Gerard van Caloen (1853–1932) was a Belgian Benedictine liturgist, missionary, monastic founder, abbot, and bishop. He was rector of the abbey school at Maredsous, where in 1882 he published the Missel des Fidèles, the first French-Latin missal. He also introduced British-style association football to the school. In 1886, he was professor of liturgy at the College of Sant'Anselmo in Rome. In 1893, Caloen was tasked to help revive the Benedictine Congregation in Brazil, which had previously been negatively impacted by anticlerical legislation. To this end, he founded, on land donated by his family, St. Andrew's Abbey in Zevenkerken to train monks for the Brazilian mission. During this time, his remit was changed to include missionary work as well as monastic restoration. In 1895 he and a group of monks traveled to Olinda. In 1899 he was named general vicar of the Brazilian congregation, and in 1906 bishop of the mission district of Rio Branco. He returned to Belgium in 1919, He died in 1932. Life Early life Joseph Van Caloen was born in Bruges in 1853, the son of Baron Karl Van Caloen and his wife Marie. They lived at the castle of Lophem near Bruges. Joseph's cousin was Hildebrand de Hemptinne, who had been instrumental in the founding in Belgium of a daughter house of St. Michael's Abbey in Beuron. In 1873 Josef became the first postulant of the Benedictine community of Maredsous, who were staying at the Desclee castle at Maredret, awaiting completion of the Priory of Maredsous. His parents played a significant role in financing the construction work. He was then clothed in Beuron and given the name "Gerard". For health reasons he completed his novitiate on the French Riviera at a villa owned by a community of nuns. On May 25, 1874, he made his profession and was ordained a priest on December 23, 1876, in Montecassino and the next day named prior and master of novices at Maredsous. When in 1878 Maredsous was raised to an abbey, Placidus Wolter, was named as the new abbot, and Caloen was appointed Librarian. Caloen wished to create a secondary school in the abbey and went to England to observe the methods of education there. He discovered football there and came back with a round ball. In 1881, the first students of the abbey school of Maredsous were among the pioneers of football in Belgium. Liturgist In 1882 Caloen