We regret to announce the death at Hospice Dignitas in Hoorn, the Netherlands on 8^th June 2012 at the age of 75, of

Fr Jan Tool
May he rest in Peace

Fr Jan Tool was born 16^th February 1937 at Bovenkarspel in the Diocese of Haarlem, the Netherlands. He was the son of Jan Tool and Catherine Schoenemaker. He had three brothers and three sisters. He received his secondary education in the Mill Hill Colleges at Hoorn and Haelen from 1949 to 1956. From 1956 to 1958 he studied Philosophy at Roosendaal, and he studied Theology at St Joseph’s College Mill Hill from 1958 to 1962. Jan took his Perpetual Oath on 4^th May 1961 at St Joseph’s College, Mill Hill and was ordained priest in the college chapel on 8^th July 1962 by Cardinal Godfrey.

After ordination Fr Jan Tool was appointed to the Diocese of Rawalpindi in Pakistan.  He was involved in school ministry as well as parish ministry and worked in St Mary’s School-Lalazar Colony, Mariakhel Parish, Satellite Town and Cathedral Parish.

Jan left Pakistan in the year 2000 and received an appointment to the Netherlands. He took up the position of a chaplain in a home for people with special needs at Heel in Limburg. In 2005 he moved to Grootebroek and got involved in parish ministry in the local parish. He stayed there till 2011 when he moved into sheltered accommodation offered at “Complex Herfstzon” at Enkhuizen.

Fr Jan Tool spent 38 years of ministry of love and service in Pakistan during which he gave his life totally and generously in the service of the Lord. He had a flair for education, was gifted in catechetics, had a fluency in Urdu, and  made a massive contribution to the education of young people in church and wider society in Pakistan.

A serious liver complaint  made it necessary for him to be admitted to Hospice Dignitas at Hoorn where he died at 12.30 on Friday 8^th June. His cremation will take place at the crematorium in Schagen on Tuesday 12^th June at 7.00pm.  A mass of thanksgiving for the life of Jan will take place on Saturday 16^th June at 10.30 am in the chapel of “Missiehuis Vrijland”.

The previous obituary (7/2012) was that of Fr Jacques Derksen, who died at Missiehuis Vrijland,Oosterbeek the Netherlands, on 3^rd April  2012.