On 13 August 2026, three days after his 96th birthday, Father Frans Berkelmans died peacefully at the abbey. Born in Waspik in 1930, he entered St. Adelbert Abbey in 1957, made his religious profession in 1960, and was ordained a priest in 1966. From childhood, he was deeply fascinated by God and the mystery of human existence, and he sought a life devoted to exploring this inexhaustible mystery. The Second Vatican Council was a great gift to him, and throughout his life he continued to follow developments in theology and philosophy.
For decades, Father Frans served as editor-in-chief of the Benedictine journal, offering its readers nourishment for mind and heart. He made an important contribution to the Dutch-speaking monastic world, particularly through his work on the Abdijboek and the publication of the Psalterium by Ida Gerhardt and Marie van der Zeyde. His deep love of poetry also found expression in his books on the poetry of Ida Gerhardt and Willem Jan Otten. Until an advanced age, he remained cantor in the choral office and was known as an early riser, among the first to be found in the choir each morning.
Father Frans possessed remarkable physical strength and a strong character, which did not always make communal life easy, either for himself or for his fellow brothers. Yet he remained clear-minded until the end. During the final month of his life, cancer rapidly weakened him. He surrendered with gratitude and complete acceptance, and entered the great mystery for which he had searched throughout his life. May God reward him abundantly.