Roman Catholic Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam

Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam Dioecesis Harlemensis-Amstelodamensis
Cathedral of Saint Bavo in Haarlem
Location
Territory	North Holland, Southern Flevoland
Metropolitan	Netherlands
Statistics
Area	2,912 km2 (1,124 sq mi)[1]
Population - Total - Catholics	2,780,313[1] 530,627 (19.1%)
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	4 March 1853[1]
Cathedral	Cathedral of Saint Bavo
Current leadership
Pope	Benedict XVI
Bishop	Jos Punt[2]
Metropolitan Archbishop	Wim Eijk
Auxiliary Bishop	Johannes Willibrordus Maria Hendriks (Bishop-elect)[2]
Vicars General	M. J. de Groot[2]
Emeritus Bishops	Johannes Gerardus Maria van Burgsteden, SSS[2]
Map
Location of the diocese in the Netherlands
Website
bisdomhaarlem-amsterdam.nl

The Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam is a diocese of the Catholic Church in the Netherlands. As one of the seven suffragans of the Archdiocese of Utrecht, the diocesan territory comprises the north west of the Netherlands, including the cities of Haarlem and Amsterdam.

Since 2001, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Monsignor Dr. Jozef Marianus (Jos) Punt is the current Bishop of the Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam.

On Tuesday, October 25, 2011, it was made known that the Holy Father, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, had accepted the resignation of His Excellency, the Most Reverend Bishop Johannes Gerardus Maria van Burgsteden, SSS, as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese. The Very Reverend Monsignor Johannes Maria Hendriks Willibrordus was appointed the Auxiliary Bishop-elect of the Diocese. The Bishop-elect was born on November 17, 1954 in Leidschendam, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rotterdam. He studied philosophy and theology at the Higher Institute of Theology in Amsterdam, Netherlands and at the Major Seminary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Roermond in Rolduc, Netherlands. He was ordained a priest on September 27, 1979, for the Diocese of Rotterdam. From 1979 to 1981 he was the Deputy Rector in Den Haag, Netherlands. He then continued his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University, obtaining his Doctorate in Canon Law (J.C.D.). During this period, he lived at the Pontifical Dutch College. From 1987 to 1997, he was pastor in Haastrecht, Netherlands. In 1997, he was appointed Vice-Rector, and in 1998, Rector, of the Seminary of the Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam, where he also teaches Canon Law. In 2005, he was awarded the title "Chaplain of His Holiness", the lowest grade of Monsignor. He is also the Canon of the Cathedral Chapter of Haarlem-Amsterdam and a member of the Diocesan Council of Priests. He is also a consultant to the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy in the Roman Curia. A date for his episcopal ordination and installation has not been set yet.^[3]

The cathedral of the Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam is the Cathedral of Saint Bavo.

History

The diocese was founded in 1559 and from 1562 to 1569 Nicolaas van Nieuwland was the first bishop. His successor was in 1571 Godfried van Mierlo. After the bishop-less epoch (1594 - 1853) the following bishops were heading the diocese:

1. Cornelis Ludovicus baron van Wijckersloot van Schalkwijk
2. Franciscus Josefus van Vree (1853 - 1861)
3. Gerardus Petrus Wilmer (1861 - 1877)
4. Caspar Josefus Martinus Bottemanne (1883 - 1903)
5. Augustinus Josefus Callier (1903 - 1928)
6. Johannes Dominicus Josephus Aengenent (1928 - 1935)
7. Johannes Petrus Huibers (1935 - 1960)
8. J.A.E. van Dodewaard (1960 - 1966)
9. Theodorus Henricus Johannes Zwartkruis (1966 - 1983)
10. Hendrik Joseph Alois Bomers (1983 - 1998)
11. Jozef Marianus Punt (2001 - now)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dhaar.html
2. ^ ^{a b c d} http://www.bisdomhaarlem-amsterdam.nl/?p=info&ids=bisdom
3. ^ http://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/28273.php?index=28273&lang=en

External links

• History of Bisdom Haarlem (Dutch)
• Diocese of Haarlem Statistics