Gent {Ghent, Gand} (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Lode Van Hecke, O.C.S.O., Bishop
Arthur Luysterman, Bishop Emeritus
Lucas Van Looy, S.D.B., Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 12 May 1559
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussel {Malines-Brussels}
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Belgium
Square Kilometers: 3,026 (1,168 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: https://www.kerknet.be/organisatie/bisdom-gent
Mailing Address: Bisdomplein 1, B-9000 Gent, Belgie
Telephone: (09)225.16.26
Fax: 223.39.59

Past and Present Ordinaries

Cornelis Jansen † (6 Jul 1565 Appointed - 11 Apr 1576 Died)
Guillaume Damasi Van der Linden (Lindanus) † (12 Feb 1588 Appointed - 2 Nov 1588 Died)
Pieter Damant † (18 Jun 1590 Appointed - 14 Sep 1609 Died)
Karel Maes † (18 Aug 1610 Appointed - 21 May 1612 Died)
Henri-François van der Burch † (1 Oct 1612 Confirmed - 2 May 1616 Appointed, Archbishop of Cambrai)
Jacques Boonen † (28 Nov 1616 Appointed - 13 Oct 1621 Confirmed, Archbishop of Mechelen)
Pierre Antoine Triest † (25 Oct 1621 Appointed - 28 May 1657 Died)
Karel van den Bosch † (15 Mar 1660 Confirmed - 5 Apr 1665 Died)
Eugenius Albertus d’Allamont † (7 Jun 1666 Confirmed - 28 Aug 1673 Died)
Frans van Horenbeke † (24 May 1677 Appointed - 4 Jan 1679 Died)
Ignaas August Schetz van Grobbendonck † (13 Nov 1679 Appointed - 31 May 1680 Died)
Albert de Hornes † (13 Jan 1681 Appointed - 4 Jun 1694 Died)
Philips-Erard van der Noot † (8 Nov 1694 Appointed - 3 Feb 1730 Died)
Jan-Baptist de Smet † (6 Aug 1731 Confirmed - 27 Sep 1741 Died)
Maximiliaan-Antoon van der Noot † (26 Nov 1742 Confirmed - 27 Sep 1770 Died)
Govaart-Geeraard van Eersel † (30 Mar 1772 Confirmed - 24 May 1778 Died)
Ferdinand-Marie de Lobkowitz † (20 Sep 1779 Confirmed - 29 Jan 1795 Died)
Etienne-André-François de Paule de Fallot de Béaupré de Beaumont † (15 May 1802 Confirmed - 3 Aug 1807 Appointed, Bishop of Piacenza)
Maurice-Jean-Madeleine de Broglie † (3 Aug 1807 Confirmed - 20 Jul 1821 Died)
Jan Frans (Jean-François) Van de Velde † (18 May 1829 Appointed - 7 Aug 1838 Died)
Lodewijk-Jozef Delebecque † (13 Sep 1838 Appointed - 2 Oct 1864 Died)
Hendrik-Frans (Henri-François) Bracq † (27 Mar 1865 Appointed - 17 Jun 1888 Died)
Henri-Charles-Camille Lambrecht † (17 Jun 1888 Succeeded - 2 Jul 1889 Died)
Antoine Stillemans † (30 Dec 1889 Appointed - 9 Nov 1916 Died)
Émile-Jean Seghers † (22 Mar 1917 Appointed - 17 May 1927 Died)
Honoré-Joseph Coppieters † (17 May 1927 Succeeded - 20 Dec 1947 Died)
Karel Justinus Marie Ernest Calewaert † (28 Jan 1948 Appointed - 27 Dec 1963 Died)
Léonce Albert Van Peteghem † (28 May 1964 Appointed - 27 Dec 1991 Retired)
Arthur Luysterman (27 Dec 1991 Succeeded - 19 Dec 2003 Resigned)
Lucas Van Looy, S.D.B. (19 Dec 2003 Appointed - 27 Nov 2019 Retired)
Lode Van Hecke, O.C.S.O. (27 Nov 2019 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
12 May 1559	Erected	Diocese of Cambrai Diocese of Tournai {Doornik} Archdiocese of Utrecht	Diocese of Gent {Ghent, Gand} (erected)
1801	Territory Added	Diocese of Brugge {Bruges} (suppressed) Diocese of Ypres (Ieper) (suppressed)	Diocese of Gent {Ghent, Gand}
22 March 1803	Territory Lost	Diocese of Antwerpen {Antwerp, Anvers} Diocese of Gent {Ghent, Gand} Diocese of Roermond	Vicariate Apostolic of Breda (erected)
27 May 1834	Territory Lost	Diocese of Gent {Ghent, Gand}	Diocese of Brugge {Bruges} (erected)
24 February 1958	Territory Lost	Diocese of Gent {Ghent, Gand} (Parish of Saint Anne)	Archdiocese of Mechelen
11 October 1966	Territory Added	Diocese of Tournai {Doornik} (Everbeek-S. Mariae and Everbeek-S. Joseph; Breucq, Cocambre and La Haute (of Ellezelles); Donkerstraete and Haie-de-Viane (of Deux-Acren); and La Hutte (of Plobecq))	Diocese of Gent {Ghent, Gand}
11 October 1966	Territory Lost	Diocese of Gent {Ghent, Gand} (Sint-Bavokerk (Amougies), Sint Brixius (Orroir), and Rousseignies-S. Amandi)	Diocese of Tournai {Doornik}

