René Stockman

René Stockman studied at the Saint-Laurens Institute in Zelzate between 1966 and 1972. He finished grammar school with a diploma in economics.

In 1972 he joined the Congregation of the Brothers of Charity. He fulfilled the noviciate training in Maria-Aalter (1972–1973). He then started in Ghent his training as a nurse at the Higher Institute for Paramedic Professions (1973–1976).

René Stockman

He continued with studies leading to a Master in medical and social sciences and management of hospitals at the University of Louvain (1977–1980). His thesis was entitled Organization of mental health-care in Rwanda and Burundi. Additionally he obtained a teaching certificate for teaching in higher secondary schools (1981), at the University of Louvain. He completed his education by obtaining a doctors degree at the Catholic University of Louvain. His thesis was entitled: The place of the religious within the mental health care and obtained high examination marks (1986).

Brother René Stockman began his professional activities in 1976, as chief of the department of health care at the psychiatric institute of Sint-Julian Ghent (now the Dr. Guislain Institute). He pursued this mission until 1977.

From 1980 until 1987 he was director of the Institute for Psychiatric Nursing Dr. Guislain in Ghent and in 1982-1988 he was the managing director of the Institute Dr. Guislain.

In 1988 he was made the general manager of all institutions of the Brothers of Charity in Belgium which are active within the sectors of health care and orthopedagogic care. He pursued in this capacity until 1994.

René Stockman

In 1994 he was made superior of the province Saint-Vincent (Belgium) of the Brothers of Charity. In 2000 he was elected general superior of the Brothers. From then on he resided mainly in Rome, travelling extensively throughout the world.

He was reelected in 2006 for a second term of six years, in 2012 for a third term and in 2018 for a fourth term.

In 2023, a former pedagogical director and a former BOB detective alleged that Stockman had actively tried to interfere with their investigation of a mentally disabled girl who had been sexually abused by a friar. Said friar was initially found guilty by the court of Kortrijk, but was acquitted on ground of doubt by the court of appeals. The court noted there was no doubt as to whether the girl had been sexually abused, but there was reasonable doubt as to whether the accused friar was the perpetrator of said abuse. The former pedagogical director alleged that Stockman had him fired for believing the girl's mother. The former BOB detective alleged that Stockman made veiled threats about having his wife fired from her job at a Catholic institution.[1]

In the same documentary, Stockman replies by denying these allegations of intimidation. He admits to having made a phone call to the detective to request he not pick up the accused friar in a patrol car, because of the friar's old age. But he denies to have tried to obstruct the investigation and to have threatened the detective's wife's employment. He did not directly address the former pedagogical director's claim that he had been dismissed because of how he handled the complaint. He only made mention of having tried to maintain serenity in the affair and having asked his staff to do the same, which — in his words — does not mean he put the reputation of the institution above the safety of the child.[1] In a reaction on their website,[2] the congregation does not address these specific allegations but acknowledges in general that the name "Brothers of Charity" was mentioned several times and that a dark chapter from the history, the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s was highlighted. The congregation apologizes for any form of sexual abuse in the past.

• 1976-2000: chief editor of the magazine Psychiatrie en Verpleging (Psychiatry and Health Care),
• from 1980 on: lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatric Health Care in Ghent,
• from 1983 on: secretary and from 1989 on chairman of the Intecongregational Centre for concerted action of health care,
• from 1984 on: director of the High School for Congregational Health care institutes,
• from 1986 on: curator of the Museum Dr. Guislain in Ghent,
• from 1986 on: director of the Education Centre Guislain Ghent,
• 1988 - 2000: director of Caritas Oost-Vlaanderen,
• 1988 - 2000: director of different health care institutions,
• 1989 - 2000: director of Verbond van Vlaamse Verzorgingsinstellingen (VVI),
• 1989 - 2000: director of Caritas Catholica Flanders,
• from 1989 on: chairman of the Committee for the missions of the Brothers of Charity and of Caraes non-governmental organization for developing aid,
• from 1990 on: editor in chief of the magazine of the Congregation Van Harte,
• from 1990 on: advisor-lecturer Faculty of medicine, Catholic University Louvain,
• from 1993 on: chairman of the non profit organization Fracaritatis VZW, centre for international cooperation,
• 1996 - 2000: chairman of the Association of Superiors of religious orders and congregations in Belgium,
• from 1997 on: member of the Supreme Council of UFSIA, Antwerp,
• from 1998 on: visiting professor EHSAL, Brussels,
• from 1998 on: visiting professor Kigali Health Institute, Kigali,
• from 2000 on: visiting professor Catholic University of America, Washington,
• from 2000 on: visiting professor Pontifical University Lateran, Rome,
• from 2001 on: editor in chief of the magazine of the congregation Deus Caritas Est.

• Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, Belgian branch (1996).
• Commander in the Order of Leopold (2013)

Media related to René Stockman at Wikimedia Commons

• Website Brothers of Charity worldwide
• Website Brothers of Charity Belgium
• History of the Brothers of Charity
• Website Museum Dr. Guislain