The Missionary of Health and Peace was beatified on June 15, 2006, after the recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession.

On this day, June 15, 2026, the Catholic Church celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Beatification of Blessed Father Eustáquio van Lieshout, a Dutch religious of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary who became one of the most beloved figures in Brazilian religiosity. To mark the date, a Thanksgiving Mass will be celebrated this Monday at 7 pm at the Archdiocesan Sanctuary of Health and Peace in Belo Horizonte.

The Beatification took place on June 15, 2006, during the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. On that occasion, approximately 80,000 people participated in the celebration held at the Mineirão stadium in Belo Horizonte, one of the largest religious events in the recent history of Minas Gerais. With the ceremony, presided over by the then newly arrived Metropolitan Archbishop of Belo Horizonte, Dom Walmor Oliveira de Azevedo, Father Eustáquio was officially proclaimed Blessed of the Catholic Church.

The recognition came after the Church verified the miracle attributed to his intercession: the cure of cancer suffered by Father Gonçalo Belém. Before that, in 2003, Pope Saint John Paul II had already recognized the heroic virtues of the priest, granting him the title of Venerable.

Born in the Netherlands in 1890 and deceased in Belo Horizonte in 1943, Father Eustáquio became known for his intense life of prayer, dedication to the sick, closeness to the poor, and for spreading the message of "Health and Peace," an expression that marked his apostolate and remains alive among his devotees. His reputation for holiness spread during his lifetime and continues to grow more than eight decades after his death.

Canonization process continues.

Twenty years after his Beatification, the Cause for Canonization of Blessed Father Eustáquio remains active. The work carried out by the Postulation follows up on accounts of graces received, analyzes possible miracles attributed to his intercession, and promotes the dissemination of his life and mission in Brazil and abroad. Currently, the process is being conducted by the Postulator General, Father Andrzej Lukawski, SS.CC., in Rome, and by the Vice-Postulator, Father Vinícius Maciel, SS.CC., in Belo Horizonte.

According to the Vice-Postulation of the Cause, the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Beatification is also an invitation for the faithful to continue learning about the history of the Blessed, praying for his canonization and sharing testimonies of graces received through his intercession.