The invention relates to a bulk catalyst comprising at least 60 wt % metal oxidic particles comprising one or more Group VIII metals and Group VIB metal molybdenum, comprising less than 10 mole % of a second Group VIB metal (relative to the total amount of Group VIB metals) and comprising a Group V metal in an amount less than 10 mole % (relative to the total of the Group VIB metals), which bulk catalyst has been calcined at a temperature below a temperature where the hexagonal metastable crystal structure changes to an inactive crystalline structure, preferably below 450° C. and which bulk catalyst has a metastable hexagonal phase characterized by an X-ray diffraction pattern having reflections at 33-35 and 58-61° 2θ. Preferably, the main reflections have a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of less than 2.5. The invention further relates to a process for the manufacture of the bulk catalyst, to the corresponding sulphided bulk catalyst and to the use of said catalyst or sulphided catalyst in the hydroprocessing, in particular the hydrodesulphurisation and hydrodenitrogenation, of a hydrocarbon feedstock.