Diocese of Breda, Netherlands 🇳🇱

Continent: West Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Breda / Bredan(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Utrecht

Neighbouring Dioceses: Gent (↙), Brugge (↙), Rotterdam (↖), ’s-Hertogenbosch (→), Antwerpen (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Maria Tenhemelopneming (August 15)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: December 12

Liturgical Calendar 📅

History

1803.03.22: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Breda / Bredanen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Gent and Apostolic Vicariate of ’s-Hertogenbosch)
1841.03.04: Gained territory from Diocese of Gent
1853.03.04: Gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Mechelen and became suffragan of Utrecht
1853.03.14: Promoted as Diocese of Breda / Bredan(us) (Latin)
1955.07.16: Gained territory from Diocese of Haarlem

Present Prelates

Bishop (2011.11.26 – ...):

Bishop Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Liesen (65)

Monsignors (5)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Breda (Roman Rite)

Bishop Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Liesen (65)
(2011.11.26 – ...)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands)

Deus providebit

Born:	1960.09.17 (Oosterhout, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1984.06.16
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.09.18

Priest of Roermond (Netherlands) (1984.06.16 – 2010.07.15)

Titular Bishop of Tunnuna (2010.07.15 – 2011.11.26)

Auxiliary Bishop of ’s-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands) (2010.07.15 – 2011.11.26)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (2011.11.26 – ...)

Vice-President of Episcopal Conference of the Netherlands (2016.06.14 – 2026.06.09)

Bishop Johannes Harmannes Jozefus van den Hende (62)
(2007.10.31 – 2011.05.10)

Bishop of Rotterdam (Netherlands)
President of Episcopal Conference of the Netherlands

Sine timore serviamus illi

Born:	1964.01.09 (Groningen, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1991.04.06
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.11.25

Priest of Groningen–Leeuwarden (Netherlands) (1991.04.06 – 2006.09.09)

Coadjutor Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (2006.09.09 – 2007.10.31)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (2007.10.31 – 2011.05.10)

Bishop of Rotterdam (Netherlands) (2011.05.10 – ...)

President of Episcopal Conference of the Netherlands (2016.06.14 – ...)

Bishop Martinus Petrus Maria Muskens
(1994.07.23 – 2007.10.31)

Shalom

Born:	1935.12.11 (Elshout, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1962.06.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.11.26
Died:	2013.04.16 († 77)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (1994.07.23 – 2007.10.31)

Bishop Hubertus Cornelis Antonius Ernst
(Apostolic Administrator 1992.05.06 – 1994.07.23)

Bishop Hubertus Cornelis Antonius Ernst
(1967.11.03 – 1992.05.06)

Christus heri et hodie

Born:	1917.04.08 (Breda, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1941.06.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.12.17
Died:	2017.05.19 († 100)

Priest of Breda (Netherlands) (1941.06.07 – 1967.11.03)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (1967.11.03 – 1992.05.06)

Apostolic Administrator of Breda (Netherlands) (1992.05.06 – 1994.07.23)

Bishop Gerardus Hernricus De Vet
(1962.03.22 – 1967.03.27)

In gratia Dei

Born:	1917.11.15 (Gilze, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1943.06.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.05.13
Died:	1967.03.27 († 49)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (1962.03.22 – 1967.03.27)

Bishop Joseph Wilhelmus Maria Baeten (later Archbishop)
(1951.02.18 – 1961.09.08)

Aurora consurgens

Born:	1893.04.08 (Alphen, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1917.06.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1945.12.27
Died:	1964.08.26 († 71)

Titular Bishop of Dorylaëum (1945.11.30 – 1951.02.18)

Coadjutor Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (1945.11.30 – 1951.02.18)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (1951.02.18 – 1961.09.08)

Titular Archbishop of Stauropolis (1961.09.08 – 1964.08.26)

Bishop Pieter Adriaan Willem Hopmans
(1914.09.08 – 1951.02.18)

