Leon Lemmens Explained

Honorific-Prefix:His Excellency
Leon Lemmens
Auxiliary Bishop of Flemish Brabant and Mechelen
Province:Belgium
Diocese:Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels
Enthroned:3 April 2011
Predecessor:Jozef De Kesel
Ordination:10 July 1977
Consecration:3 April 2011
Birth Date:1954 3, df=yes
Birth Place:Boorsem
Death Place:Leuven, Belgium
Nationality:Belgian
Religion:Roman Catholic
Residence:Mechelen
Motto:Populum humilem et pauperem (A humble and poor people)
Coat Of Arms:Coat of arms of Leon Lemmens.svg

Leon Lemmens (16 March 1954 – 2 June 2017) was a Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop in Belgium.

Lemmens, a native of Maasmechelen, was ordained a priest on 10 July 1977. He was named an auxiliary bishop to the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels by Pope Benedict XVI on 22 February 2011 and consecrated on 3 April 2011.[1]

Biography

Lemmens followed high school at the Klein Seminarie in Sint-Truiden. He entered seminary in Sint-Truiden (1971-1976) and was ordained to the priesthood to the Diocese of Hasselt on 10 July 1977. He obtained a bachelor in theology at the KU Leuven (1976) and studies moral theology in Rome. He obtained a licentiate in moral theology (1979) and became doctor in theology in 1989.[2]

He worked as a parish priest in Genk (1981-1984). In 1984 he became professor at the seminary in Hasselt. From 1986 to 1997 he was a member of the Interdiocesan Commission on Liturgy and from 1990 to 1995 he was responsible for vocations. In 1994-1995 he took charge of the organisation of the meeting of young people with the pope in Brussels.[3]

In 2004 he became rector of the Romanian College in Rome and in 2005 he was an official at the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches of the Roman Curia.[4]

Auxiliary bishop

On 22 February 2011, pope Benedict XVI appointed Lemmens as auxiliary bishop in the archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, with the responsibility for the vicariate Vlaams-Brabant & Mechelen. He was a Municipa.[5] [6]

He was consecrated on 3 April 2011 in the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg by archbishop André-Joseph Léonard.[7]

Death

Lemmens was a member of the Community of Sant'Egidio from 1977 until his death.[8] He died from leukemia on 2 June 2017 in Leuven, Belgium.[9] His funeral service on 10 June was held in St. Rumbold's Cathedral, Mechelen, which was filled to capacity.[10]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/blemmensl.html Catholic Hierarchy: Leon Lemmens
  2. http://www.kerknet.be/actua/nieuws_detail.php?nieuwsID=97899 Kerknet
  3. http://www.kerknet.be/actua/nieuws_detail.php?nieuwsID=97899 Kerknet
  4. Web site: Drie nieuwe hulpbisschoppen voor het aartsbisdom Mechelen-Brussel . Dutch . . 22 February 2011.
  5. http://www.kerknet.be/actua/nieuws_detail.php?nieuwsID=97899 Kerknet
  6. http://www.kerknet.be/aartsbisdom/content.php?ID=13902 Kerknet
  7. http://www.kerknet.be/actua/nieuws_detail.php?nieuwsID=97899 Kerknet
  8. http://www.kerknet.be/actua/nieuws_detail.php?nieuwsID=97899 Kerknet
  9. News: Hulpbisschop Leon Lemmens overleden . Dutch . Gazet van Antwerpen . 2017-06-02.
  10. News: Bomvolle Sint-Romboutskathedraal voor uitvaart van hulpbisschop Leon Lemmens . Dutch . . 10 June 2017.