The Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE), the Province of Zeeland, the Diocese of Breda, and the municipalities of Borsele, Goes, Hulst, Sluis, and Terneuzen signed a cooperation agreement on February 5, 2026, for the preservation and future-oriented approach of Roman Catholic church buildings in Zeeland. The agreement was ratified in the Saint Willibrord Basilica in Hulst and has a duration of five years. This agreement marks the first time in the Netherlands that such a large-scale joint approach is taken to address the future of Roman Catholic church buildings.
Future of Roman Catholic church buildings in Zeeland
Church towers have marked the Dutch landscape for centuries, including in Zeeland. Church buildings are among the most extensive and visible cultural heritage of the Netherlands. They are not only historical landmarks but also places of meeting and meaning. In Zeeland, this is especially true for Roman Catholic church buildings, which are deeply rooted in the historical and social fabric of both city and countryside.
At the same time, the future of these buildings is under pressure. Secularization, demographic changes, and declining financial resources make it increasingly difficult for parishes to maintain church buildings. More and more church buildings in the region are losing their original function. This development calls for careful and respectful repurposing, preserving the religious and social value of these buildings.
This cooperation agreement forms the starting point of this joint effort. The handling of Roman Catholic heritage involves multiple parties and interests, and no single party can carry this task alone. The involved parties recognize that the challenges are great, but also that through cooperation, early coordination, and mutual understanding, choices can be made that do justice to the religious, cultural-historical, and social values of church buildings. The agreement forms the basis for joint action to find a sustainable solution for these buildings and to repurpose them to new functions that benefit the region.
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Involved parties
The agreement aligns with efforts made in recent years. The Diocese of Breda has guided a careful, church-responsible approach to church buildings with the policy Church buildings in the missionary parish and the Protocol for (re)use of church buildings, focusing on pastoral continuity and religious significance.
Municipalities, partly with financial support from the RCE, have worked on developing church visions. These strategic visions on the future of multiple church buildings within a municipality or region are created in dialogue between municipalities, church owners, residents, and heritage organizations. These visions systematically map the church inventory and form an important foundation for future-oriented choices.
The Province of Zeeland acts as supporter, advisor, and connector of the various parties. The RCE has stimulated knowledge development and cooperation between governments and church parties through the Religious Heritage Future Program.
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Sustainable solutions
This cooperation focuses on tailor-made solutions per church building, taking into account social, demographic, pastoral, and heritage-technical factors in the decision-making process. The preservation of religious heritage, both the building and the community around it, is central. The aim is a future where church buildings continue to fulfill not only a religious but also a social function.
This cooperation marks an important step in the shared responsibility for the future of church buildings in Zeeland and offers a concrete approach for preserving this valuable heritage for future generations.