Rev John JoostensTitle: Rev First Name: John Middle Names: Preferred Name: Surname: Joostens Order: Date of Birth: 1776 Place of Birth:
Country of Birth: Netherlands Date of Ordination: Place of Ordination:
Country of Ordination:
Ordination Diocese: Seminary: Appointments Table
Items per page: 0 of 0 Biographical NotesShipping Intelligence. Arrived, Inquirer, Perth, 13 December 1843, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65583373: On the 8th instant, the schooner Water Witch, Talbert master, from Adelaide, via Albany.—Passengers, Dr. Brady, and the Rev. Mr. Joostens, Roman Catholic clergymen; [...] --- Moreton Bay and Western Australia, Morning Chronicle, Sydney, 10 February 1844, p 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article31742132: In connection with the proceedings of "the Society for the Propagation of the Faith," we promised in our last some account of the prospects of the Mission at the abovenamed places, which we now furnish.—The Rev. Messrs. Brady and Joostens arrived at King George's Sound towards the end of November, where they remained for nine days, and celebrated mass three times, once in a chapel formed by nature, between large blocks of granite, enclosing a cruciform area; they baptised six children, and speak favourably of the dispositions of the aborigines in the vicinity of the Sound. They received much kind attention from a Dr. Harrison, who takes a deep interest in the natives. They arrived at Swan River on the 8th day of December; they met with a friendly reception at Perth, from Governor Hutt, who expressed himself much pleased at the arrival of Catholic Pastors, to attend to the long-neglected portion of the inhabitants of Western Australia. He granted three allotments for the erection of a Church and Clergyman's dwelling, and promised a liberal subscription. In a few days, the subscription amounted to £160, and they intended to lay the foundation stone of St. John's Church, on the 27th of last December, the Feast of St. John the Evangelist. In the mean time, they celebrated mass in a newly-built store of 60 by 24 feet, which was filled to overflowing the first Sunday on which they had divine service, by all the Catholics within 15 miles of Perth, and by several of other religious denominations. The whole of the inhabitants, both gentle and simple, vied with each other in shewing every attention to these first Catholic Missionaries to the Swan River District, and from this gratifying commencement, we are led to look forward to favourable results. [...] --- Shipping Intelligence. Sailed, Inquirer, Perth, 30 August 1848, p 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65770322: On the 29th the Bandicoot, Bowden, master, for Batavia. Passengers: Dr. von Sommer and the Rev. Mr. Joostens. Cargo 43 tons sandal-wood. --- Patrick Francis Cardinal Moran, History of the Catholic Church in Australasia, 1895, pp 555-562 passim: In the beginning of October, 1843, Dr. Brady accompanied by the Rev. John Joostens and an Irish catechist, named Patrick O'Reilly, arrived in Adelaide on their way to Albany. Father Joostens was an aged Dutch priest, who many years before had served as chaplain in Napoleon's army, and had accompanied the Archbishop to Australia on his recent return to the colony. Their arrival in Adelaide was like an angel's visit to Father Benson, who was alone ministering to the few faithful there, and who had seen a brother priest but once during the three years that he had been sojourning in South Australia. They had to wait for some time to find a ship sailing for their mission, but at length a favourable opportunity presented itself, and they landed at Albany on the 4th of November, 1843. They were welcomed there with unbounded delight, but could remain only for a few days being desirous to hasten onwards to the Swan River. Holy Mass, however, was celebrated three times, once in a chapel formed by nature between large boulders of granite enclosing a cruciform area. Six children were baptized, and the missionaries were particularly gratified by the excellent dispositions shown by the aboriginal tribes in that vicinity. They arrived at Freemantle on the 8th of December, and proceeded to Perth on the 13th. They found there some scattered Catholic families whom they consoled by administering the Sacraments, and offering the Holy Sacrifice.[...] The Archbishop of Sydney when attending a meeting of St. Patrick's Society in that city in June, 1844, referred to a letter which he had just received from Rev. Mr. Joostens from Swan River, and stated that the mission there was going on very well. "Rev. Mr. Joostens," he said, "had erected a church at Swan River capable of holding 150 persons, and he also had a school at which between 20 and 30 children attended daily. The reverend missionary had not as yet been able to obtain any Government aid, as he had not got his letters of naturalization, but this matter was in progress. Mr. Joostens many years ago wished to give himself up to the sacred ministry of God on a foreign mission. But when he spoke of his intention to his mother she would not consent to it, and he relinquished it and yielded to her wishes for a time. Just at the time he (the Archbishop) happened to be in Belgium, the Rev. Mr. Joosten's mother died, and after performing the last duties to her, the reverend gentleman determined on leaving his country and friends, and on coming to Australia for the purpose of devoting the remainder of his days to the good of his fellow men. They might remember this venerable man with his hairs silvered with the frost of sixty winters. See what a sacrifice he has made at leaving friends and home, and all that is dear to men, to come at his time of life to the ends of the earth to console them who sit in the darkness of religious destitution." [...] Dr. Brady gave very cheering accounts of the mission when he visited Rome [in 1844], and suggested that Dr. Ullathorne should be appointed Bishop, and that two distinct missions should be established for the aboriginals—one at George's Sound, the other towards the North of Australia at Port Essington. In a letter to Propaganda, dated the 31st of October, Vigil of All Saints, 1844, he states [...] At present there was only the one priest in the colony, Father Joostens, and he was 68 years of age.[...] Joostens had in the meantime [1849] abandoned the mission and sailed for Batavia [...] |