The central question of my research is the following: to what extent do the experiences of migrant and intercultural couples who want to marry or are married between 1995 and 2021 in the Catholic church in the Netherlands, show a pattern of cultural transition or cultural defence with regard to their integration in the Church community and the society at large?

This research proposal consists of four phases:

1) literature search on the needs and effectiveness of pastoral accompaniment of young Christian couples before and after marriage;

2) survey on the experiences and needs of intercultural and migrant couples who are preparing a marriage in the Catholic church or who have been married less than 25 years, with questions regarding marriage preparation and pastoral accompaniment, prayer life, dealing with conflicts within their relationship and integration in the local church community;

3) in-depth interviews with migrant and intercultural couples on their experiences of marriage preparation and pastoral accompaniment after marriage, on their integration in the local church community and in the society at large;

4) qualitative research among pastors, including migrant pastors and staff members of dioceses and religious movements, followed by a SWOT-analysis with regard to marriage preparation, pastoral accompaniment and integration of migrant and intercultural couples in the Netherlands. 

Before entering religious life, I finished a study in environmental science and worked as a civil servant in environmental policy.

When I entered the Jesuit order, I studied theology at the Radboud University in Nijmegen (Ba) and the Gregorian University in Rome (STL). After my priestly ordination, I have worked for six years as a chaplain at St. Peter Canisius parish in Nijmegen. As of 2015, I am spiritual director and teacher at the Ariensinstituut, the seminary of the Utrecht Archdiocese. As of 2017, I am a student chaplain at the Tilburg School of Catholic Theology and the Fontys Hogeschool Theologie en Levensbeschouwing. I'm teaching moral theology at the Bonifatius Institute in Vogelenzang. Since 2020, I'm spiritual director at the St. Willibrord seminary in Heiloo. I assist at St. Francis Xavier church (de Krijtberg) in Amsterdam.