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Radboud University and Radboudumc in Nijmegen can no longer call themselves ‘Catholics’

Radboud University and Radboudumc hospital in Nijmegen no longer bear the designation ‘Catholic’. The Dutch Bishops’ Conference has withdrawn it, because the bishops feel that they have too little influence on the supervisor of both authorities, the Catholic University Foundation (SKU).

Now all board members of that foundation are appointed by the bishops, but the foundation wants to reduce the influence of the bishops to one member. In a statement, the Episcopal Conference calls this “too great a restriction”. There is also discussion about the new structure of both the hospital and the university. The intention is that the university and the hospital will each have their own supervisor from 1 January, but the SKU and the bishops could not agree on the composition.

“In addition, the Bishops Conference and SKU endorse that they have different visions about the way in which Radboud University and Radboudumc should give substance to their catholicity”, the statement said. “There is no expectation that these visions will converge.”

Judge previously agreed with the foundation

The conflict between the Dutch Bishops’ Conference and the SKU has been going on for some time. The court in Amsterdam ruled in July that the foundation may continue with plans to limit the influence of the bishops on the supervisory board. Previously, several nominee directors of the supervisor were rejected because the bishops felt they were not Catholic enough.

The foundation says it regrets the decision, but will respect it.

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