Lucas Van Looy
Lucas Van Looy S.D.B. (born 28 September 1941) is a Belgian prelate of the Catholic Church who was Bishop of Ghent from 2004 to 2019. He worked as a missionary in Korea for more than a decade and held leadership positions with the Salesians from 1984 to 2003.
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Biography
Van Looy was born in Tielen, Belgium. He studied with the Jesuits in Turnhout and Don Bosco College in Hechtel. He became a member of the Salesians of Saint John Bosco in 1961 and studied from 1962 to 1964 at their school in Groot-Bijgaarden. After a three-year stint in South Korea he studied theology at the Catholic University of Louvain from 1967 to 1970. He took his final vows as a Salesian on 6 March 1968 and was ordained a priest on 12 September 1970.[1]
He worked in South Korea from 1972 to 1984. He then held a series of positions in the leadership of the Salesians: head of missions from 1984 to 1990, youth ministry head from 1990 to 1996, and Vicar General from 1996 to 2003.[1]
He was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Ghent by Pope John Paul II on 19 December 2003,[1] and consecrated bishop by Cardinal Godfried Danneels on 1 February 2004.
Pope Francis accepted his retirement in December 2018, but asked him to remain as bishop until his successor was appointed.[2] On 27 November 2019, Pope Francis accepted his resignation and named Lode Van Hecke to succeed him.[3][4]
References
- "Rinunce e Nomine, 19.12.2003" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 19 December 2003. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- "Paus Franciscus aanvaardt ontslag bisschop Luc Van Looy". Kerknet (in Dutch). 16 December 2018.
- "Resignations and Appointments, 27.11.2019" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
- "Lode Van Hecke nieuwe bisschop van Gent". De Standaard (in Dutch). 27 November 2019.