Mechelen-Brussel {Malines-Brussels} (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

André-Joseph (Mutien) Léonard, Archbishop
Jean-Luc Hudsyn, Auxiliary Bishop
Jean Kockerols, Auxiliary Bishop
Léon Lemmens, Auxiliary Bishop
Godfried Danneels, Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus
Jan De Bie, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus
Paul Lanneau, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Name Changed: 8 December 1961
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Belgium
Square Kilometers: 3,700 (1,429 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: Wollemarkt 15, B-2800 Mechelen, Belgie
Telephone: (015)29.26.28
Fax: 20.94.85

Historical Details

Archdiocese of Mechelen
- Latin Name: Mechliniensis
- Erected: 12 May 1559
- Metropolitan See
- Country: Belgium

Past and Present Ordinaries

Antoine Perrenot de Granvella † (10 Mar 1561 Appointed - 24 Jan 1583 Resigned)
Joannes Hauchin † (24 Jan 1583 Appointed - 5 Jan 1589 Died)
Matthias Van den Hove (Hovius) † (25 Sep 1595 Appointed - 30 May 1620 Died)
Jacques Boonen † (13 Oct 1621 Confirmed - 31 May 1655 Died)
André Creusen † (9 Apr 1657 Confirmed - 8 Nov 1666 Died)
Jean de Wachtendonck † (12 Mar 1668 Confirmed - 25 Jun 1668 Died)
Alphonse de Berghes † (17 Nov 1670 Confirmed - 7 Jun 1689 Died)
Humbertus Guilielmus de Precipiano † (8 May 1690 Confirmed - 9 Jun 1711 Died)
Thomas Philip Wallrad d’Hénin-Létard d’Alsace-Boussut de Chimay † (16 Dec 1715 Appointed - 5 Jan 1759 Died)
Joannes-Henricus von Frankenberg † (28 May 1759 Appointed - 20 Nov 1801 Resigned)
Jean-Armand de Bessuéjouls Roquelaure † (14 Apr 1802 Confirmed - 25 Mar 1808 Retired)
Dominique-Georges-Frédéric Dufour de Pradt † (27 Mar 1809 Confirmed - 16 Sep 1815 Resigned)
François Antoine Marie Constantin de Méan et de Beaurieux † (28 Jul 1817 Appointed - 15 Jan 1831 Died)
Engelbert Sterckx † (24 Feb 1832 Appointed - 4 Dec 1867 Died)
Victor-Auguste-Isidore Dechamps, C.SS.R. † (20 Dec 1867 Appointed - 29 Sep 1883 Died)
Pierre-Lambert Goossens † (24 Mar 1884 Appointed - 25 Jan 1906 Died)
Desiré-Félicien-François-Joseph Mercier † (7 Feb 1906 Appointed - 23 Jan 1926 Died)
Jozef-Ernest van Roey † (12 Mar 1926 Appointed - 6 Aug 1961 Died)
Leo Jozef Suenens † (24 Nov 1961 Appointed - 4 Oct 1979 Retired)
Godfried Danneels (19 Dec 1979 Appointed - 18 Jan 2010 Retired)
André-Joseph (Mutien) Léonard (18 Jan 2010 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Archdiocese of Mechelen
12 May 1559	Erected	Diocese of Cambrai Diocese of Liège	Archdiocese of Mechelen (erected)
1801	Territory Added	Diocese of Antwerpen {Antwerp, Anvers} (suppressed)	Archdiocese of Mechelen
8 December 1961	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Mechelen	Diocese of Antwerpen {Antwerp} (erected)
Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussel {Malines-Brussels}
8 December 1961	Name Changed	Archdiocese of Mechelen	Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussel {Malines-Brussels}

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

Archdiocese of Mechelen

1950 3,093,819 .0% 3,186 2,129 5,315 0 4,546 16,202 895 ap1951

Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussel {Malines-Brussels}

1969 2,326,496 .0% 1,925 1,925 0 6,780 658 ap1971

1980 2,278,000 2,504,000 91.0% 1,554 1,987 3,541 643 68 2,408 6,474 657 ap1981

1990 2,000,000 2,373,526 84.3% 1,273 1,240 2,513 795 89 1,778 4,965 687 ap1991

1999 1,600,000 2,470,918 64.8% 1,067 1,149 2,216 722 95 1,586 3,750 677 ap2000

2000 1,800,000 2,500,000 72.0% 1,022 1,143 2,165 831 105 1,654 3,534 677 ap2001

2001 1,800,000 2,514,185 71.6% 977 1,143 2,120 849 101 1,528 3,380 677 ap2002

2002 1,600,000 2,513,783 63.6% 934 1,142 2,076 770 105 1,525 3,274 677 ap2003

2003 1,600,000 2,508,873 63.8% 911 1,142 2,053 779 100 1,477 3,139 677 ap2004

2004 1,600,000 2,500,000 64.0% 892 1,142 2,034 786 98 1,452 2,972 678 ap2005

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Mechelen
1950		3,093,819	.0%	3,186	2,129	5,315	0		4,546	16,202	895	ap1951
Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussel {Malines-Brussels}
1969		2,326,496	.0%	1,925		1,925	0			6,780	658	ap1971
1980	2,278,000	2,504,000	91.0%	1,554	1,987	3,541	643	68	2,408	6,474	657	ap1981
1990	2,000,000	2,373,526	84.3%	1,273	1,240	2,513	795	89	1,778	4,965	687	ap1991
1999	1,600,000	2,470,918	64.8%	1,067	1,149	2,216	722	95	1,586	3,750	677	ap2000
2000	1,800,000	2,500,000	72.0%	1,022	1,143	2,165	831	105	1,654	3,534	677	ap2001
2001	1,800,000	2,514,185	71.6%	977	1,143	2,120	849	101	1,528	3,380	677	ap2002
2002	1,600,000	2,513,783	63.6%	934	1,142	2,076	770	105	1,525	3,274	677	ap2003
2003	1,600,000	2,508,873	63.8%	911	1,142	2,053	779	100	1,477	3,139	677	ap2004
2004	1,600,000	2,500,000	64.0%	892	1,142	2,034	786	98	1,452	2,972	678	ap2005

