• His Excellency Mgr Jean-Claude Hollerich S.J., Archbishop of Luxembourg, has been elected President of COMECE by the Delegates of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union for a 5 years mandate.

    In the same election, four Vice Presidents were also elected: Mgr Noel Treanor (Ireland), Mgr Mariano Crociata (Italy), Mgr Jan Vokal (Czech Republic), Franz-Josef Overbeck (Germany).

    Mgr Hollerich succeeds to H. Em. Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who held the reins of COMECE for two terms and, among other things, drove the process of the (Re)Thinking Europe Dialogue.

    Mgr Hollerich is now entrusted with the responsibility and the challenge to lead COMECE for the period 2018-2023, capitalising on the success of (Re)thinking Europe, strengthening the Dialogue between the EU institutions and the Catholic Church on the basis of Article 17 TFEU.

    Immediately after his election, President Mgr Hollerich stated that he is “ready to work together with all persons of good will who are dedicated to respect and protect human dignity”, confirming the commitment of COMECE to put the human person and the common good at the center of EU policies.

    Representing Luxembourg at COMECE since November 2011, Mgr Hollerich has been contributing to an active Dialogue between the EU institutions and the Church. During the 13th Annual High-Level meeting hosted by the European Commission, Mgr Hollerich stated that Churches and religious communities are engaged in a Dialogue with political actors to contribute to the construction of Europe as a project of peace based on the common good. “Christians – he recalled – are not an interest group speaking in favor of religions, but European citizens committed to the construction of Europe, our common house”.

    During their Spring Assembly, the Bishops also appointed  Mgr Rimantas Norvila (Lithuania) as President of the Commission on External Relations of the EU, Mgr Antoine Herouard (France) as President of the Commission on Social Affairs, and Mgr Theodorus Cornelis Maria Hoogenboom (Netherlands) as President of the Commission on Legal Affairs.

    The launch of the newly elected COMECE Praesidium will be marked by the Mass for Europe, to be celebrated today at 19:00 at the church of Notre-Dame du Sablon, Brussels, upon the invitation of H. Em. Cardinal Joseph De Kesel, Archbishop of Malines-Brussels.