Jyoti was given as a 'gift' to a priest, 40 years later an apology follows: 'We are devastated'
Nearly forty years after Jyoti Weststrate (41) was given as a 'gift' to a priest, she is receiving something that has never happened before. An international Catholic organization is offering the Deventer woman an apology for her adoption.
Niek Verhoeven
11 november 2025, 16:01•Laatste update: 18:39
The apology from the Jesuit Order, an international Catholic organization, feels like a breakthrough for Jyoti Weststrate (41). She finally receives recognition for the injustice done to her.
But more importantly, it gives her hope. "So I can continue my search for my family, without the fear or blockages I'm experiencing now."
'Gift' with a dark story
The Deventer native was taken away from her mother in India in the spring of 1985 as a toddler and handed over to a priest of the Jesuit Order.
According to her adoption file, which she only found years later, she was one and a half years old at the time, although she herself doubts that age: "They just stuck it on me, nobody knows how old I really was."
The front cover of Jyoti West's adoption dossier. © Own photo
The priest, who heard a commotion outside just after Sunday Mass in Bettiah, saw a group of people with Jyoti in the middle. He called her a "gift" and handed her over to a group of Catholic sisters, who took her to an orphanage.
According to Jyoti, the priest knew more about her background than he let on.
"My adoption file states that I was listed as an orphan and that nothing was known about my family. But when I found my original file in 2018, I read that I had supposedly been carried on my mother's back and had never been fed solid food. This indicates that there was indeed knowledge about my mother, but that information was later omitted or concealed," she says.
Her file also states that Jyoti was originally from Bettiah, but the priest disputed this. "He said everyone knew each other in the Bettiah community, but no one knew me," Jyoti says.
According to Jyoti, the priest has made several contradictory statements over the years, including the possibility that she was stolen from her mother. His involvement continues to be a source of questions for Jyoti, and she hopes the truth about his role will finally come to light.
Recognition and support
Now, years later, her life takes a new turn: the Jesuit Order promises to help her find her family and fight abuses in international adoption.
The Jesuits in the Low Countries recognize the unique nature of her case. They emphasize that such serious abuses surrounding adoption are unique in their region. They are unaware of any other similar cases within the order.
"We find it appalling what Ms. Weststrate has had to go through. We, too, are devastated by what happened to her," says Anne-Sophie De Decker, spokesperson for the order.
The Jesuits in the Netherlands and Flanders belong to the same worldwide order as that of the priest in question in India, the Society of Jesus. Therefore, they feel responsible for supporting Jyoti, despite the abuses having taken place in India.
International case 'exceptional'
The Dutch and Flemish Jesuits have personally spoken with Jyoti Weststrate and are deeply moved by her story. They recognize her experiences as credible and support her in her search for answers. "She wants to contact the official authorities and responsible parties. We are helping her where possible," says De Decker.
Jyoti's case is now receiving international attention within the Jesuit Order. Marc Desmet, regional superior of the Jesuits in the Netherlands and Flanders, recently discussed her situation at an international meeting in Rome.
The case will be referred to the provincial superior of the Jesuits in India, where the accused priest lives and works. "It is exceptional that a case takes on an international character in this way, because the victim and accused come from different countries," De Decker adds.
Fight for justice
Jyoti hopes this recognition will not only advance her own case, but also expose broader abuses within international adoption. "My greatest hope is that there will finally be recognition for what went wrong—not just in my own case, but in the entire structure that made these kinds of adoptions possible."
She hopes that the truth will eventually come out and more clarity will be provided about the priest in question. "So that there will be transparency and accountability," she says.
Besides justice for others, her personal quest remains a driving force. "That I may know who I am, where I come from. Ultimately, for me, it's about restoring justice, truth, and dignity. Not just for myself, but also for others who have silently disappeared from their countries of origin."