Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich resigns as nuncio just 10 months into Netherlands post

by Catholic Trends

February 24, 2026

in International

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Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich

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Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich has stepped down as Apostolic Nuncio to the Netherlands only ten months after taking up the post, with Pope Leo XIV accepting his resignation.

Although the Regulations for Pontifical Representations permit nuncios to retire at the age of 70, it is highly unusual for one to do so after such a short tenure. The Dutch newspaper Nederlands Dagblad reported that the reasons for Archbishop Speich’s resignation are “shrouded in mystery.”

Archbishop Jean-Marie Antoine Joseph Speich was born on 15 June 1955 in Strasbourg, in the Diocese of Strasbourg, France. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Strasbourg on 9 October 1982.

Pope Francis named him an Archbishop in 2013 and was the principal consecrator at his episcopal ordination Mass in St Peter’s Basilica.

On 17 August 2013, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana and Titular Archbishop of Sulci. He was ordained a bishop on 24 October 2013 at the Cathedral of San Pietro in Rome.

On 19 March 2019, Archbishop Speich was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Slovenia and Apostolic Delegate to Kosovo. He later served as Apostolic Nuncio to the Netherlands from 12 April 2025 until his retirement on 21 February 2026.

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Daily Reading

Thursday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time

Book of Ezekiel 12,1-12.

Thus the word of the LORD came to me:
Son... of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house; they have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.
Now, son of man, during the day while they are looking on, prepare your baggage as though for exile, and again while they are looking on, migrate from where you live to another place; perhaps they will see that they are a rebellious house.
You shall bring out your baggage like an exile in the daytime while they are looking on; in the evening, again while they are looking on, you shall go out like one of those driven into exile;
while they look on, dig a hole in the wall and pass through it;
while they look on, shoulder the burden and set out in the darkness; cover your face that you may not see the land, for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.
I did as I was told. During the day I brought out my baggage as though it were that of an exile, and at evening I dug a hole through the wall with my hand and, while they looked on, set out in the darkness, shouldering my burden.
Then, in the morning, the word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, did not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, ask you what you were doing?
Tell them: Thus says the Lord GOD: This oracle concerns Jerusalem and the whole house of Israel within it.
I am a sign for you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them; as captives they shall go into exile.
The prince who is among them shall shoulder his burden and set out in darkness, going through a hole that he has dug in the wall, and covering his face lest he be seen by anyone.

Psalms 78(77),56-57.58-59.61-62.

They tempted and rebelled against God the... Most High,
And kept not his decrees.
They turned back and were faithless like their fathers;
They recoiled like a treacherous bow.

They angered him with their high places
And with their idols roused his jealousy.
God heard and was enraged
And utterly rejected Israel.

And he surrendered his strength into captivity,
His glory in the hands of the foe.
He abandoned his people to the sword
And was enraged against his inheritance.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 18,21-35.19,1.

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if... my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?"
Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.'
Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what you owe.'
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair.
His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?'
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart."
When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.

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Go to Daily Readings

Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich resigns as nuncio just 10 months into Netherlands post

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