Liège (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Aloysius Jousten, Bishop
Albert Jean Charles Ghislain Houssiau, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 4th Century
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussel {Malines-Brussels}
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Belgium
Square Kilometers: 3,862 (1,491 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: 25 Rue de l'Eveche, B-4000 Liege, Belgique
Telephone: (04)230.31.50
Fax: 223.70.80

Past and Present Ordinaries

Erhard (Erardo, Everard) von der Mark (de la Marca, Marck) † (25 Feb 1506 Appointed - 28 Mar 1520 Appointed, Archbishop of Valencia)
Jorge de Austria † (16 Aug 1544 Succeeded - 4 May 1557 Died)
Gerard van Groesbeeck † (5 Jun 1564 Appointed - 23 Dec 1580 Died)
Ernst Herzog von Bayern † (30 Jan 1581 Appointed - 17 Feb 1612 Died)
Ferdinand Herzog von Bayern † (17 Feb 1612 Succeeded - 13 Sep 1650 Died)
Max Heinrich Herzog von Bayern † (13 Sep 1650 Succeeded - 3 Jun 1688 Died)
Jean Louis d'Elderen † (17 Aug 1688 Appointed - 1 Feb 1694 Died)
Joseph Clemens von Bayern von Wittelsbach † (4 Apr 1694 Appointed - 11 Dec 1723 Died)
Georges Louis de Berghes † (7 Feb 1724 Appointed - 5 Dec 1743 Died)
Johann Theodor von Bayern † (23 Jan 1744 Appointed - 27 Jan 1763 Died)
Charles Nicolas Alexandre d'Oultremont † (20 Apr 1763 Appointed - 22 Oct 1771 Died)
Franz Karl Reichsgraf von Velbrück † (16 Jan 1772 Appointed - 30 Apr 1784 Died)
César Constantin François de Hoensbroeck † (21 Jul 1784 Appointed - 4 Jun 1792 Died)
François Antoine Marie Constantin de Méan et de Beaurieux † (16 Aug 1792 Appointed - 26 Nov 1801 Resigned)
Jean-Évangéliste Zäpfel (Zaepfell) † (29 Apr 1802 Appointed - 17 Oct 1808 Died)
Cornelius Richard Antoon van Bommel † (15 Nov 1829 Ordained Bishop - 7 Apr 1852 Died)
Théodore Alexis Joseph de Montpellier † (27 Sep 1852 Appointed - 26 Aug 1879 Died)
Victor-Joseph Doutreloux † (26 Aug 1879 Succeeded - 20 Aug 1901 Died)
Martin-Hubert Rutten † (16 Dec 1901 Appointed - 17 Jul 1927 Died)
Louis-Joseph Kerkhofs † (17 Jul 1927 Succeeded - 7 Dec 1961 Retired)
Guillaume Marie van Zuylen † (7 Dec 1961 Succeeded - 17 Mar 1986 Retired)
Albert Jean Charles Ghislain Houssiau (17 Mar 1986 Appointed - 9 May 2001 Retired)
Aloysius Jousten (9 May 2001 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
4th Century	Erected		Diocese of Liège (erected)
12 May 1559	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cambrai Diocese of Liège	Archdiocese of Mechelen (erected)
12 May 1559	Territory Lost	Diocese of Liège	Diocese of Namur {Namen} (erected)
12 May 1559	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cambrai Diocese of Liège	Diocese of Antwerpen {Antwerp} (erected)
12 May 1559	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Köln {Cologne} Diocese of Liège	Diocese of Roermond (erected)
29 November 1801	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Köln {Cologne} Diocese of Liège	Diocese of Aachen (erected)
31 May 1967	Territory Lost	Diocese of Liège	Diocese of Hasselt (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1950 1,300,000 1,424,297 91.3% 1,810 710 2,520 515 1,400 5,500 778 ap1951

1970 900,000 1,016,131 88.6% 980 318 1,298 693 2 461 515 ap1971

1980 800,000 1,007,490 79.4% 787 223 1,010 792 31 304 1,819 518 ap1981

1990 780,000 993,060 78.5% 659 189 848 919 66 256 1,239 523 ap1991

1999 700,000 1,017,805 68.8% 480 209 689 1,015 72 276 801 505 ap2000

2000 700,000 1,016,762 68.8% 465 185 650 1,076 74 247 762 525 ap2001

2001 700,000 1,020,077 68.6% 445 184 629 1,112 75 247 743 525 ap2002

2002 700,000 1,023,506 68.4% 440 184 624 1,121 74 250 743 525 ap2003

2003 700,000 1,023,506 68.4% 421 122 543 1,289 76 175 609 525 ap2004

2004 700,000 1,023,506 68.4% 402 122 524 1,335 74 168 579 525 ap2005

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	1,300,000	1,424,297	91.3%	1,810	710	2,520	515		1,400	5,500	778	ap1951
1970	900,000	1,016,131	88.6%	980	318	1,298	693	2	461		515	ap1971
1980	800,000	1,007,490	79.4%	787	223	1,010	792	31	304	1,819	518	ap1981
1990	780,000	993,060	78.5%	659	189	848	919	66	256	1,239	523	ap1991
1999	700,000	1,017,805	68.8%	480	209	689	1,015	72	276	801	505	ap2000
2000	700,000	1,016,762	68.8%	465	185	650	1,076	74	247	762	525	ap2001
2001	700,000	1,020,077	68.6%	445	184	629	1,112	75	247	743	525	ap2002
2002	700,000	1,023,506	68.4%	440	184	624	1,121	74	250	743	525	ap2003
2003	700,000	1,023,506	68.4%	421	122	543	1,289	76	175	609	525	ap2004
2004	700,000	1,023,506	68.4%	402	122	524	1,335	74	168	579	525	ap2005

