"The Michaelkerk in Breda-East, built in 1958-1959, has been the seat of the bishop of Breda for many years.
After the old cathedral, the Barbarakerk, was closed in 1968, the then bishop decided that it was better to use an ordinary parish church as a 'bishop's church'.
Other sources confirming previous Cathedral status of the Michael Church in Breda:
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The time when cathedrals towered high above the center seemed to be over. The Michaelchurch originally did not even have a tower. The municipal council thought that was a shame: the new Breda-East district could use a striking point. That is why the municipality built a tower itself and then donated it to the parish.
The parish could hardly refuse that gift. Perhaps the parish council could have pointed out that in the past it was very common for the municipality to own the church tower. Then he should also have to pay for the maintenance. Now the parish had to bear that burden.
For several years, the TV cable company Casema contributed to the maintenance. The antennas were located on the tower, which provided the whole of Breda with radio and TV. But Casema disappeared. In the meantime, the church became much too big for the shrinking parish and in 2001 the new bishop moved his seat back to the inner city. Therefore, in November 2009 a new, smaller church was inaugurated.
But the tower remained standing. As the municipality had foreseen, it had become a landmark in the district. So the parish council did not dare to take their towers from the residents of the neighbourhood."
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Personal experience on site:
I have seen many churches, cathedrals, temples and other religious buildings in my lifetime. I was in the neighboordhood and went for a look at this ex-cathedral. To be really honest, quite bizar to see that the bishop had agreed to use a "normal" church for a Cathedral. The building (other than its size), was not really impressive. Fortunately, the "new" cathedral in the Breda city center is much more impressive. Check out the waymark: (
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