Johannes Zwijsen

Who was Johannes Zwijsen?

Johannes 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. On 17 April 1842, he was consecrated Titular bishop of Gerra and Coadjutor of the Apostolic vicar of s-Hertogenbosch, at Church of Saint Denis in Tilburg, by baron Cornelius Ludovicus van Wijkerslooth, ordaining bishop for the Netherlands. Zwijsen took as his episcopal motto: Mansuete et fortiter, mild and strong. He founded the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady Mother of Mercy as a teaching order. In 1847 he was appointed Apostolic vicar of the Dutch Mission, until 1848. When Pope Pius IX, with the apostolic letter "Ex qua die", reorganized the Catholic Church of the Netherlands, Utrecht was raised once more to an archbishopric, and Zwijsen was named the first archbishop; as administrator he also ruled the diocese of 's-Hertogenbosch.

He took up with great energy and caution the organization of the restored archdiocese. By numerous excellent decrees he provided for the improvement of discipline, the encouragement of orders and of church associations and for the establishment of Catholic schools.