Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:History of the Batavia Mission 1592-1821
The Batava, or Holland Mission, was erected in 1592, comprising the Dutch territories where Catholic Dioceses had been suppressed during the Calvinist Reformation. Catholicism was banned in 1573, and 1580 marsk the final end of the Catholic Hierarchy.
Until 1725 the Mission was headed by an Apostolic Vicar (resident until 1717).
From 1727 (de facto since 1725) until 1853, the Papal envoy in Brussels headed the Mission, with the title of Vice-Chancellor of the Hollandic Mission. At the same time, the area was divided into nine districts [termed "Archpriestships", although there might be a better word for it in English]:
- Holland, Zeeland en West-Friesland (the former Dioceses of Haarlem and Middelburg),
- Friesland (former Diocese of Leeuwarden),
- Utrecht (Western part of the former Metropolitan Archdiocese of Utrecht),
- Gelderland (Eastern part of the former Metropolitan Archdiocese of Utrecht, and the Southern part of the former Diocese of Deventer),
- Twente (Central part of the former Diocese of Deventer),
- Drenthe-Salland (Northern part of the former Diocese of Deventer, and Southern part of the former Diocese of Groningen),
- Groningen (Northern part of the former Diocese of Groningen),
- Kleef (entirely in today's Germany: part of the former Diocese of Deventer [or maybe of Utrecht?]),
- Lingen (entirely in today's Germany: part of the former Diocese of Deventer),
- Between 1775 and 1808, most of Kleef was gradually transferred to Gelderland, and the remnant was in 1821 attached to the German Diocese of Münster.
- In 1815, Lower Lingen was transferred to the German Diocese of Osnabrück.
- In 1821, Upper Lingen was transferred to the German Diocese of Münster.
Details regarding the restoration of Hierarchy 1853
In 1853, the Catholic Hierarchy was restored in the Netherlands.
- Utrecht (Metr.): Comprising the above mentioned archdeaneries of Utrecht, Gelderland, Twenthe, Drenthe-Salland, Friesland, and Groningen,
- Breda (D): Comprising all of the Ap. Vicariate of Breda [to which a part of the Belgian Diocese of Gent had been added in 1841], as well as the Zeeland part of the above mentioned archdeanery of Holland, Zeeland en West Friesland),
- Haarlem (D): Comprising the the Holland and West-Friesland parts of the above mentioned archdeanery of Holland, Zeeland en West Friesland), Neither of the restored dioceses Roermond and s'Hertogenbosch received territories from the Batava / Hollandic Mission.
Sources: Notes by Mr. Bob Hilkens in Gent, based upon the Katolieke Encyclopaedie, Amsterdam/Antwerpen, 1949; Nijhoff's Lexicon; and Geschiedenis de Nederlanden.