Brugge {Bruges} (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Lodewijk Aerts, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 27 May 1834
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussel {Malines-Brussels}
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Belgium
Square Kilometers: 3,144 (1,214 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: https://www.kerknet.be/organisatie/bisdom-brugge
Mailing Address: Bisdom, Heilige-Geeststraat 4, B-8000 Brugge, Belgie
Telephone: (050)33.59.05

Historical Details

Diocese of Brugge {Bruges}
- Latin Name: Brugensis
- Erected: 12 May 1559
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Mechelen
- Country: Belgium

Past and Present Ordinaries

Pieter de Corte † (10 Mar 1561 Appointed - 16 Oct 1567 Died)
Remigius (Remi) Driutius (Drieux) † (16 Sep 1569 Appointed - 12 May 1594 Died)
Mathias Lambrecht † (20 Dec 1595 Appointed - 1 Jun 1602 Died)
Karel-Filips de Rodoan † (26 May 1603 Appointed - 7 Jul 1616 Died)
Pierre Antoine Triest † (3 Apr 1617 Appointed - 25 Oct 1621 Appointed, Bishop of Gent {Ghent, Gand})
Denis Stoffels (Christophori) † (8 Aug 1622 Appointed - 6 Jul 1629 Died)
Servaas de Quinckere † (18 Mar 1630 Confirmed - 13 Mar 1639 Died)
Nicolaas de Haudion † (16 Sep 1641 Confirmed - 26 Sep 1649 Died)
Karel van den Bosch † (17 Apr 1650 Confirmed - 15 Mar 1660 Confirmed, Bishop of Gent {Ghent, Gand})
Robert de Haynin † (19 Dec 1661 Confirmed - 10 Dec 1668 Died)
François de Baillencourt † (18 Mar 1671 Confirmed - 3 Nov 1681 Died)
Humbertus Guilielmus de Precipiano † (7 Dec 1682 Appointed - 8 May 1690 Confirmed, Archbishop of Mechelen)
Guilielmus (Willem) Bassery † (13 Nov 1690 Appointed - 18 Jun 1706 Died)
Hendrik Jozef van Susteren † (16 Dec 1715 Appointed - 24 Feb 1742 Died)
Jan-Baptist de Castillion † (20 May 1743 Confirmed - 26 Jun 1753 Died)
Jan-Robert Caïmo † (1 Apr 1754 Confirmed - 22 Dec 1775 Died)
Felix Willem Antonius Brenart † (12 May 1777 Confirmed - 26 Oct 1794 Died)
François-René Boussen † (23 Jun 1834 Appointed - 1 Oct 1848 Died)
Jean-Baptist Malou † (11 Dec 1848 Appointed - 23 Mar 1864 Died)
Jean Joseph Faict † (22 Sep 1864 Appointed - 4 Jan 1894 Died)
Petrus de Brabandere † (18 May 1894 Appointed - 31 Mar 1895 Died)
Gustave-Joseph Waffelaert † (28 Jun 1895 Appointed - 18 Dec 1931 Died)
Henricus Lamiroy † (18 Dec 1931 Succeeded - 10 May 1952 Died)
Emiel-Jozef De Smedt † (31 Jul 1952 Appointed - 15 Dec 1984 Retired)
Roger Joseph Vangheluwe (15 Dec 1984 Appointed - 23 Apr 2010 Resigned)
Jozef De Kesel (25 Jun 2010 Appointed - 6 Nov 2015 Appointed, Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussel {Malines-Brussels})
Lodewijk Aerts (5 Oct 2016 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Brugge {Bruges}
12 May 1559	Erected	Diocese of Tournai {Doornik}	Diocese of Brugge {Bruges} (erected) Diocese of Ypres (Ieper) (erected)
1801	Suppressed	Diocese of Brugge {Bruges} (suppressed) Diocese of Ypres (Ieper) (suppressed)	Diocese of Gent {Ghent, Gand}
Diocese of Brugge {Bruges}
27 May 1834	Erected	Diocese of Gent {Ghent, Gand}	Diocese of Brugge {Bruges} (erected)
8 April 1967	Territory Lost	Diocese of Brugge {Bruges} (West Flanders and Hainaut)	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

