Moves to heal Dutch church rift

THE SERIOUS divisions in the Church in Holland may begin to heal with the appointment by Pope John Paul of four new auxiliary bishops, bringing the total in the Dutch bishops conference to I I.
The Pope appointed two assistants for Cardinal Johannes Willebrands of Utrecht, Netherlands, and the dioceses of Roermond and Rotterdam each received an auxiliary bishop.
The namings involve the sees whose leaders have been in conflict over the direction of the Dutch Church.• Bishop Johannes Gijs.en of Roermond and Bishop Andrianus Simonis of Rotterdam formed a minority in the Dutch hierarchy and were often at odds over what they regarded as the liberal policies, especially regarding liturgy and seminary training, of the other five bishops.'
The naming of bishops was a key topic at the January 1980, Particular Synod of Dutch Bishops. convened by Pope John Paul to help .reunite the Dutch episcopacy.
The four ne‘\ bishops are: Mgr Johannes Bernardus Nienhaus, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Utrecht, named auxiliary . bishop of Utrecht.
Franciscan Father Johannes AntOnius de Kok, history ,professor in the theology faculty of Utrecht, named auxiliary bishop of Utrecht. _ .Mgr Alphonsus Maria HA Castermans, vicar general of Roermond, and auxiliary bishop of Roertnond.
, Benedictine Father Ronald Philippus Bar, vicar general of the Rotterdam Diocese, named auxiliary bishop of Rotterdam.