Wilhelm Josef Oomens
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Josef Oomens SJ (14 September 1918 - 27 June 2008) was a Dutch
Jesuit and painter
.
Wilhelm Josef Oomens was born in The Hague
, Netherlands
. He studied mathematics
, physics
and psychology
. In 1949, he entered the congregation of the Society of Jesus
(Jesuits) and begun a study of philosophy and Catholic theology
.
In 1957 he was ordained as a priest. From then on he acted as teacher and director of a grammar school
and was longstanding director of the centre of orientation and cultural studies in Limburg
. Following heart surgery (1978), he was compelled to leave teaching, but continued as a priest in pastoral care in Sittard
, Netherlands, near the border with Germany
.
He enjoyed the work, so he asked the Bishop of Aachen
, Klaus Hemmerle, to assign him a rectorate. Thus, the Bishop of Aachen appointed him as pastor at St. Antony, Eschweiler-Roehe, where he served until 2005. Here, he worked closely with the composer and church musician Franz Surges
. Meanwhile, continued as a painter. He died 27 June 2008 in Nijmegen.
He painted the Christmas story ("In dulci jubilo", 1991, "The Adoration of the Magi") and the history of Jesus' suffering (for example "Man of Sorrows", "Stations of the Cross", 1994, "The body of Jesus taken off the cross", 1981 and 1992 and of particular importance "Ecce Homo") and his resurrection and the coronation of the Eucharist ("The doubting Thomas", 1993; "The path to the Light", 1998)
The manner of painting shows the clear influence of such classical Dutch masters as Lucas van Leiden and Hieronymus Bosch.
and Fathers of the church). The importance of this he accentuated in a multiplicity of homilies and unpublished writings). For him, he function of painting derived from his confidence in the importance of wondering and reverence.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Jesuit and painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
.
Wilhelm Josef Oomens was born in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He studied mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. In 1949, he entered the congregation of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
(Jesuits) and begun a study of philosophy and Catholic theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
.
In 1957 he was ordained as a priest. From then on he acted as teacher and director of a grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
and was longstanding director of the centre of orientation and cultural studies in Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
. Following heart surgery (1978), he was compelled to leave teaching, but continued as a priest in pastoral care in Sittard
Sittard
Sittard is a city in the Dutch province of Limburg, which is the southernmost province of the Netherlands.On the east Sittard borders on Germany . It has some 48,400 inhabitants . Sittard is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen...
, Netherlands, near the border with Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
He enjoyed the work, so he asked the Bishop of Aachen
Bishop of Aachen
-List of the Bishops of the Diocese of Aachen, Germany:-Auxiliary bishops:-Resources:* *...
, Klaus Hemmerle, to assign him a rectorate. Thus, the Bishop of Aachen appointed him as pastor at St. Antony, Eschweiler-Roehe, where he served until 2005. Here, he worked closely with the composer and church musician Franz Surges
Franz Surges
Franz Surges is a German composer and musician.-Education:Surges studied at the Episcopial School for Church Music, Aachen and Conservatoire Cologne, Department Aachen.He took his following exams:...
. Meanwhile, continued as a painter. He died 27 June 2008 in Nijmegen.
Works
The emphasis of his art was the rendering and interpretation of biblical motifs. He painted mythological scenes (for example, "Phaeton", 1978,; "The three Graces", 1983), but this was of less importance that his historic and scriptural motifs.He painted the Christmas story ("In dulci jubilo", 1991, "The Adoration of the Magi") and the history of Jesus' suffering (for example "Man of Sorrows", "Stations of the Cross", 1994, "The body of Jesus taken off the cross", 1981 and 1992 and of particular importance "Ecce Homo") and his resurrection and the coronation of the Eucharist ("The doubting Thomas", 1993; "The path to the Light", 1998)
The manner of painting shows the clear influence of such classical Dutch masters as Lucas van Leiden and Hieronymus Bosch.
Philosophy
A focus of Wilhelm Joseph Oomens was the idea of wondering (in the tradition of AristotleAristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
and Fathers of the church). The importance of this he accentuated in a multiplicity of homilies and unpublished writings). For him, he function of painting derived from his confidence in the importance of wondering and reverence.
Literature
- Wilhelm Josef Oomens: Worte in Bildern erleben. Verlag Dohr, 2000 (an anthology of selected works of W.J. Oomens, with meditative texts in English and German)
- 150 Jahre Pfarre St. Antonius Eschweiler-Röhe (published by parish, St. Antony, Eschweiler-Roehe, 1995)