Dutch Mission
Encyclopedia
The Dutch Mission was from 1592 until 1853 the name of the former Catholic Church province of Utrecht
(see Bishop of Utrecht) in the area of the current Netherlands
.
After the Dutch insurrection, Catholicism
was considered an illegal religion. Normal Catholic celebrations were not possible in the United Provinces
, therefore Pope Clement VIII
decided in 1592 to declare the area above the river Waal as a mission area
, as large portions of the area's population had fallen to Protestantism
, at least officially, except for some minor staunchly Catholic regions. Only after the 17th century however would the Calvinist state religion get a firm grip over the vast majority of the northern population of the Netherlands, previously many had still secretly remained loyal to their ancestors' religion.
This Dutch Mission was under control of an apostolic vicar
: a titular bishop
having jurisdiction over mission areas without an established normal hierarchy. The southern, entirely Catholic, provinces (considered colonies by the Dutch States) were under control of the Church province of Mechelen
.
In the early 18th century there was a grave internal conflict around the apostolic vicars Neercassel
and Codde
, who were accused of jansenism
. This resulted in the founding of the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht in 1723 and the schism of several thousands of leading Dutch Catholics with the Roman See
.
In 1725, in a clear act of anti-Catholicism
and in an attempt to divide the country's Catholics and stimulate the Old Catholic Ultrajectine organization, the States-General of the Republic banned the apostolic vicars definitely from the country. From this moment the apostolic nuncio in Brussels
was in charge of the mission. Demise of the country's Catholics continued, although virtually all continuing Catholics who did not capitulate to pressures by officials to convert to Protestantism, remained in union with the pope
.
In 1795 the Batavian Republic
was proclaimed, and there was an official freedom of religion. Churches did not have to be hidden anymore, new seminaries
for priests were founded, and several monasteries
were reinstated.
In 1853, Pope Pius IX
founded the Catholic Church province of Utrecht. At that moment, the Dutch Mission ceased to exist.
Utrecht (province)
Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...
(see Bishop of Utrecht) in the area of the current Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
After the Dutch insurrection, Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
was considered an illegal religion. Normal Catholic celebrations were not possible in the United Provinces
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
, therefore Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January 1592 to 3 March 1605.-Cardinal:...
decided in 1592 to declare the area above the river Waal as a mission area
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
, as large portions of the area's population had fallen to Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
, at least officially, except for some minor staunchly Catholic regions. Only after the 17th century however would the Calvinist state religion get a firm grip over the vast majority of the northern population of the Netherlands, previously many had still secretly remained loyal to their ancestors' religion.
This Dutch Mission was under control of an apostolic vicar
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
: a titular bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
having jurisdiction over mission areas without an established normal hierarchy. The southern, entirely Catholic, provinces (considered colonies by the Dutch States) were under control of the Church province of Mechelen
Mechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
.
In the early 18th century there was a grave internal conflict around the apostolic vicars Neercassel
Johannes van Neercassel
Johannes Baptista van Neercassel was Vicar Apostolic to the Dutch Mission from 1663 to 1686.-Life:He studied at Louvain and in Paris, where he joined the Oratorians. He was ordained priest in 1648 and in 1652 joined the Dutch Mission. In 1662 he was consecrated titular bishop of Castorie and in...
and Codde
Petrus Codde
Petrus Codde was apostolic vicar of the Holland Mission from 1688 to 1702 and Archbishop of Utrecht from 1695 to 1705/1710 .-Life:...
, who were accused of jansenism
Jansenism
Jansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638...
. This resulted in the founding of the Old Catholic Church of Utrecht in 1723 and the schism of several thousands of leading Dutch Catholics with the Roman See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
In 1725, in a clear act of anti-Catholicism
Anti-Catholicism
Anti-Catholicism is a generic term for discrimination, hostility or prejudice directed against Catholicism, and especially against the Catholic Church, its clergy or its adherents...
and in an attempt to divide the country's Catholics and stimulate the Old Catholic Ultrajectine organization, the States-General of the Republic banned the apostolic vicars definitely from the country. From this moment the apostolic nuncio in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
was in charge of the mission. Demise of the country's Catholics continued, although virtually all continuing Catholics who did not capitulate to pressures by officials to convert to Protestantism, remained in union with the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
.