Diocese of Brugge {Bruges}

1950 1,003,500 1,006,357 99.7% 1,394 446 1,840 545 1,017 8,050 345 ap1951

1959 1,015,675 1,044,451 97.2% 1,532 405 1,937 524 1,009 8,620 376 ap1960

1969 1,030,000 1,042,586 98.8% 1,339 430 1,769 582 810 7,000 365 ap1971

1980 1,054,000 1,078,237 97.8% 1,172 370 1,542 683 16 648 5,492 367 ap1981

1990 1,030,000 1,098,271 93.8% 1,028 362 1,390 741 49 613 4,258 367 ap1991

1999 1,050,000 1,125,140 93.3% 889 329 1,218 862 67 492 3,324 366 ap2000

2000 1,050,000 1,127,091 93.2% 832 326 1,158 906 64 482 3,236 366 ap2001

2001 1,045,000 1,128,774 92.6% 807 325 1,132 923 69 479 3,131 366 ap2002

2002 1,040,000 1,130,040 92.0% 767 322 1,089 955 82 440 3,025 365 ap2003

2003 1,035,000 1,132,275 91.4% 774 299 1,073 964 72 442 2,920 365 ap2004

2004 1,025,000 1,133,931 90.4% 760 302 1,062 965 75 436 2,804 364 ap2005

2006 1,010,000 1,138,503 88.7% 669 271 940 1,074 79 340 2,617 363 ap2007

2012 960,000 1,173,440 81.8% 561 225 786 1,221 88 323 1,919 362 ap2013

2015 968,000 1,178,265 82.2% 476 196 672 1,440 92 279 1,581 354 ap2016

2018 841,900 1,190,193 70.7% 413 169 582 1,446 94 236 1,287 349 ap2019

2020 846,400 1,197,690 70.7% 364 148 512 1,653 90 194 1,107 348 ap2021

2022 851,899 1,205,473 70.7% 339 130 469 1,816 86 169 942 339 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Brugge {Bruges}
1950	1,003,500	1,006,357	99.7%	1,394	446	1,840	545		1,017	8,050	345	ap1951
1959	1,015,675	1,044,451	97.2%	1,532	405	1,937	524		1,009	8,620	376	ap1960
1969	1,030,000	1,042,586	98.8%	1,339	430	1,769	582		810	7,000	365	ap1971
1980	1,054,000	1,078,237	97.8%	1,172	370	1,542	683	16	648	5,492	367	ap1981
1990	1,030,000	1,098,271	93.8%	1,028	362	1,390	741	49	613	4,258	367	ap1991
1999	1,050,000	1,125,140	93.3%	889	329	1,218	862	67	492	3,324	366	ap2000
2000	1,050,000	1,127,091	93.2%	832	326	1,158	906	64	482	3,236	366	ap2001
2001	1,045,000	1,128,774	92.6%	807	325	1,132	923	69	479	3,131	366	ap2002
2002	1,040,000	1,130,040	92.0%	767	322	1,089	955	82	440	3,025	365	ap2003
2003	1,035,000	1,132,275	91.4%	774	299	1,073	964	72	442	2,920	365	ap2004
2004	1,025,000	1,133,931	90.4%	760	302	1,062	965	75	436	2,804	364	ap2005
2006	1,010,000	1,138,503	88.7%	669	271	940	1,074	79	340	2,617	363	ap2007
2012	960,000	1,173,440	81.8%	561	225	786	1,221	88	323	1,919	362	ap2013
2015	968,000	1,178,265	82.2%	476	196	672	1,440	92	279	1,581	354	ap2016
2018	841,900	1,190,193	70.7%	413	169	582	1,446	94	236	1,287	349	ap2019
2020	846,400	1,197,690	70.7%	364	148	512	1,653	90	194	1,107	348	ap2021
2022	851,899	1,205,473	70.7%	339	130	469	1,816	86	169	942	339	ap2023