RIP: 26/02/2024 - Pelt
Fr. Oscar Craet was born on 15 March 1940 in the city of Sint-Niklaas, where he grew up in a large family. After primary school, he attended secondary school at the Salvatorian College in Hamont, after which he joined the Salvatorians and spent the international novitiate year in Passau. He professed his first religious vows on 8 September 1961, after which the years of philosophical and theological studies began, culminating in the priestly ordination on 11 March 1967. Initially, Fr. Oscar was destined for the mission in Venezuela, South America, where he worked some years in the slums of Catia, in Caracas. For many years, as a missionary-on-the-home front, he lent a helping hand to the Salvatorian Relief Action in Hamont. As such, he also looked after the interests of his brother-missionary Fr. Jos Craet SDS, who was working in Venezuela. Fr. Oscar led a rather unremarkable life, characterised by simplicity, austerity and deep piety. Especially in his later years, he spent many hours a day in the community chapel, where, while praying the rosary, he recommended his intentions and those of others to God. He was a child of Mary and also accompanied pilgrimages to different Marian Shrines. It was typical how he took care of the sanctuary lamp at the chapel tabernacle, as if to exhort his brothers: keep the lamp of your faith burning! As our Founder, Blessed Francis Jordan, had once said: ‘Whoever is not burning, sets nothing aflame!’ (SD I, 186). Unfortunately, the ailments of old age also took their toll in Fr. Oscar’s life as hard-of-hearing and poor eyesight made themselves noticeable. He ended up in Pelt hospital, where he passed away peacefully on 26 February 2024. Fr. Oscar was almost 84 years old of age and had been for more than 62 years a Salvatorian.