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Godfried Danneels (Archbishop: 19 Dec 1979 to 18 Jan 2010)
Jan De Bie (Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Mar 1987 to 3 Jan 2009)
Josef De Kesel (Auxiliary Bishop: 20 Mar 2002 to 25 Jun 2010)
Jean-Luc Hudsyn (Priest: 24 Jun 1972; Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Feb 2011)
Jean Kockerols (Priest: 18 Sep 1993; Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Feb 2011)
Paul Lanneau (Priest: 24 Jul 1949; Auxiliary Bishop: 14 Feb 1982 to 20 Mar 2002)
Léon Lemmens (Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Feb 2011)
André-Joseph (Mutien) Léonard (Archbishop: 18 Jan 2010 - )
Rémy Victor Vancottem (Priest: 27 Jun 1969; Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Feb 1982 to 31 May 2010)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Carlo Andrea Anthonis † (Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Mar 1868 to 6 Dec 1893)
Alphonse de Berghes † (Archbishop: 17 Nov 1670 to 7 Jun 1689)
Jean-Armand de Bessuéjouls Roquelaure † (Archbishop: 14 Apr 1802 to 25 Mar 1808)
Jacques Boonen † (Archbishop: 13 Oct 1621 to 31 May 1655)
Joseph-Léon Cardijn † (Priest: 22 Sep 1906 to 15 Feb 1965)
Étienne Joseph Carton de Wiart † (Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Jun 1934 to 8 Jul 1945)
André Creusen † (Archbishop: 9 Apr 1657 to 8 Nov 1666)
Amédée Marie Léon Crooy (Crooij) † (Priest: 20 Sep 1891 to 6 Dec 1915)
Victor-Auguste-Isidore Dechamps, C.SS.R. † (Archbishop: 20 Dec 1867 to 29 Sep 1883)
Maximilien de Fürstenberg † (Priest: 9 Aug 1931 to 14 Mar 1949)
Luc Alfons De Hovre, S.J. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Feb 1982 to 20 Mar 2002)
Emiel-Jozef De Smedt † (Auxiliary Bishop: 16 May 1950 to 31 Jul 1952)
Thomas Philip Wallrad d’Hénin-Létard d’Alsace-Boussut de Chimay † (Archbishop: 16 Dec 1715 to 5 Jan 1759)
Dominique-Georges-Frédéric Dufour de Pradt † (Archbishop: 27 Mar 1809 to 16 Sep 1815)
Joannes-Henricus von Frankenberg † (Archbishop: 28 May 1759 to 20 Nov 1801)
Pierre-Lambert Goossens † (Priest: 21 Dec 1850 to 1 Jun 1883; Archbishop: 24 Mar 1884 to 25 Jan 1906)
Joannes Hauchin † (Archbishop: 24 Jan 1583 to 5 Jan 1589)
Louis Joseph Legraive † (Priest: 19 Sep 1885; Auxiliary Bishop: 17 Oct 1907 to 10 Jun 1940)
François Antoine Marie Constantin de Méan et de Beaurieux † (Archbishop: 28 Jul 1817 to 15 Jan 1831)
Desiré-Félicien-François-Joseph Mercier † (Priest: 4 Apr 1874; Archbishop: 7 Feb 1906 to 23 Jan 1926)
Christoph Bartholomäus Anton Migazzi Von Waal Und Sonnenthurn † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 20 Sep 1751 to 20 Sep 1756)
Antoine Perrenot de Granvella † (Archbishop: 10 Mar 1561 to 24 Jan 1583)
Humbertus Guilielmus de Precipiano † (Archbishop: 8 May 1690 to 9 Jun 1711)
Paul Constant Schoenmaekers † (Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Sep 1952 to 8 Jan 1986)
Engelbert Sterckx † (Priest: 18 Feb 1815; Archbishop: 24 Feb 1832 to 4 Dec 1867)
Leo Jozef Suenens † (Priest: 4 Sep 1927; Auxiliary Bishop: 12 Nov 1945; Archbishop: 24 Nov 1961 to 4 Oct 1979)
Jean Marie van Cauwenbergh † (Priest: 20 Sep 1902; Auxiliary Bishop: 19 Dec 1930 to 14 Apr 1950)
Victor-Jean-Joseph-Marie van den Branden de Reeth † (Auxiliary Bishop: 14 Nov 1879 to 27 Feb 1909)
Matthias Van den Hove (Hovius) † (Archbishop: 25 Sep 1595 to 30 May 1620)
Joseph van der Stappen † (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Jun 1893 to 28 Jul 1908)
Jozef-Ernest van Roey † (Priest: 18 Sep 1897; Archbishop: 12 Mar 1926 to 6 Aug 1961)
Honoré Marie Van Waeyenbergh † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Sep 1954 to 19 Jul 1971)
Jean de Wachtendonck † (Archbishop: 12 Mar 1668 to 25 Jun 1668)
Antoine Alphonse de Wachter † (Priest: 20 Sep 1879; Auxiliary Bishop: 21 Jun 1909 to 15 Nov 1932)

Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussel {Malines-Brussels}

Archidioecesis Mechliniensis-Bruxellensis