athedral ▁by ▁the ▁bishop ▁of ▁Tour na i . ▁He ▁was ▁solemn ly ▁ent hr oned ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁November . ▁ ▁His ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁were ▁difficult , ▁due ▁to ▁differ ing ▁interpret ations ▁of ▁rights ▁to ▁religious ▁liberty ▁and ▁free ▁expression . ▁He ▁swift ly ▁placed ▁himself ▁under ▁the ▁authority ▁of ▁the ▁Pro vis ional ▁Government ▁of ▁Belg ium ▁set ▁up ▁by ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁Revolution . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁May ▁ 1 8 3 4 ▁the ▁dioc ese ▁of ▁Gh ent ▁was ▁split ▁to ▁re - est ab lish ▁the ▁dioc ese ▁of ▁Bru ges , ▁the ▁territory ▁of ▁which ▁now ▁correspond ed ▁to ▁the ▁province ▁of ▁West ▁Fland ers . ▁ ▁Van ▁de ▁Vel de ▁approved ▁and ▁encourag ed ▁new ▁con greg ations ▁for ▁char itable ▁apost ol ates , ▁and ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁dioc es an ▁schools , ▁minor ▁sem in aries , ▁and ▁parish ▁Sunday ▁schools . ▁One ▁of ▁his ▁first ▁actions ▁as ▁bishop , ▁on ▁ 2 ▁December ▁ 1 8 2 9 , ▁had ▁been ▁to ▁dec ree ▁the ▁re - est ab lish ment ▁of ▁the ▁Major ▁Sem inary ▁of ▁Gh ent , ▁which ▁re open ed ▁on ▁ 3 ▁February ▁ 1 8 3 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 3 ▁the ▁Jes uits ▁obtained ▁permission ▁to ▁set ▁up ▁the ▁Sint - Bar bar ac ol lege ▁in ▁the ▁city , ▁and ▁the ▁Domin icans ▁returned ▁to ▁Gh