In 1795 the Batavian Republic
Batavian Republic
The Batavian Republic was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on January 19, 1795, and ended on June 5, 1806, with the accession of Louis Bonaparte to the throne of the Kingdom of Holland....
was proclaimed, and there was an official freedom of religion. Churches did not have to be hidden anymore, new seminaries
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
for priests were founded, and several monasteries
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
were reinstated.
In 1853, Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
founded the Catholic Church province of Utrecht. At that moment, the Dutch Mission ceased to exist.
Apostolic vicars of the Dutch Mission (Hollandse Zending)
- Sasbout VosmeerSasbout VosmeerSasbout Vosmeer was the first apostolic vicar to the Dutch Mission.-Life:Vosmeer's father and mother were both from regenten families in Delft. He studied in Leuven and ordained priest in 1572 by archbishop of Utrecht Frederik V Schenck van Toutenburg...
(1592-1614) Titular Archbishop of Philippi - Philippus RoveniusPhilippus RoveniusPhilippus Rovenius, in Dutch Filips van Rouveen was apostolic vicar of the Dutch Mission from 1614 to 1651.-Life:...
(1614-1651) Titular Archbishop of Philippi - Jacobus de la TorreJacobus de la TorreJacobus de la Torre was vicar apostolic of the Dutch Mission from 1651 to 1661 and of the Diocese of 's-Hertogenbosch from 1657 to 1661.-Life:...
(1652-1661) Titular Archbishop of Ephesus - Boudewijn CatzBoudewijn CatzBoudewijn Catz or Cats was apostolic vicar to the Dutch Mission from 1662 to 1663.-Life:He served as vicar to the Diocese of Haarlem and on the death of Jacobus de la Torre, passing over his coadjutor Johannes van Neercassel, Catz was made vicar apostolic on 31 May 1662...
(1662-1663) Titular Archbishop of Philippi - Johannes van NeercasselJohannes van NeercasselJohannes Baptista van Neercassel was Vicar Apostolic to the Dutch Mission from 1663 to 1686.-Life:He studied at Louvain and in Paris, where he joined the Oratorians. He was ordained priest in 1648 and in 1652 joined the Dutch Mission. In 1662 he was consecrated titular bishop of Castorie and in...
(1663-1686) Titular Bishop of Castoria - Petrus CoddePetrus CoddePetrus Codde was apostolic vicar of the Holland Mission from 1688 to 1702 and Archbishop of Utrecht from 1695 to 1705/1710 .-Life:...
(1688-1701) Titular Archbishop of Sebaste - Theodorus de Cock (1702-1704)
- Gerhard Potcamp (1705)
- Adam Daemen (1707-1717) Titular Archbishop of Adrianople
- Johannes van Bijlevelt (1717-1725)
Apostolic vicars who were in charge of the Dutch Mission from Brussels
- Joseph SpinelliGiuseppe SpinelliGiuseppe Spinelli was an Italian Cardinal. He was a prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples....
(1725-1731) - Vincentius Montalto (1731-1732)
- Silvester Valenti GonzagaSilvio Valenti GonzagaSilvio Valenti Gonzaga was an Italian nobleman and Catholic priest.Gonzaga was born in Mantua. He was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 1738 by Pope Clement XII. On the 15 May 1747 he was given the titular church of San Callisto...
(1732-1736) - Franciscus Goddard (1736-1737)
- Lucas Melchior Tempi (1737-1743)
- Petrus Paulus Testa (1744)
- Ignatius Crivelli (1744-1755)
- Carolus Molinari (1755-1763)
- Batholomeus Soffredini (1763)
- Thomas Maria Ghilini (1763-1775)
- Joannes Antonius Maggiora (1775-1776)
- Ignatius BuscaIgnazio BuscaIgnazio Busca was an Italian cardinal and Secretary of State of the Holy See. He was the last son of Lodovico Busca, marquess of Lomagna and Bianca Arconati Visconti. he took a degree in utroque iure in 1759 at the Università La Sapienza of Rome...
(1776-1785) - Michael Causati (1785-1786)
- Antonius Felix Zondadari (1786-1790)
- Caesar Brancadoro (1792-1794)
- Ludovicus Ciamberlani (1794-1828)
- Franciscus Cappacini (1829-1831)
- Antonius Antonucci (1831-1841)
- Innocentius Ferrieri (1841-1847)
- Johannes ZwijsenJohannes ZwijsenJohannes Zwijsen was the first Archbishop of Utrecht after the re-establishment of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in the Netherlands.Zwijsen was ordained a priest on 19 January 1817...
(1847-1848) - Carolus Belgrado (1848-1853)