Background
Lootens was born in Bruges to Charles and Catherine (née Beijaert) Lootens.
Lootens was born in Bruges to Charles and Catherine (née Beijaert) Lootens.
He studied for the priesthood in Paris, France, where he was ordained by Bishop Modeste Demers on June 14, 1851.
He served as Vicar Apostolic of Idaho (1868-1876) and auxiliary bishop of Vancouver Island (1876-1898). Early years
He immigrated to Victoria, British Columbia, in 1852, and spent nine years as a missionary in Vancouver Island and then six years in California, United States. He was eventually incardinated into the Archdiocese of San Francisco by Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany.
He there served at Saint Patrick"s Church in Sonora, at Saint Raphael"s Church in Marin County, and at Saint Vincent"s Church in Petaluma.
Episcopal ministry
On March 3, 1868, Lootens was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Idaho and Titular Bishop of Castabala by Pope Pius IX. He received his episcopal consecration on the following August 9 from Archbishop Alemany, with Bishops Thaddeus Amat y Brusi and Eugene O"Connell serving as co-consecrators. He resigned as vicar apostolic on July 16, 1876, and was subsequently appointed auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Vancouver Island.
Lootens died at Vancouver Island, at age 70.