Jim Borst
{{Short description|Dutch Roman Catholic missionary}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Missionary
| name = Fr. Jim Borst MHM
| title = Missionary Priest
| image = Fr. Jim Borst MHM.jpg
| alt =
| church = Roman Catholic Church
| archdiocese = Delhi
| diocese = Jammu-Srinagar
| ordination = 7 May 1957
| ordained_by = William Cardinal Godfrey
| rank = Catholic Priest
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|8|3}}
| birth_place = Ursem Netherlands
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|09|05|1932|8|3}}
| death_place = Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| buried = Sheikh Bagh Cemetery
| nationality = Dutch
| religion =
| residence =
| alma_mater = University of Cambridge
| resting_place_coordinates =
| honorific-prefix = The Reverend
| honorific-suffix =
}}
Jim Borst{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mk1y13Fl-68C&pg=PA9 |title=Hidden Springs To Healing|last=Usha|first=Sr Mary|date=2000|publisher=St Pauls BYB|isbn=9788171094776|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldofindia.com/article.php?id=553|title=The Herald of India|website=www.heraldofindia.com|access-date=2017-08-25}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.ucanews.com/news/dutch-priest-indian-nun-rescued-from-floodwaters/71927|title=Dutch priest, Indian nun rescued from floodwaters - ucanews.com|work=ucanews.com|access-date=2017-07-25|language=en-US}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0a1K4g3ZDTIC&pg=PT205 |title=On The GOLDEN FLOWER: A Houseboat in the Vale of Kashmir|last=Pitcher|first=Vikki|date=2012-12-26|publisher=Xlibris Corporation|isbn=9781477114834|language=en}}{{Self-published inline|certain=yes|date=January 2018}}{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/christianophobia0000shor |url-access=registration |page=[https://archive.org/details/christianophobia0000shor/page/170 170] |title=Christianophobia: A Faith Under Attack|last=Shortt|first=Rupert|date=2013-05-16|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing|isbn=9780802869852|language=en}} (3 August 1932 – 5 September 2018) was a Dutch Roman Catholic missionary of Saint Joseph's Missionary Society of Mill Hill, commonly called Mill Hill Missionaries. He was well-known spiritual leader in India and abroad. He was a frequent speaker at many conventions and seminars. In 2011, he was summoned by Sharia court and served a Fatwa in 2012,{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Fatwa-announced-against-Christian-schools-in-Kashmir-3-priests-asked-to-leave-valley/articleshow/11555784.cms|title='Fatwa' announced against Christian schools in Kashmir, 3 priests asked to leave valley - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2017-07-25}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Kashmir:-Sharia-court-summons-Fr-Jim-Borst-on-proselytising-charges-23395.html|title=INDIA Kashmir: Sharia court summons Fr Jim Borst on proselytising charges|last=AsiaNews.it|website=www.asianews.it|access-date=2017-07-25}} following which he was given a Quit India Notice from Kashmir's Foreigners Registration Office.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YsL-7mlzEY8C&pg=PT59 |title=Communal Crimes and National Integration: A Socio-legal Study|last=Chaudhary|first=Praveen Kumar|date=2011|publisher=Readworthy|isbn=9789350180402|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.persecution.in/content/fr-jim-borst-served-quit-india-notice-missionary-almost-50-years-j-k|title=Fr. Jim Borst Served Quit India Notice-A Missionary for Almost 50 years in J &K {{!}} Christian Persecution Update|website=www.persecution.in|access-date=2017-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803050057/http://www.persecution.in/content/fr-jim-borst-served-quit-india-notice-missionary-almost-50-years-j-k|archive-date=3 August 2017|url-status=dead}} He was the last Mill Hill missionary serving in the Kashmir Valley.{{Cite news|url=http://mattersindia.com/2018/09/kashmirs-controversial-missionary-dies/|title=Kashmir's controversial missionary dies|date=2018-09-05|work=Matters India|access-date=2018-09-06|language=en-US}}
Early life and education
He was born on 3 August 1932 in Ursem, Netherlands to Mr. Leonard and Mrs. Margaret. He completed his secondary education at Hoorn, Tilburg and Burn Hall. He joined Saint Joseph's Missionary Society of Mill Hill in 1945 and from 1951 to 1953 studied philosophy in Roosendaal. He completed his studies of theology in 1957 from Mill Hill, London. He was ordained a priest for Saint Joseph's Missionary Society of Mill Hill, in London, United Kingdom on 7 May 1957 by William Cardinal Godfrey. After ordination he studied Science and Economics at Cambridge University and completed his master's degree in Arts. He started to serve his mission as a Parish Priest in Jammu and Kashmir, India, in September 1963.{{Cite web|url=https://millhillmissionaries.co.uk/fr-jaap-borst-mhm-rip/|title=Fr Jim (Jaap) Borst mhm RIP – Mill Hill Missionaries|website=millhillmissionaries.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-09-07}}
Missionary work in India
In 1975 Jim, decided to serve as a travelling missionary and traveled throughout India conducting charismatic renewal conventions, retreats for priests and religious, and ‘village retreat ministry’. He returned to Kashmir in year 1991 and helped in translating New Testament in Kashmiri. He also established two schools in Kashmir by the name Good Shepherd. He also founded Good Shepherd Sisters community but the congregation could not survive. He also helped in drawing current Constitutions and Directives around the time of the 1982 Chapter for the Mill Hill Society.
