As a leak in the official embargo of the news virtually established as fact yesterday, the Diocese of Breda announced the name of its new bishop at noon today. He is Msgr. Jan Liesen, currently one of the two auxiliary bishops of the neighbouring Diocese of ‘s Hertogenbosch. In a first reaction to the news, published minutes ago on Youtube, Bishop Liesen comes across as overwhelmed at the news, yet also humble, well-spoken and amiable.
Bishop Liesen was appointed to Breda fairly shortly after his consecration to bishop, which happened on 18 September of last year. A reassignment this soon after the previous one began is not unheard of, but pretty rare.
The appointment of Bishop Liesen to succeed Bishop Hans van den Hende, who was appointed to the Diocese of Rotterdam in May of this year and installed in July, provides for continuity. Both bishops know each other from their studies in Rome and seem to be equally all-round and firmly rooted in the Church. Bishop Liesen is an established teacher and theologian (as member of the International Theological Commission, he is off to Rome tomorrow for that body’s annual plenary meeting), with ample experience, as both bishops attest to in the video above.
Bishop Liesen will be installed as the 11th bishop of Breda on 28 January.
Photo credit: Bisdom Den Bosch
In Caelo et in Terra 
Congratulations! May GOD bless your new assigment.