Francis Senden, CICM:

A Lifes Journey

This is a story about an intimate encounter between two old souls

Netherlands

Philippines

Netherlands

Land Areas
Philippines = 300,000 km2 Netherlands = 41,543 km2

who walked the journey towards a transforming vision

planting seeds of shared dreams in the

Asian Social Institute

and harvesting the blessings of life and toil inspired by its founder

Fr. Francis Senden, CICM

Early beginnings in the Netherlands

June 30, 1916. Frans Peter Anton Senden was born in the family farmland at Beek, Limburg a province southeast of the Netherlands

BEEK

Ubach over Worms (WAUBACH)

Beek is the oldest village in the Netherlands. An archaeological site was found in Beek, consisting of the remains of a settlement from 5,000 BC which used linear pattern wares.

Ubach over Worms is a former

municipality in the province of Limburg. In 1982 it was incorporated into the new municipality of Landgraaf The German name for this part of Landgraaf is "Waubach". It is believed that the latter name derives from Waldbach, which is German for "woodland creek", referring to the local Worm stream. This name is said to have later corrupted into Waubach.

He was ordained a priest at the outbreak of World War II in August 3, 1942

In 1945, he finished his Licentiate in Theology at Maastricht, Limburg in the Netherlands

After immersing himself into reading St. Thomas Aquinas SUMMA THEOLOGICA in the original Latin text

he earned his degree on Doctor of Philosophy at Niymegen, in 1952 at the Gelderland Province of southern Netherlands

Nijmegen is the oldest Roman-established city of the Netherlands, popular for its Catholic University

Nijmegen

Nijmegen

And in 1954, he finished his Masters degree in Sociology at Tilburg

.. A city in pursuit of high learning and celebration of life as Tilburg ritualizes its annual 10-day funfair

His congregation feared for his appointment for a professorship in the university. And before this could happen, he was immediately sent on mission to the Philippines.

Finding a second home in the Philippines

He arrived in the Philippine in 1955. And became a professor of philosophy in San Carlos Seminary in 1956 till 1962.

It would not take him far or too long to be able to see the realities of the Philippines. What he saw right from the window and outside the walls of San Carlos Seminary in Makati puzzled him daily as he reluctantly sipped his morning coffee

Pasig River along Guadalupe Makati

Makati Viejo, Guadalupe Makati

Makatis city of contrast

???????????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????

In 1962, the first seeds of Fr. Sendens dream for just and humane society took place. Asian Social Institute was born.

and it grew

And our dreaming together with Fr. Senden continues

as he lives in our minds and in our hearts.