Johannes Zwijsen

John Zwijsen ( born August 28, 1794 in Kerkdriel, † October 16, 1877 in 's- Hertogenbosch ), the first Roman Catholic Archbishop of Utrecht was after the re-establishment of the Catholic Church in the Netherlands.

Zwijsen was consecrated on 19 January 1817 in priests. On January 24, 1842 Zwijsen titular bishop of Gerrha, Vicar Apostolic of Grave- Nijmegen, Apostolic Administrator of Ravenstein Megen and Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of 's -Hertogenbosch was appointed. On April 17, 1842 he was ordained in the Church of St. Denis in Tilburg by the consecrator Ludovicus Cornelius van Wijkerslooth bishop. In 1847 he was appointed apostolic vicar for the Dutch mission ( Hollandse Zending ), an office which he held until 1848. Zwijsen was a friend of King William II, who had a palace in Tilburg. This friendship has helped to improve relations between the ( traditionally Protestant ) Royal Family and the Catholic clergy. In 1844 he founded the Fraters van Tilburg.

When Pope Pius IX. 1853, the Catholic Church reorganized in the Netherlands, Utrecht was again the archdiocese and Zwijsen its first archbishop was. He was also Bishop of the Diocese of 's -Hertogenbosch, whose vicar he had been since 1852. Zwijsen worked intensively on the restoration of the Archbishopric and 1857 could re-open the local seminary. In 1858, the cathedral chapter was organized in 1864 and held the first provincial synod. 1868 resigned Zwijsen, he only retained the leadership of the diocese of 's- Hertogenbosch.