Antoon Wemaer

Antoon Wemaer, the son of Antonius Wemaer, merchant, and Maria Heene, started as a teacher at the minor seminary in Roeselare on 01.10.1835. He was ordained priest by bishop Boussen in Bruges on December 19th, 1835. He became a professor at the seminary in Bruges on 01.10.1840 and school inspector for the Bruges district in February 1843. He was appointed rector of the seminary in Bruges on 04.10.1850 and met with Gezelle who was studying there. Wemaer disclosed to Gezelle in 1856 that he might become fifth form teacher in Roeselare and later had him return to Bruges at the English Seminary (1860). Wemaer subsequently was appointed honorary canon of the Bruges cathedral (10.10.1854), prosynodal examiner (31.10.1863), vicar-general (25.10.1864), home prelate to Pope Pius IX (19.01.1866), cantor of the cathedral (25.07.1866) and arch priest (17.06.1869).