62-Year Old Dutch Bishop Retired
He has had a brain tumour since 2021 and another tumour since the beginning of 2023. After treatments failed, Smeets, in agreement with his doctors, stopped treatment and is now dying.
In July, he made the unusual announcement of declaring his see “impeded” adding that "I will remain your bishop until the end of my life, but my illness prevents me from fulfilling this duty.”
Smeets is not well known outside of the Netherlands.
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