The diocese of Groningen-Leeuwarden, which also includes Drenthe, has found a new bishop after a year of searching. Ronald Cornelissen (60) was presented this afternoon in the Sint-Jozef Cathedral in Groningen Stad. He comes over from the diocese of Utrecht, where he was a priest.
“I have been asked by Pope Leo to become Bishop of Groningen-Leeuwarden. I would like to thank him for the trust that I have put in me,” writes Cornelissen in a statement.
He also says he is overwhelmed by the request. “I have been working within the pastoral care in the Archdiocese in general and of Overijssel in particular for thirty years. I love parish work.”
He also says: “I am a team player. That is why the synodal process that was used by Pope Francis very much appeals to me. Being a church together, by praying, listening to each other, what lives in joy, gratitude, but also to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
“The diocese is very large in terms of surface area, with relatively few Catholics. Small but nice, but also vulnerable.” The diocese of Groningen-Leeuwarden covers the three northern provinces, the accompanying Wadden Islands and the Noordoostpolder region.