Cardinal Willem Jacobus Eijk will preside over a pontifical Mass in the traditional Roman rite (vetus ordo) next Sunday, March 15, in the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Grote Kerk), in the Dutch city of Oss. The celebration will begin at 12:30 PM and is part of the regular programming of the traditional Mass offered regularly in that temple.
A Gesture of Institutional Support
The church in Oss is the place where the traditional Mass is celebrated stably in the diocese, which makes this event a visible expression of liturgical continuity within local ecclesial life.
Although no official statement has been disseminated detailing the specific reasons for this celebration, the presence of Cardinal Eijk can be interpreted as a gesture of pastoral closeness and institutional support towards the faithful who habitually participate in the vetus ordo.
The Profile of Cardinal Eijk
Born in 1953 in Duivendrecht, Willem Eijk initially trained as a doctor at the University of Amsterdam before entering the seminary. He later obtained doctorates in medical bioethics and philosophy, specializing in moral theology. He was ordained a priest in 1985, appointed bishop in 1999, and since 2007 has been Archbishop of Utrecht. In 2012, he was created a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI.
His career combines pastoral experience and solid academic training, especially in the field of ethics and Catholic doctrine, in a country characterized by a strong process of secularization.
The Mass on March 15, organized within the framework of the diocesan traditional Mass of Oss and with the collaboration of Radio Maria Nederland, will be open to the faithful who wish to participate in this solemn celebration of the ancient Roman rite.