The Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC), the European Jesuit organisation that advocates for justice and human rights in Brussels, is pleased to inform you that Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, Archbishop of Luxembourg, has been elected President of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) at their 2018 Spring General Assembly that was held from 7th to 9th of March in the EU capital. Hollerich was given mandate of five years until 2023.

Hollerich entered the Society of Jesus in September 1981.  He was ordained a priest in Brussels nine years later.  He was sent to the Mission in Japan in October 2002, where he was professor and vice rector of the Sophia University in Tokyo. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Archbishop of Luxembourg on July 2011.

JESC welcomes the newly elected President of COMECE and looks forward to working with him to promote vision and values for and throughout Europe. Archbishop Hollerich has already pledged his support to our Leadership Programme for Young Professionals who would like to enhance their leadership skills in the international policy and advocacy arenas (more information in April 2018).

Archbishop Hollerich will succeed to His Eminence Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who held the COMECE presidency for two terms. On Wednesday 7th of March, COMECE hosted a farewell reception together with the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria that included the participation of Mr. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the EU Commission.