Verbeek studied
theology and became a
Catholic priest in 1963. From 6 September 1963 to 28 August 1965, he was a
chaplain in
Joure. Between 1968 and 1973, he was an advisor to the
diocese of Groningen. He was a priest of the diocese of Groningen, but since becoming politically active in 1969, he no longer held any ecclesiastical office. In 1999, he openly clashed with the newly appointed bishop of Groningen,
Wim Eijk, over his views on
sexuality, publicly coming out as a
homosexual priest. From 1974 to 1977, he was the chairman of the provincial board of the
Political Party of Radicals in Groningen. From 1977 to 1981, he was the national party chairman. In 1984, he was elected to the
European Parliament for the
Green Progressive Accord, a coalition of the PPR, the
Communist Party of the Netherlands (CPN), and the
Pacifist Socialist Party (PSP). It was agreed that the PPR candidate would step down halfway through the term in favor of the CPN candidate,
Nel van Dijk. Verbeek left the European Parliament in 1986. In 1989, Verbeek became the lead candidate for the
Rainbow, a coalition of PPR, CPN, PSP, and the
EVP, for the
1989 European Parliament election. Again, it was agreed that the PPR candidate would step down halfway through the term, this time in favor of the PSP candidate,
John Hontelez. In 1991, Verbeek refused to do so, believing he still had work to do for organic farmers. He died on 1 February 2013. A
posthumous autobiography was published. The
ecumenical songbook
Zangen van Zoeken en Zien (2015) is dedicated to Herman Verbeek. In 2018,
Dat gij het zingt, a collection of Verbeek's posthumous songs and reflections, was published, edited by Chris van Bruggen and
Michaël Steehouder. == Publications (selection) ==