Heart for the City

MSC Cordate Community

Missionaries of the

Sacred Heart

Last Update: 04/02/2012

Former Superior General dies

    Fr. Cornelis Gerardus Franciscus (Kees) BRAUN MSC

    Born: Katwijk aan de Rijn, Netherlands, 4 December 1926

    Died: Tilburg, Netherlands, 10 October 2006

    For all things give thanks to God, for this is what God expects you to do.  

    1 Thessalonians 5,18

We were most saddened to hear on the 10th October of the death that afternoon of Fr Kees Braun MSC, a member of the Dutch Province and an outstanding former Superior General of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (1981-1993). 

Kees was born on 4th December 1926 in Katwijk aan de Rijn, The Netherlands, and had been an MSC for 55 years and a priest for 52 years. Having obtained his doctorate in Nijmegen, he started his career as a teacher of philosophy. But soon his life took a turn. From 1966 on he was in charge of the ecumenical work in Rotterdam, until he became Vicar General of the diocese of Rotterdam, from 1969 till 1975.  For the following six years he had ultimate responsibility for the religious programs of the KRO (Catholic Radio and Television Broadcasting). 

In 1981 he became superior of the Dutch MSC Province, but within a month he was elected Superior General of the Congregation. For twelve years he provided guidance from Rome to our worldwide Society in an inspiring way.  After finishing as Superior General he spent a number of years coordinating the work of the Cor Novum International Spirituality Centre in Issoudun (France). After finishing his term in this ministry, and back in the Netherlands, he guided retreats in various countries until just a few months before his death. Very unexpectedly an incurable disease appeared and took him away from our midst.

We were fortunate that Kees was well enough to be able to share with us during our seminar in Tilburg in February earlier this year.  During the last few months his health has declined steadily and since August he has been resident in the Notre Dame nursing home in Tilburg run by our sister Congregation (The Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart). 

Carl attended the requiem mass and burial in the Mission House in Tilburg on Saturday 14th October. (Photos of the funeral can be seen on the Dutch Province website - click here)

Kees always signed his letters to the Congregation "Pax et Bonum".  We trust he is now enjoying the fullness of "peace and joy" in the Lord's own house.

Kees Braun MSC, Carl Tranter MSC, Ton Zwart MSC and Mark Van Beeumen MSC during the Tilburg Seminar, February 2006