The Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands (), sometimes Jansenist Church of Holland, the jurisdiction is currently led by Archbishop Metropolitan Bernd Wallet.

History

Early history

St. Willibrord evangelised the northern parts of the Netherlands (above the Rhine), bringing Roman Catholicism in the 7th century. The southern parts of the now so-called Benelux were already evangelised from the 4th century, beginning with St. Servatius, Bishop of Maastricht. Willibrord had been consecrated by Pope Sergius I in circa 696 in Rome.

In 1145, Pope Eugene III restricted the electorate to the chapters of the five collegiate churches in the diocese. to summon to a court of first instance in Cologne, Philip of Burgundy, his treasurer, and his ecclesiastical and secular subjects. Both Varlet and Steenoven were suspended for illicit episcopal consecration, and excommunicated for claiming a diocesan see of jurisdiction without the permission of the Roman Pontiff. Varlet later reconciled with the Catholic Church, but subsequently consecrated, again without a papal mandate, three more bishops for the independent Ultrajectine church, which would later become known as "Old Catholic" after 1853. Among the three bishops was Petrus Johannes Meindaerts who consecrated several other bishops, becoming the source of apostolic succession for all Old Catholic bishops, after he was consecrated by Varlet in 1739 which had no papal mandate. Their practice of private confession has fallen into disuse in most areas. Since 1878, Old Catholic clergy have been allowed to marry at any time. It would also seem that, by the beginning of the 20th century, the Eucharistic fast had been abandoned, along with practice of Eucharistic Adoration, and the veneration of the saints.

Old Catholic Archbishops of Utrecht

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht (not to be confused with the Catholic prelate who holds the same title) is the leader of the Old Catholic Church of the Netherlands, and chairman of its governing bodies.

The current archbishop is Bernd Wallet.

  • Cornelius van Steenoven (1723–1725)
  • Cornelius Johannes Barchman Wuytiers (1725–1733)
  • Theodorus van der Croon (1734–1739)
  • Petrus Johannes Meindaerts (1739–1767)
  • Walter van Nieuwenhuisen (1768–1797)
  • Johannes Jacobus van Rhijn (1797–1808)
  • Willibrord van Os (1814–1825)
  • Johannes van Santen (1825–1858)
  • Henricus Loos (1858–1873)
  • Johannes Heijkamp (1875–1892)
  • Gerardus Gul (1892–1920)
  • Franciscus Kenninck (1920–1937)
  • Andreas Rinkel (1937–1970)
  • Marinus Kok (1970–1982)
  • Antonius Jan Glazemaker (1982–2000)
  • Joris Vercammen (2000–2020)
  • Bernd Wallet (2020–present)

Old Catholic Bishops of Deventer

  • Antonius Jan Glazemaker (1979–1982)

Further reading

  • M. Kok, The Old-Catholic Church of the Netherlands (1948)
  • Old Catholic Worship in the Netherlands (Society of St. Willibrord, 1961)
  • Gordon Huelin, Saint Willibrord and His Society (undated)

Footnotes

References

hu:Ókatolikus

nl:Oud-katholieke Kerk