Mihi vivere Christus est

Born:	1865.08.22 (Standdaarbuiten, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1890.10.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1914.11.01
Died:	1951.02.18 († 85)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (1914.09.08 – 1951.02.18)

Bishop Petrus Leyten
(1885.04.26 – 1914.05.17)

In te Domine speravi

Born:	1834.07.16 (Ginneken, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1859.02.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1885.06.29
Died:	1914.05.17 († 79)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (1885.04.26 – 1914.05.17)

Bishop Henricus van Beek
(1874.06.19 – 1884.10.15)

Leniter fluxit

Born:	1816.03.24 (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1842.10.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1874.08.02
Died:	1884.10.15 († 68)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (1874.06.19 – 1884.10.15)

Bishop Johannes van Genk
(1868.04.25 – 1874.03.10)

Per te Virgo sim defensus

Born:	1803.09.09 (Princenhage, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1827.02.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1851.05.01
Died:	1874.03.10 († 70)

Priest of Breda (Netherlands) (1827.02.20 – 1850.03.22)

Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of Breda (Netherlands) (1850.03.22 – 1853.03.04)

Titular Bishop of Adrana (1850.03.22 – 1868.04.25)

Coadjutor Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (1853.03.04 – 1868.04.25)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (1868.04.25 – 1874.03.10)

Bishop Johannes van Hooydonk
(1853.03.14 – 1868.04.25)

Simpliciter et confidenter

Born:	1782.08.02 (Ginneken, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1838.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1842.05.01
Died:	1868.04.25 († 85)

Vicar Apostolic of Breda (Netherlands) (1827.01.07 – 1853.03.14)

Titular Bishop of Dardanus (1842.01.18 – 1853.03.14)

Bishop of Breda (Netherlands) (1853.03.14 – 1868.04.25)

Founder of Brothers of the Immaculate Conception of Huijbergen (1854.09.25)

Vicars Apostolic of Breda (Roman Rite)

Bishop Johannes van Hooydonk
(1827.01.07 – 1853.03.14)

(see above)

Bishop Adrianus van Dongen
(1803.04.09 – 1826.11.27)

Born:	1754.08.30 (Oosterhout, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1778.12.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1803.03.22
Died:	1826.11.27 (Bovendonk, Netherlands † 72)

Priest of Antwerpen (Belgium) (1778.12.19 – 1803.04.09)

Vicar Apostolic of Breda (Netherlands) (1803.04.09 – 1826.11.27)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Johannes Harmannes Jozefus van den Hende (62) (2006.09.09 – 2007.10.31)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Joseph Wilhelmus Maria Baeten (later Archbishop) (1945.11.30 – 1951.02.18)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Johannes van Genk (1853.03.04 – 1868.04.25)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Johannes van Genk (1850.03.22 – 1853.03.04)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Fr. Joannes van Breugel (1849.01.31 – 1850.01.15)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Antonio van Dyk (1846.12.11 – 1848.07.13)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Kathedrale Sint-Antonius van Padua, Breda, Noord-Brabant
Former Cathedral: Sint-Michaelkerk, Breda, Noord-Brabant
Minor Basilica: Basiliek van de H. Willibrordus, Hulst, Zeeland
Minor Basilica: Basiliek van de Heilige Agatha en Barbara, Oudenbosch, Noord-Brabant
Minor Basilica: Basiliek van de Sint-Jan de Doper, Oosterhout, Noord-Brabant
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)

Churches by City (95)

Gent (↙), Brugge (↙), Rotterdam (↖), ’s-Hertogenbosch (→), Antwerpen (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 3,368 km²

Population: 423,580 Catholics (36.4% of 1,164,430 total)

Pastoral Centres: 26 parishes

Personnel: 63 priests (45 diocesan, 18 religious), 26 deacons, 176 religious (36 brothers, 140 sisters)