Jos Punt
Encyclopedia
Mgr. dr. Jozef Marianus Punt (*Alkmaar
, January 10, 1946, is the current Roman Catholic
bishop
of Haarlem-Amsterdam in the Netherlands
.
Punt became a priest on June 9, 1979 and auxiliary bishop of Diocese of Haarlem in 1995. On July 21, 2001 he was appointed bishop of Haarlem. He is assisted by an auxiliary bishop, Mgr. Johannes Gerardus Maria van Burgsteden.
Punt is the 13th bishop of the diocese, which was established in 1559. Due to the Protestant Reformation
there was no bishop in Haarlem, or the Netherlands
, for 300 years, until 1853.
In his years as a student of economics
in Amsterdam
Punt distanced himself from the Catholic religion of his youth and was more involved in esoterics, gnostics, Rosicrucianism, etc. Upon discovering the Bible
however, he began considering a career in Priesthood.
He went to the south of the country where at the time existed the only Catholic Dutch Seminary.
In 1979 he became priest
, ordained by the bishop of Roermond, Dr. Johannes Gijsen. In the Seminary he taught the Social Teachings of the Church, and he got also his PhD
in that field from Augsburg
University
in Germany
.
Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of Haarlem 1995; he was ordained by the local ordinary, bishop Henny Bomers. Punt was also appointed as bishop for the Military Ordinariate
.
In 1998 Bomers died suddenly after suffering a heart attack. Punt was appointed Apostolic Administrator
. It took Rome
three years before finally Punt could replace his late predecessor.
Punt holds firm beliefs on all points of doctrine and ethics.
Alkmaar
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
, January 10, 1946, is the current Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Haarlem-Amsterdam in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Punt became a priest on June 9, 1979 and auxiliary bishop of Diocese of Haarlem in 1995. On July 21, 2001 he was appointed bishop of Haarlem. He is assisted by an auxiliary bishop, Mgr. Johannes Gerardus Maria van Burgsteden.
Punt is the 13th bishop of the diocese, which was established in 1559. Due to the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
there was no bishop in Haarlem, or the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, for 300 years, until 1853.
In his years as a student of economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
Punt distanced himself from the Catholic religion of his youth and was more involved in esoterics, gnostics, Rosicrucianism, etc. Upon discovering the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
however, he began considering a career in Priesthood.
He went to the south of the country where at the time existed the only Catholic Dutch Seminary.
In 1979 he became priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, ordained by the bishop of Roermond, Dr. Johannes Gijsen. In the Seminary he taught the Social Teachings of the Church, and he got also his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in that field from Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Pope John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of Haarlem 1995; he was ordained by the local ordinary, bishop Henny Bomers. Punt was also appointed as bishop for the Military Ordinariate
Military ordinariate
A military ordinariate is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church, of Latin or Eastern Rite, responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics serving in the armed forces of a nation....
.
In 1998 Bomers died suddenly after suffering a heart attack. Punt was appointed Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
. It took Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
three years before finally Punt could replace his late predecessor.
Punt holds firm beliefs on all points of doctrine and ethics.