Philippines, involving himself with the Philippine solidarity group and founded Fidoc, the Philippine Information and Documentation Center.
“Edgar still felt strongly connected with the Filipino people in heart and soul,” said Fr. Wolbers.
We are forever grateful to Fr. Edgar.
Let us remember Fr. Edgar in our prayers. (Ritche T. Salgado, O.Carm.)