Bishop Cornelis Franciscus Maria van den Hout

Bishop Cornelis F.M. van den Hout was born on 11 November 1964 in Tilburg. He attended the High School of Agriculture in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and entered the Sint-Janscentrum Major Seminary of the diocese of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, where he carried out his studies in philosophy and theology. He was ordained a priest on 5 June 1993, and incardinated in the diocese of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. He was awarded a licentiate in biblical theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1997) and went on to serve as parish administrator in Tilburg, parish priest of Drunen-Elshout, teacher at the Sint-Janscentrum Major Seminary and the major seminary of Rolduc, diocese of Roermond, and at the Bovendonk Centre, diocese of Breda (since 1998). He held the offices of dean of the deanery of Heusden-Waalwijk-Zaltbommel and parish priest of the pastoral unit of Bommelerwaard (since 2009). In 2009 he was awarded a doctorate in theology from the Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen. In 2012, maintaining the office of parish priest, he was appointed vicar general. On 1 April 2017 he was appointed bishop of Groningen-Leeuwarden, receiving episcopal consecration the following 3 June.