Damiaan was the last sscc missionary in Cook Islands.
Father Damiaan Marinus, 90 years old, died on November 28, 2019 in Rarotonga (Cook Islands).
He entered the novitiate in 1948. He was temporarily professed on 24 September 1949 in Nieuw-Ginneken (Netherlands) and he made his final profession on 24 September 1952 in Valkenburg (Netherlands).
He was ordained a priest in Simpelveld (Netherlands) on 29 August, 1954.
Damiaan was the last sscc missionary in Cook Islands.
May he rest in peace in the love of the Sacred Hearts.
Death Notice of Fr Damiaan Marinus sscc
The Catholic Church announces the death of Fr Damian Marinus, who died at 8.17 this morning the 28th of November, 2019 at St. Mary’s Parish in Arorangi.
Fr Damian was born on the 13th of July 1929 so this year celebrated his 90th birthday.
He has been a member of the Religious Order, the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary since 1949, meaning he has lived as a religious for 70 years. He was ordained priest in August, 1954 and arrived in the Cook Islands in 1959.
His main appointments in the Cook Islands would be:
St. Marys and Michael Mauke 1959 – 1963
St. Anthony’s Atiu 1964 - 1973
Cathedral 1974 – 1975.
Sacred Heart Matavera 1976.
Seminary Suva Fiji 1980 – 1984
In 1985 began a long association with Sacred Heart, Matavera. St. Paul’s Titikaveka was added in 1991.
He retired from the parishes of Matavera and Titikaveka in 2015 but continued to live in Titikaveka until transferred to St. Mary’s in 2016.
The Catholic Church acknowledge the 60 years Fr Damian ministered in the Cook Islands. Atiu remembers Fr Damian as a teacher both in the Catholic and Government school. Matavera and Titikaveka for the daily celebration of the mass involving many weddings, funerals and baptisms. For many years he was involved with a team in the modern Maori translation of the New Testament which is now available electronically.
Historically his death is significant for the Diocese as this completes the work of the Picpus Order begun in 1894 by Mgr Bernardin Castanie sscc – 125 years.
May he rest in peace.
28th November, 2019
11/29/2019