Wim Eijk

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Most Rev. Willem Jacobus Eijk
Denomination Roman Catholic
Senior posting
See Archdiocese of Utrecht
Title Archbishop of Utrecht
Period in office December 11, 2007 — present
Predecessor Adrianus Johannes Cardinal Simonis
Successor incumbent
Personal
Date of birth June 22, 1953 (1953-06-22) (age 54)
Place of birth Duivendrecht

Willem Jacobus (Wim) Eijk (born June 22, 1953) is a Dutch prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. On 11 December 2007 Pope Benedict XVI appointed Wim Eijk as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht[1] and, on the 26th of January 2008 Eijk will be installed in the Sint Catharina Church in Utrecht. He is the 70th successor of Saint Willibrord (658-739)[2] on the See of Utrecht. He was formerly Bishop of Groningen-Leeuwarden.

[edit] Biography

Born in Duivendrecht he originally took a degree in medicine in 1978 at the University of Amsterdam. Consecutively studied to become a priest (after an intensive deliberation with, then Bishop, Simonis) in Kerkrade at Rolduc. From 1979 combined the religious formation with a study in medical ethics at the University of Leiden.

He was ordained to priesthood in 1985 and was incardinated in the Diocese of Roermond. Then he went to work as a chaplain in the parish of St. Anthony of Padua in Venlo Blerick.

In 1987 he completed a PhD degree in Medicine, with a dissertation about euthanasia, subsequently taking another PhD degree in Philosophy from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum)[3] in Rome in 1990, with a thesis which considered genetic manipulation. [4]

He also earned a master's degree and doctorate in theology at the Lateran University of Rome. At the same time he was teaching moral theology at the seminary of Rolduc in the diocese of Roermond. After 1996 Eijk moved to Lugano in Switzerland, where he was Professor of moral theology at the theological faculty of the local university. From 1997 to 2002 he was a member of the International Theological Commission.

When Bishop Eijk on July 17, 1999 as a successor to Bishop Möller as bishop of Groningen - Leeuwarden was appointed, he chose the motto Noli recusare labore. After a difficult start, the episcopate of Bishop Eijk so far, signed by building in all sectors of the Church. The most telling example may be mentioned Groningen cathedral, which changed from a church which locks Saturday to a lively and open church community. In this way came across the diocese Groningen such thriving points elsewhere in the Netherlands sometimes called "places of hope". The number of priestly consecrations is risen in recent years.

Wim Eijk is known to be conservative. Some consider his views extreme[5], especially his views on abortion and homosexuality. Others have argued that he has done nothing else but restate the traditional Roman Catholic position.[6] In 2001 Wim Eijk suffered from a subdural hematoma, but he fully recovered.

In May 2008 Pope Benedict named Archbishop Eijk a member of the Congregation for the Clergy in addition to his duties as Archbishop of Utrecht.

Styles of
Wim Eijk
Reference style The Most Reverend
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Archbishop
Posthumous style not applicable


[edit] References

  1. ^ Cf. Holy See Press Office, Daily Bulletin of 11.12.2007, Rinunce e nomine, Nomina dell’Arcivescovo Metropolita di Utrecht (Paesi Bassi) (Italian)
  2. ^ Reportret: Willibrord
  3. ^ Cf.Holy See Press Office, Daily Bulletin of 11.12.2007, Rinunce e nomine, Nomina dell’Arcivescovo Metropolita di Utrecht (Paesi Bassi) (Italian)
  4. ^ Biografie aartsbisschop Wim Eijk [ Actualiteit | Katholiek Nederland ]
  5. ^ RTV Utrecht - voor stad en provincie Utrecht
  6. ^ nu.nl/algemeen | Wim Eijk aartsbisschop van Utrecht
Preceded by
Johann Bernard Wilhelm Maria Möller		 Bishop of Groningen
17 July 1999 – 11 December 2007		 Succeeded by
See Vacant
Preceded by
Adrianus Johannes Simonis		 Archbishop of Utrecht
11 December 2007 –		 Succeeded by
incumbent
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