Gustaaf Vandeputte

Gustaaf Vandeputte was born in Izegem on March 20, 1853. As a student at the minor seminary in Roeselare from 1868 to 1874 he was influenced by Flemish-minded teachers such as Hugo Verriest, Alexis de Carne, Victor Lanssen and Emiel Demonie. He became a member of the letter guild of Hugo Verriest (together with Albrecht Rodenbach) and of the Izegem student association Vlaamsch ende Vroom (Flemish and Devout). He continued his commitment during his studies at the major seminary in Bruges. He joined the Gilde der Westvlaamsche Gebroeders (Guild of the West Flemish Brothers) and the Vlaggegilde (Guild of the Flag). He was a member of the editorial board of the Almanak voor de leerende jeugd van Vlaanderen (Almanac for the Learning Youth of Flanders) and of De Vlaamsche Vlagge (The Flemish Flag). At the end of 1876 the management of the major seminary forced him to resign. After his ordination as a priest, he studied theology at KU Leuven. He became vicar in Ypres (1881) and professor of Holy Scripture at the major seminary in Bruges (1882). Gezelles condemnation of the student movement in 1885 met with an indignant reaction of Vandeputte. He also had contact with Gezelle about his cousin Caesar who was a seminarian there. He was also involved in the dissemination of Gezelles translation of the Goddelijke beschouwingen (Reflections on the Divine) and contributed to Gezelle's magazine Biekorf (Beehive). In 1895 he was made honorary canon of the Bruges cathedral. In 1901 he became a pastor in Ardooie. He died there on March 13, 1913.