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The question of being human – Bishop Neymeyr’s message for Lent
In his message for Lent, Bishop Ulrich Neymeyr of Erfurt tackles a difficult question – “what does it mean to be human?” – and arrives at a twofold answer. In the process he also discusses the humanity...
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‘Embracing’ mercy – Bishop Hoogmartens’ message for Lent
Bishop Patrick Hoogmartens’ message for Lent, like many others, revolves around the special signifigance of Lent in the Holy Year of Mercy. He describes the Holy Year as an opportunity to become...
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Müller’s mission – What rules have got to do with it
His is an unenviable task. With the faithful inspired by a charismatic Pope to show and share God’s mercy in their lives, Cardinal Gerhard Müller has to remind us of the less enticing but equally...
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Network of love – Bishop van den Hende on what makes a diocese
Last month, the Dioceses of Groningen-Leeuwarden and Rotterdam marked the 60th anniversary of their foundation. A week ago, the website of the latter diocese published the text of the Bishop Hans van...
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In surprising move, Bishop de Korte goes south
It was one of the more unexpected choices, and for the new bishop the change will be big in several ways: he goes from the north to the south of the country, from a diocese with few Catholics to one...
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How God left the Netherlands – or is it the other way around?
Lots of news on social media today about the latest edition of the five-yearly poll on the faith of the Dutch. In short, the trend is as expected: fewer people who call themselves Christians, who...
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Palm Sunday – The inevitability of the Passion
It’s Palm Sunday, which means Holy Week has begun. In the Gospel reading at Mass we heard the entire Easter narrative, from the Last Supper to Jesus’ entombment – we’ll go over the same events in the...
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The good death of Good Friday
“And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that he thus breathed his...
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Looking ahead to Amoris laetitia
Today will see the publication of the long-awaited Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris laetitia, on love in the family. It will undoubtedly tackle all the hot-button topics discussed during and...
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An ‘existential document’- Cardinal Eijk present Amoris laetitia
Per the request of Pope Francis, bishops’ conferences everywhere officially presented his Post-Synodal Exhortation Amoris laetitia today. In the Netherlands, Cardinal Wim Eijk, president of the...
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Some thoughts about Amoris laetitia, doctrine, mercy and Communion
While it is far from the main point of Amoris laetitia or the Synod of Bishops assemblies that preceeded it, the question of whether divorced and remarried Catholics can receive Communion is one that...
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Ready for launch – a new translation of the Lord’s Prayer
The Dutch and Flemish bishops announced today that the new translation of the Lord’s Prayer, drafted over the past couple of years as a first step to come to a completely new translation of the Roman...
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Once again, west goes to east – Heinrich Timmerevers is the new bishop of...
After a 10-month vacancy, and just before it hosts the biggest national Catholic event of the year, the 100th Katholikentag, the Diocese of Dresden-Meißen has a new bishop. He is 63-year-old Heinrich...
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More than just receiving – After Amoris laetitia, some thoughts on Communion...
Almost a month since the publication of Amoris laetitia, it becomes untenable to claim that the notorious footnote 351 somehow opens the door for divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Communion....
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Archbishop De Kesel on celibacy – not for every priest?
Archbishop Jozef De Kesel of Mechelen-Brussels is once again in the news with his wish that married men also be able to be priests. While this seems an easy reason to consider the archbishop a liberal...
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For clarity – Pope Francis and female deacons
Pope Francis’ recent suggestion that a commission should be formed to study the form and fucntion of female deacons in the early Church (with, one would think, an eye on their possible re-introduction...
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“Farewell diocese”– Bishop de Korte says goodbye
While the Mass for his installation as bishop of ‘s-Hertogenbosch has begun, here is my translation of Bishop Gerard de Korte’s final message to the faithful of Groningen-Leeuwarden, the diocese he...
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The bishop’s agenda – Bishop de Korte’s homily
Bishop Gerard de Korte has the habit of not writing out his homilies. He usually makes somes notes, but for the most part he speaks from memory. His homily during his installation Mass as bishop of...
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“Remember your leaders”– In Echternach, Cardinal Eijk on St. Willibrord
Five years ago I wrote about the annual Echternach procession in honour of Saint Willibrord. In this year’s edition, which was held on Tuesday, Cardinal Wim Eijk gave the homily for the opening...
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Small miracles – In Lourdes, Bishop Wiertz gets personal
Visiting Lourdes with faithful from his diocese last week, Roermond’s Bishop Frans Wiertz related a personal story about his deteriorating eyesight. The 73-year-old bishop, the most senior of the...
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