Pope Leo has a chance to reshape Belgium’s hierarchy
Just months into his pontificate, Leo XIV has an opportunity to refresh the leadership of the Catholic Church in Belgium.
As Archbishop Luc Terlinden, the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels since 2023, pointed out in an interview released Sept. 15, Belgian Catholics in three of the country’s eight dioceses are awaiting new bishops.
It’s rare for a pope to be able to appoint bishops to almost half of a nation’s dioceses so early in his reign. But that’s the prospect facing Pope Leo. The appointments could give a clearer idea of what the first U.S.-born pope is looking for in episcopal candidates, as well as offering new direction to the Belgian Church.
“My hope is for pastors after God’s own heart... men of unity who are committed to proclaiming the Gospel for today,” Terlinden told France’s KTO television network.
Terlinden, who is 56 years of age and expected to lead the Mechelen-Brussels archdiocese for another 20 years, noted that the wait for the new bishops was “beginning to be a little long.”
But he encouraged Belgian Catholics to be hopeful as they awaited new shepherds, confident “that we will welcome those whom the Lord will give us through the Holy Father’s call.”
Where are the vacancies in the Belgian Church? And what kind of candidates are likely to fill them?
Where are the vacancies?
This is the current situation of Belgium’s eight territorial dioceses:
Antwerp diocese, led by 70-year-old Bishop Johan Bonny since 2009.
Bruges diocese, led by 65-year-old Bishop Lodewijk Aerts since 2016.
Ghent diocese, vacant following the resignation of 75-year-old Bishop Lode Van Hecke in June 2025.
Hasselt diocese, led by 73-year-old Bishop Patrick Hoogmartens since 2004.
Liège diocese, led by 74-year-old Bishop Jean-Pierre Delville since 2013.
Mechelen-Brussels archdiocese, led by 56-year-old Archbishop Luc Terlinden since 2023.
Namur diocese, led by 77-year-old Bishop Pierre Warin since 2019.
Tournai diocese, led by 77-year-old Bishop Guy Harpigny since 2003.
The three dioceses that are expecting new bishops are Ghent, Namur, and Tournai, which together serve around 2.3 million Catholics.
Bishop Lode Van Hecke, reportedly the first Trappist monk to be named a bishop in Belgium, initially sought to resign as Bishop of Ghent due to ill health in March 2025, but Pope Francis was ailing and unable to respond to the request.
Pope Leo XIV accepted Van Hecke’s resignation not long after his election, allowing the bishop to return to his community at Orval Abbey and recuperate.
Bishop Pierre Warin submitted his resignation for health reasons before his 75th birthday. Pope Francis accepted the resignation in January 2023 nunc pro tunc (“now for then”), meaning it will go into effect the day a new Bishop of Namur is appointed.
Bishop Guy Harpigny presented his resignation as Bishop of Tournai on his 75th birthday in 2023. He has not hidden his dissatisfaction at Rome’s slowness to name his successor. At the 2025 Chrism Mass, Harpigny expressed frustration with Archbishop Franco Coppola, the apostolic nuncio to Belgium, who had criticized the state of the Church in Belgium in a recent interview and said the search for new bishops of Namur and Tournai was complicated, because the dioceses were wounded and needed new leaders who were healers.
After reciting a long list of criticisms of the Belgian Church in paraphrase of Coppola, Harpigny asked: “Who in their right mind would agree to become a bishop, honestly?”
What's Your Reaction?
Like
0
Dislike
0
Love
0
Funny
0
Angry
0
Sad
0
Wow
0