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

1950 1,131,000 1,237,502 91.4% 1,285 394 1,679 673 1,628 9,126 387 ap1951

1970 1,290,000 1,321,831 97.6% 1,254 447 1,701 758 606 7,012 416 ap1971

1980 1,300,000 1,344,576 96.7% 1,080 352 1,432 907 9 903 5,246 424 ap1981

1990 1,208,900 1,350,000 89.5% 856 255 1,111 1,088 39 678 3,903 427 ap1991

1999 1,174,000 1,355,000 86.6% 681 199 880 1,334 60 538 2,816 427 ap2000

2000 1,174,000 1,378,702 85.2% 657 199 856 1,371 60 474 2,655 427 ap2001

2001 1,174,000 1,400,000 83.9% 641 199 840 1,397 63 474 2,550 427 ap2002

2002 1,174,000 1,400,000 83.9% 622 199 821 1,429 64 456 2,435 425 ap2003

2003 1,174,000 1,400,000 83.9% 610 199 809 1,451 67 477 2,198 427 ap2004

2004 1,000,000 1,400,000 71.4% 588 199 787 1,270 69 477 2,055 427 ap2005

2006 1,000,000 1,398,650 71.5% 554 199 753 1,328 73 348 1,871 427 ap2007

2013 1,055,000 1,477,870 71.4% 405 81 486 2,170 92 202 1,332 427 ap2014

2016 1,064,000 1,480,000 71.9% 353 63 416 2,557 95 168 1,063 426 ap2017

2019 1,101,000 1,558,010 70.7% 301 48 349 3,154 93 133 826 405 ap2020

2021 1,088,100 1,539,800 70.7% 265 40 305 3,567 90 120 690 368 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	1,131,000	1,237,502	91.4%	1,285	394	1,679	673		1,628	9,126	387	ap1951
1970	1,290,000	1,321,831	97.6%	1,254	447	1,701	758		606	7,012	416	ap1971
1980	1,300,000	1,344,576	96.7%	1,080	352	1,432	907	9	903	5,246	424	ap1981
1990	1,208,900	1,350,000	89.5%	856	255	1,111	1,088	39	678	3,903	427	ap1991
1999	1,174,000	1,355,000	86.6%	681	199	880	1,334	60	538	2,816	427	ap2000
2000	1,174,000	1,378,702	85.2%	657	199	856	1,371	60	474	2,655	427	ap2001
2001	1,174,000	1,400,000	83.9%	641	199	840	1,397	63	474	2,550	427	ap2002
2002	1,174,000	1,400,000	83.9%	622	199	821	1,429	64	456	2,435	425	ap2003
2003	1,174,000	1,400,000	83.9%	610	199	809	1,451	67	477	2,198	427	ap2004
2004	1,000,000	1,400,000	71.4%	588	199	787	1,270	69	477	2,055	427	ap2005
2006	1,000,000	1,398,650	71.5%	554	199	753	1,328	73	348	1,871	427	ap2007
2013	1,055,000	1,477,870	71.4%	405	81	486	2,170	92	202	1,332	427	ap2014
2016	1,064,000	1,480,000	71.9%	353	63	416	2,557	95	168	1,063	426	ap2017
2019	1,101,000	1,558,010	70.7%	301	48	349	3,154	93	133	826	405	ap2020
2021	1,088,100	1,539,800	70.7%	265	40	305	3,567	90	120	690	368	ap2022