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    Our dear departed

    Nestor Pycke

    Nestor Pycke

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    Nestor Pycke smallNestor Pycke (1930-2020)

    Born in St.-Kornelis-Horebeke (B) on October 22, 1930
    First vows on September 8, 1950
    Ordained Priest on August 7, 1955
    Missionary in DR Congo (KIN) and Belgium
    Died in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw (B) on November 18, 2020, at the age of 90.


    Nestor was born in a village of about 700 inhabitants. He was the seventh descendant of the Pycke family to be ordained a priest in less than 100 years. He did his primary studies in a school in his native vil­lage, then the preparatory year and the Greco-Latin high school at the Collège Notre-Dame d'Audenarde.

    In 1949, he entered CICM with two of his classmates.  His first mass was a big celebration for his village. On this occasion, Nestor recalled in his remarks that the last priest to celebrate his first mass was also called Pycke and was also a CICM, Gentil Pycke (1874-1917).

    Nestor then studied theology at the Catholic University of Louvain, where he obtained his doctorate in 1960. He was a missionary in DR Congo (Inongo) for four years (1960-1964).

    In 1964, he returned to Belgium and became a professor at the semi­nary. Nestor was also lecturer and professor of theology at the University as well as rector of the house in Leuven. He was elected a member of the General Government (1974-1981) and was rector of the Collegio and later of the Generalate in Rome. Nestor also spent a year at the University of Berkeley (USA) preparing to be a Formator in Cameroon. After a few months, he had to end his stay in Cameroon for health reasons.

    Nestor returned to Leuven and carried out various tasks there. He was General Archivist (1996-2004).  He wrote three books on the history of the CICM and transferred the CICM archives from Rome to KADOC (Catholic Center for Docu­mentation and Research on Religion, Culture, and Society) in Leuven.

    Nestor was fascinated by the charism of our Founder. One of his masterpieces is the book: “Théophile Verbist’s Adventure” (2009), in which he situates the charism of the Founder in today's multicultural world.

    Nestor was a wise man. His love and enthusiasm for the Founder led many people to greater love and com­mitment to CICM. May he rest in peace. ■

    Carlos Monté & Cyriel Stulens