Netherlands - again!

It seems like past bishops and cardinals from Spain and the Netherlands are featured somewhat prominently on this blog during the last days. Today it's the Netherlands again. Here we go:


Sorry, this first one is a bit blurry. It shows Bernhard Jan Cardinal Alfrink, archbishop of Utrecht from 1955 to 1975.


Say what you want about Catholicism in the Netherlands today. At least in the past they knew how to Par-tay...


... as bishop Bekkers of ’s Hertogenbosch (left) demonstrates, standing next to a prelate I wasn't able to identify.

[Update Feb. 14th 2009: A kind reader sent in the following information: "The prelate you were'nt able to identify is Mgr Jan Bluyssen, on the day of his concecration as bishop-coadjutor (December 27, 1961). He became bishop of 's Hertogenbosch after Bekker's death in 1966. He was 35 years of age on the day of his concecration, thus becoming the youngest bishop of the Dutch Conference."
Thanks, Robbert!]


I love this photo, with the slightly lit background and all. Too bad I don't have a bigger version of it. It shows Jan Huibers, bishop of Haarlem from 1935 to 1960.


Familiar faces: Bishop Bekkers, Cardinal Alfrink, Bishop Mutsaerts (from left)


I'd love to have a bigger version of this terrific shot of the Utrecht cathedral canons.


These last two photos strictly speaking do not belong here, since they were not taken in the Netherlands. But there is a connection: Here you see Paolo Cardinal Giobbe taking possession of his titular Church Santa Maria in Vallicella in 1958. He was the internuntio in the Netherlands from 1935 to 1958.


And this one shows Cardinal Alfrink again, sitting next to Rufino Cardinal Santos, archbishop of Manila, on the day that they were created cardinals (March 28th 1960).