The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rotterdam is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in South Holland province of the Netherlands. The diocese is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht. Since 2011, the bishop has been Hans van den Hende. The cathedral ecclesiastical see is the Kathedrale Kerk van de HH Laurentius en Elisabeth, dedicated to Saints Lawrence and Elisabeth, in Rotterdam. The only minor basilica is Basiliek van de H. Liduina en Onze Lieve Vrouw van de Rozenkrans, dedicated to St. Liduina and Our Lady of the Rosary, in Schiedam. History It was erected on July 16, 1955, on territory from the split off from the Diocese of Haarlem, from which at the same time the Diocese of Groningen was also split off. It enjoyed a papal visit from Pope John Paul II in May 1985. Statistics As per 2014, it pastorally served 531,600 Catholics (14.5% of 3,655,000 total, mainly protestants and atheists) on 3,403 km² in 75 parishes, with 358 priests (110 diocesan, 248 religious), 34 deacons, 452 lay religious (289 brothers, 163 sisters) and 6 seminarians. Ordinaries (all Roman Rite) Suffragan bishops of Rotterdam Martien Jansen (10 March 1956 – 2 January 1970), emeritate as titular bishop of Basti (2 January 1970 – death 29 November 1970) Adrianus Johannes Simonis (29 December 1970 – 27 June 1983), later president of Episcopal Conference of the Netherlands (1983 – 26 January 2008), coadjutor archbishop of Utrecht (Netherlands) (27 June 1983 – 3 December 1983) succeeding as Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht (3 December 1983 – retired 14 April 2007), created cardinal-priest of S. Clemente (25 May 1985 – ...), acting as Apostolic Administrator of Utrecht (Netherlands) (14 April 2007 – retired 11 December 2007) Ronald Philippe Bär, Benedictine Order (O.S.B.) (19 October 1983 – 13 March 1993), succeeding as previous auxiliary bishop of Rotterdam (15 January 1982 – 19 October 1983) and titular bishop of Leges (15 January 1982 – 19 October 1983); concurrently last military vicar of Netherlands (22 November 1982 – 21 July 1986), promoted first military ordinary of Netherlands (21 July 1986 – retired 13 March 1993) Adrianus van Luyn, Salesians (S.D.B.) (27 November 1993 – 14 January 2011), concurrently vice-president of Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (2000 – 2006.03) promoted to president of Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (2006.03 – 14 January 2011) and president of Episcopal Conference of the