Bruges seminary
The Grootseminarie is the seminary for priest candidates of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bruges. It is located on the Potterierei in Bruges.
Since 2006 the seminary is led by president Koen Vanhoutte, vicar since 2005. Besides its educative function for priests, the seminary organizes various other functions, such as the Theologische academie and the School voor geloof. The seminary has a large library and is housed in the 17th-century buildings of the former Ten Duinen Abbey, established in Bruges by Bernard Campmans in 1627. The seminary also houses a branch of the United Nations University which works closely with the Europacollege.
President
The leader of the seminary is traditionally called the 'president'. He remains one of the leading priests of the diocese and is usually titular canon chapter.
The presidents:
- Louis Delebecque (1798-1864) - president 1833-1838
- Livinus Bruneel (1798-1885) - president 1838-1869
- Petrus Dessein (1811) - president 1869-1884
- Henri Delbar (1833-1894) - president 1884-1899
- Henri Vanden Berghe (1848-1932) - president 1899-1907
- Kamiel Callewaert (1866-1943) - president 1907-1934
- Achiel Verhamme (1891-1959) - president 1934-1952
- Maurits De Keyzer (1906-1994) - president 1952-1961
- Joris Van Eeghem (1921-1999) - president 1961-1970
- Paul Declerck (1922-1981) - president 1970-1981
- Adelbert Denaux (°1938) - president 1981-1992
- Eric Vanden Berghe (1948-2006) - president 1992-2006
- Koen Vanhoutte (°1957) - president 2006-
Literature
- Adelbert DENAUX & Eric VANDEN BERGHE (red.), De Duinenabdij en het Grootseminarie te Brugge, Tielt, 1984
- Kurt PRIEM, Het Grootseminarie te Brugge, de voormalige Duinenabdij, Brugge, 2009