Reverend Francis Edmonds Martens, CICM,
associate pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Plainville,
died Wednesday, (March 1, 2000)
at New Britain General Hospital after a short illness.

Father Martens was born on September 30, 1917 in Wingene,
West Flanders, Belgium, the son of Edward and Marie Martens.

The youngest of 11 children, he was interested in becoming
a missionary very early in life.
After studying the humanities at the Diocesan College of Tielt,
West Flanders, Belgium, Fr. Martens entered the seminary
in Scheut, West Flanders, Belgium, and joined the
Order of Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae
(The Immaculate Heart of Mary Missions,
also known as Missionhurst, on September 7, 1937.

He was ordained in Louvain, Belgium, at the age of 26
on August 1, 1943 by Cardinal Van Roey.
Since travel was restricted during the war in his occupied country,
his first assignment was to help out his home diocese
as a teacher in St. Joseph’s College in Izegem, Belgium.
During this time he remembered seeing a train car of nuns
being blown up during a bombing raid and some
of his fellow priests being killed.

As the war ended in 1947, Father prepared himself to
go to China, even growing a beard.
But the Chinese government banned foreign missionaries
and he was assigned to the Philippines.

From Antwerp, Belgium, he traveled to New York
via Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Once in this country he spent six weeks in Arlington, VA.
He then flew to San Francisco, CA to catch a ship to Manila.

On March 10, 1959, after 12 years in the Philippines,
he was appointed as a treasurer in Scheut, Belgium
where he worked for more than a year while preparing to
be assigned to Zaire, then known as the Belgium Congo.

But war broke out, foreign missionaries were expelled, and others,
fearing for their lives, left, causing a glut of missionaries in
search of assignment. Francis volunteered to return to the
Philippines but his superiors informed him that he was
needed in the United States.

He arrived in the United States on December 8, 1960 and
while serving as treasurer, he became temporary replacement
at Our Lady of Good Counsel, San Antonio, TX,
and St. Patrick in Detroit, MI.

In 1974, Father Martens went to New Haven as the investment
procurator for the orders retirement fund.

On June 1, 1975 he accepted a position as associate pastor
at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Plainville.

He served the people of Plainville almost 25 years and liked
parish work, especially visiting those who were ill or near death.

Father Martens leaves a brother, Josef Martens of Belgium;
and several nieces and nephews in Belgium and Norway.

A Mass of Resurrection will be concelebrated at
Our Lady of Mercy Parish Hall on Monday, March 6, 11 a.m.,
followed by burial in St. Joseph Cemetery, Plainville.

Father will be waked at Our Lady of Mercy Rectory
on Sunday, 2-7 p.m.
His body will be transferred to the Parish Hall at 7 p.m.
and a parish liturgy will be celebrated at 7:30 p.m.
Bailey Funeral Home, 48 Broad Street, Plainville,
is entrusted with arrangements. Memorial Donations
may be made to Our Lady of Mercy Renovation Fund,
19 S. Canal Street, Plainville, CT, 06062

or to Missionhurst CICM,
4651 N. 25th Street, Arlington, VA, 22207.