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Jorge de Austria † (Coadjutor Bishop: 23 Feb 1541; Bishop: 16 Aug 1544 to 4 May 1557)
Jean Arnold Barret † (Priest: 23 Feb 1793 to 15 Apr 1833)
Ernst Herzog von Bayern † (Bishop: 30 Jan 1581 to 17 Feb 1612)
Ferdinand Herzog von Bayern † (Coadjutor Bishop: 1601; Bishop: 17 Feb 1612 to 13 Sep 1650)
Johann Theodor von Bayern † (Bishop: 23 Jan 1744 to 27 Jan 1763)
Max Heinrich Herzog von Bayern † (Coadjutor Bishop: 19 Oct 1649; Bishop: 13 Sep 1650 to 3 Jun 1688)
Joseph Clemens von Bayern von Wittelsbach † (Bishop: 4 Apr 1694 to 11 Dec 1723)
Georges Louis de Berghes † (Bishop: 7 Feb 1724; Priest: 17 Dec 1724; Bishop: 31 Dec 1724 to 5 Dec 1743)
Jean Antoine Blavier, O.F.M. Conv. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 4 May 1654 to 1695)
Charles Alexandre d'Arberg et de Valengin † (Auxiliary Bishop: 31 Aug 1767 to 12 Apr 1785)
Jean Louis d'Elderen † (Priest: 10 Feb 1670; Bishop: 17 Aug 1688 to 1 Feb 1694)
Charles Nicolas Alexandre d'Oultremont † (Bishop: 20 Apr 1763; Priest: 24 Apr 1764; Bishop: 4 May 1764 to 22 Oct 1771)
Victor-Joseph Doutreloux † (Coadjutor Bishop: 5 Jul 1875; Bishop: 26 Aug 1879 to 20 Aug 1901)
Jean Baptiste Gillis † (Priest: 22 Sep 1703; Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Jul 1729 to 1 Dec 1736)
Charles Antoine de Grady † (Priest: 19 May 1742; Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Nov 1763 to 9 Jul 1767)
Gerard van Groesbeeck † (Bishop: 5 Jun 1564 to 23 Dec 1580)
Henri Henrard, O.F.M. Conv. † (Apostolic Administrator: 17 Oct 1808 to 23 Sep 1814)
Jozef-Maria Heuschen † (Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Jul 1962 to 13 Jun 1967)
César Constantin François de Hoensbroeck † (Priest: 28 May 1752; Bishop: 21 Jul 1784 to 4 Jun 1792)
Pierre Louis Jacquet † (Priest: 27 Jan 1737; Auxiliary Bishop: 11 Feb 1737 to 11 Oct 1763)
Louis-Joseph Kerkhofs † (Coadjutor Bishop: 18 Dec 1924; Bishop: 17 Jul 1927 to 7 Dec 1961)
Giacomo Laminne † (Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Jan 1919 to 23 Oct 1924)
Johann Theodor Laurent † (Priest: 14 Mar 1829 to 17 Sep 1839)
François Antoine Marie Constantin de Méan et de Beaurieux † (Priest: 17 Sep 1785; Auxiliary Bishop: 19 Dec 1785; Bishop: 16 Aug 1792 to 26 Nov 1801)
Théodore Alexis Joseph de Montpellier † (Bishop: 27 Sep 1852 to 26 Aug 1879)
Richard Pauli-Stravius † (Priest: 1631 to 21 Oct 1641)
Louis François Rossius de Liboy † (Priest: 1687; Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Jun 1696 to 25 Nov 1728)
Martin-Hubert Rutten † (Bishop: 16 Dec 1901 to 17 Jul 1927)
Antoine Casimir Libère de Stockem † (Priest: 19 Jun 1791; Auxiliary Bishop: 3 Dec 1792 to 27 Aug 1811)
Cornelius Richard Antoon van Bommel † (Bishop: 15 Nov 1829 to 7 Apr 1852)
Guillaume Marie van Zuylen † (Priest: 11 Sep 1932; Coadjutor Bishop: 9 Jul 1951; Bishop: 7 Dec 1961 to 17 Mar 1986)
Franz Karl Reichsgraf von Velbrück † (Bishop: 16 Jan 1772; Priest: 26 Apr 1772; Bishop: 5 May 1772 to 30 Apr 1784)
Erhard (Erardo, Everard) von der Mark (de la Marca, Marck) † (Bishop: 25 Feb 1506 to 28 Mar 1520)
Jean-Évangéliste Zäpfel (Zaepfell) † (Bishop: 29 Apr 1802 to 17 Oct 1808)

Diocese of Liège

Dioecesis Leodiensis

Bishop(s)

General Information

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased