Verbeek studied theology and became a Catholic priest in 1963. From 6 September 1963 to 28 August 1965, he was a chaplaininJoure. 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.[1] In 1999, he openly clashed with the newly appointed bishop of Groningen, Wim Eijk, over his views on sexuality,[2] publicly coming out as a homosexual priest.
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.[4] The party board of GroenLinks (which included PSP, PPR, and CPN) wanted to expel him, but the party council refused to approve the expulsion. Verbeek remained a member of the European Parliament but operated independently of his party. In 1994, he left GroenLinks and became the lead candidate for The Greens in the 1994 European elections, but the party did not meet the electoral threshold.[4]
Verbeek authored many spiritual and political books, such as Tegen de tijdgeest and Liedboek Voor De Ziel.[5]
The ecumenical songbook Zangen van Zoeken en Zien (2015) is dedicated to Herman Verbeek.[8]
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.[9]
Herman Verbeek: Liedboek voor de ziel. Groningen, 2005. ISBN 978-90-8759-470-1
Herman Verbeek: Toen daalde de duif. Herinneringen Herman Verbeek, priester, politicus, publicist. [Autobiography.] Groningen, 2013. ISBN 978-90-5294-550-7
Herman Verbeek: In boeren handen. Voor een rechtvaardige en verantwoorde landbouw, Kok Agora, Kampen, 1989. ISBN 9024276160
Herman Verbeek: Economie als Wereldoorlog, Kok Agora, Kampen, 1990. ISBN 9024276896
Herman Verbeek: Boeren Belang. Voor een sociale en ekologische organisatie van de landbouw, with a foreword by Sicco Mansholt, Kok Agora, Kampen, 1992. ISBN 9039100276
^2013 - Toen daalde de duif. Herinneringen. Herman Verbeek, priester, politicus, publicist. - Under the auspices of the Verbeekfonds Foundation. - Publisher Profiel. ISBN 9789052945507
^van Bruggen, Chris (projectleider) (2015) - Zangen van Zoeken en Zien: oecumenische liedbundel. Utrecht: Kok. ISBN 9789043525862.