Field of education
Borst was the principal of St. Joseph's School (Baramulla){{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YsL-7mlzEY8C&q=jim+borst+principal+st.+joseph+school+baramulla&pg=PA85|title=Communal Crimes and National Integration: A Socio-legal Study|last=Chaudhary|first=Praveen Kumar|date=2011|publisher=Readworthy|isbn=9789350180402}} from 1974 to 1975 and served as a parish priest of St. Joseph's Catholic Church (Baramulla). He directed Burn Hall School Srinagar for some time. He also translated the Holy Bible into the local Kashmiri language (Koshur).
Borst started two charitable schools, one in Srinagar and other in Pulwama named "Good Shepherd Mission School".{{cite web|last=Criveller |first=Gianni |url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Kashmir:-Sharia-court-summons-Fr-Jim-Borst-on-proselytising-charges-23395.html |title=INDIA Kashmir: Sharia court summons Fr Jim Borst on proselytising charges |website=Asianews.it |date= |accessdate=2017-07-08}} He is the author of several books and articles.{{cite web|url=http://www.oocities.org/summersands_2000/charisindia_mags.html |title=Catholic Charismatic Renewal, India, charisindia - a magazine for Renewal and Spiritual growth |website=Oocities.org |date= |accessdate=2017-07-08}}
{{cite web |url=http://www.statetimes.in/news/fr-jim-borsts-expulsion-condemned/ |title=Fr. Jim Borst's expulsion condemned |accessdate=2014-06-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606204143/http://www.statetimes.in/news/fr-jim-borsts-expulsion-condemned/ |archivedate=2014-06-06 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/father-jim-allowed-stay-kashmir |title='Father Jim' allowed to stay in Kashmir | RNW Media |website=Rnw.nl |accessdate=2017-07-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606235749/http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/father-jim-allowed-stay-kashmir |archive-date=6 June 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web|url=http://en.radiovaticana.va/storico/2011/03/31/deportation_order_for_only_mill_hill_missionary_in_kashmir_/in2-474544 |title=Vatican Radio Vatican Radio |website=En.radiovaticana.va |date=2011-03-31 |accessdate=2017-07-08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=102755 |title=Catholics in India Protest Government Order to Expel Missionary Priest |website=EWTN.com |date=2010-07-16 |accessdate=2017-07-08}}{{cite web |url=http://sjskashmir.org/management.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205191510/http://www.sjskashmir.org/management.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-02-05 |title=Account Suspended |website=Sjskashmir.org |date= |accessdate=2017-07-08 }}
Writings
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=97HIPAAACAAJ A Method of Contemplative Prayer] {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=97HIPAAACAAJ|title=A Method of Contemplative Prayer|last=Borst|first=James|date=1979|publisher=St. Paul Publications|isbn=9780949080752|language=en}}{{cite web|url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23628155-a-method-of-contemplative-prayer |title=A Method of Contemplative Prayer by Jim Borst |website=Goodreads.com |date= |accessdate=2017-07-08}}
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=GqqAAAAACAAJ Coming to God in the Stillness]{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GqqAAAAACAAJ|title=Coming to God in the Stillness: Discovering the Power of Contemplative Prayer|last=Borst|first=Jim|date=1992|publisher=Kevin Mayhew|isbn=9781844172108|language=en}}
- [https://www.amazon.com/Holland-love-missionary-founder-1854-1900/dp/8171091962 From Holland with love: The life of a Mill Hill missionary founder of the Sisters of our Lady of Fatima, Francis Xavier Kroot, 1854-1900]
Death
In August 2018, he suffered a heart attack and was admitted to a hospital in New Delhi. He was operated on and a pacemaker was installed. Fr. Borst died on 5 September 2018 at 11:45 am in Srinagar, Kashmir. He was suffering from heart ailment and had recently received treatment. Funeral was conducted on 7 September 2018 at Holy Family Catholic Church. He was buried at Sheikh Bagh Cemetery, Srinagar, Kashmir.{{Cite web|url=https://millhillmissionaries.co.uk/category/news/dutch-region-news/|title=Dutch Region News – Mill Hill Missionaries|website=millhillmissionaries.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-09-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://millhillmissionaries.co.uk/category/news/asia-region-news/|title=Asia Region News – Mill Hill Missionaries|website=millhillmissionaries.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-09-06}}
References
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{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= Netherlands}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Borst, Jim}}
Category:20th-century Dutch Roman Catholic priests
Category:Dutch Roman Catholic missionaries
Category:Dutch expatriates in India
Category:Christianity in Jammu and Kashmir
Category:Roman Catholic missionaries in India
Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge