King Charles visits Pope Leo

On 23 October, Charles III, King of the United Kingdom and Supreme Governor of the Church of England, made a State visit to Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican. For the first time, a British monarch did not just underscore warm diplomatic relations between the UK and the Vatican (as the late Queen Elizabeth II did several times), but participated in shared prayer - a sung service in the Sistine Chapel involving three major Anglican and Catholic choirs, concelebrated by the Pope and the Archbishop of York, and with Bishop Robert attending. The Central Committee rejoices at this public sign of reconciliation between the Catholic and Anglican Churches. The Chaplain-President was interviewed by VRT News on this visit.

King Charles and Queen Camilla land in Rome. © PA Wire/PA Images


Diocese in Europe vocations evening

On 20 October, the Chaplain-President was delighted to be one of the speakers at a Zoom evening for 36 enquirers interested in becoming Anglican clergy in Europe, organised by Canon William Gulliford, the diocese's Director of Ordinands. After a Bible-study led by Canon Clare Amos, there were contributions from experts on the synodical structures of the Church of England and on the dangers of narcissism in the clergy and how to identify and deal with that. Jack's contribution reprised his work from 2020-2022 as the diocese's LLF (Living in Love and Faith) advocate, encouraging parishes to debate and study the Church of England's latest report on equality for LGBT+ people.

Episcopal Europe Convention & Festival of Gathering 2025

From Wednesday 15th to Saturday 18th, the Second Secretary had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the Episcopal Church in Europe’s annual Convention and the Festival of Gathering 2025 .

The event took place at the Willem Kempf Haus in Wiesbaden, Germany and was attended by delegates from all of the churches and missions of the Episcopal Church in Europe. Members from partner organisations and churches were also present.

After a day of business sessions, the Festival of Gathering 2025 began, with the theme of becoming good stewards of God’s creation. A time of study, reflection, prayer, and connection, it was wonderful to hear from excellent speakers, including the Reverend Claes Hedström, Priest and Change Leader in Environment and Climate for the Church of Sweden, the Reverend Canon Dr. Rachel Mash, Environmental Coordinator, Anglican Church of Southern Africa, and the Reverend Lester Mackenzie, Chief of Mission Program in the Office of the Presiding Bishop and member of the Episciopal Church Delegation to COP 28. In the afternoons, participants could take part in workshops, including the one by the Second Secretary on ministry in multicultural teams.

A big thank you to the whole team of organisers and to Bishop Mark Eddington for the invitation. I was a wonderful opportunity to connect with people from across the Anglican Communion, and especially from the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe.

Hoorzitting commissie voor onderwijs in het Vlaams parlement (EI&V)

De secretaris-generaal en inspecteur-adviseur van anglicaans godsdienstonderwijs hebben deelgenomen op 16 oktober 2025 van een delegatie van de EI&V om verslag te brengen in het Vlaams parlement over levensbeschouwelijke vakken in het onderwijs. EI&V vertegenwoordigers hebben hun rapport gedaan in de aanwezigheid van minister van onderwijs Demir en politici van andere partijen. De voorzitter van de commissie heeft vragen en opmerkingen van de partijen verzameld en gaf wat tijd aan EI&V om antwoord te geven. Wat niet mogelijk was om te bespreken, zal schriftelijk worden opgevolgd. De EI&V heeft de uitnodiging gewaardeerd en de gedachtewisseling met de overheid en leden van het parlement. Hier is een link van de EI&V aan de leerkracht LBV over de hoorzitting.

Norwich Cathedral's commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the execution of Edith Cavell

On 12 October, the 110th anniversary to the day of the martyrdom of Edith Cavell in Brussels, the Chaplain-President was honoured to preach at a festal evensong in Norwich Cathedral, where Edith is buried. A very full congregation participated in a beautiful evensong, at the end of which everyone processed outside to Edith's grave to sing a hymn and receive the dean's blessing. Jack presented the cathedral with an Edith Cavell Award, one of six issued this year by the Central Committee to mark its 150th anniversary by recognising people and institutions distinguished by public service and sacrifice. The event was a fine tribute to the warm relations which exist between Belgium and Britain, and to the nobility of the sacrifice which Edith Cavell made, alongside her rejection of all jingoism and nationalism in favour of Christian forgiveness and love of neighbour.

Synod of the Archdeaconry of Benelux

On 11 October, the Chaplain-President and the Second Secretary attended the annual archdeaconry synod, comprising delegates from all the Anglican parishes in Benelux, traditionally held at the Oude Abdij in Drongen, near Gent. During the synod, a separate meeting for the parishes in Belgium and Luxembourg was held, during which the Central Committee presented its annual report to the parishes in video and printed forms. You can read the report here and watch the video here

Remise des diplômes en fête à la FUTP Bruxelles

Le 10 octobre, le chapelain-président était ravi de participer à la remise des diplômes de la FUTP Bruxelles dont il est professeur titulaire d'histoire moderne. Ce fut une soirée de triomphe pour les étudiants, notamment celles et ceux d'Afrique francophone, qui - ayant bravé des soucis administratifs et financiers pour étudier à Bruxelles - avaient finalement couronné leurs efforts de succès. L'ambiance dans la salle comble était à la liesse lors de la remise des diplômes aux étudiants en licence, en master et en divers certificats. Le Comité central est particulièrement heureux de voir sœur Julian (inspectrice des cours de religion anglicane en Flandre) et Balthazar Nahimana (aumônier de prison anglican) recevoir leurs certificats universitaires, dans le cas de Balthazar dans le cadre de sa formation pastorale au sein de l'Eglise épiscopale aux Etats-Unis.

New students at Emoena België

The new year at Emouna Belgique / Emoena België began on 8 October with an introductory session at KU Leuven led by our friend Dr Wouter Biesbrouck. This year's group of interfaith students includes two Anglicans: the Revd Sarah-Jane King of St Martha and St Mary Leuven and Billie-Hanne Cretskens of Holy Trinity Brussels. The Central Committee and the Anglican Institute support to the maximum this important shared training initiative for leaders in the Catholic, Anglican, Protestant and Orthodox Churches, in Judaism, Islam and Buddhism and in the Vrijzinnigheid.

March for the Climate

On Sunday 5 October 2025, the Chancellor of Holy Trinity Brussels helped to lead an ecumenical prayer service for the Climate in the House of Compassion. The Secretary-General was in attendance and joined the Christian Climate Action group on the march through Brussels. Archbishop Luc Terlinden and Bishop Lode Aerts were also in attendance.

What do we want? Climate justice!

When do we want it? Now!

The Right Revd and Right Hon Dame Sarah Mullally will be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury

The Central Committee was delighted to learn on 3 October that the Bishop of London, whom we know well as the historic patron of Holy Trinity Brussels who nominated Arani Sen as Canon Chancellor last year, has been nominated by King Charles of England as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, the successor of Augustine of Canterbury, who established the Diocese of Canterbury in 597, and the first woman to become Archbishop of Canterbury. Bishop Sarah was previously Chief Nursing Officer of England (for which she received her damehood from Queen Elizabeth), before following a call to ordination. She was ordained deacon in Southwark Cathedral, where the Chaplain-President was ordained deacon and priest. She became Bishop of Crediton in 2015 and was the first female Church of England bishop to lead an ordination service later that year. She has been Bishop of London since 2018. As a Lord Spiritual, she regularly speaks in debates in the House of Lords and she has a particular interest and expertise in medical care and medical ethics. We wish her all our support and we offer her our sincere prayers as she begins this new ministry of leadership and guidance of the Anglican Communion.

Le Comité central dans le monde scientifique

Le 2 octobre, le chapelain-président a participé à une réunion du comité de rédaction de la revue francophone et anglophone à comité de lecture Analecta Bruxellensia, dont il est membre La revue est spécialisée dans les sciences religieuses, la théologie historique et contemporaine et les études bibliques. L'un des projets de Jack consiste à établir un lien entre l'Institut Anglican de Belgique et Analecta en tant que forum universitaire de haut niveau pour la théologie anglicane.

Vlaamse Vereniging van Steden en Gemeentes (VVSG)

Op 1 oktober heeft de secretaris-generaal een prestatie gegeven aan vertegenwoordigers van verschillende steden en gemeentes in Vlaanderen die bij de VVSG horen. Dit was in verband met het erkenningsdecreet van lokale geloofsgemeenschappen en de relatie tussen gemeentes en de erkende levensbeschouwingen vooral wat integratie en duurzaamheid betreft. Er waren ook prestaties door Orbit vzw, Provincie Limburg en de Federale Synode van Protestants-Evangelische kerken in België.

Addressing the climate emergency

On 1 October, the Chaplain-President was one of three experts who led a Diocese in Europe round table on the climate emergency, moderated by the Ven. David Waller, Archdeacon of Gibraltar. 48 people attended the zoom, which demonstrates the extent of the unease across European Anglicanism about the advancing destabilising of the planet's climate. Jack as a professor of theology was joined by Mags Bird (an activist with Christian Climate Action) and Prof Warren Cairns (a climate researcher for the Italian National Research Council) to share ideas about how to interpret the current climate emergency and how best to focus the Anglican Church's energies in addressing it both internationally and locally.

Edith Cavell award 2025 recipient Pat Deckmyn Norman

On Sunday 28 September 2025, the Secretary-General and Second Second Secretary were honoured to attend St. Boniface, Antwerp to present the Edith Cavell award to Patricia Deckmyn Norman.

This award is named in honour of a true Anglican heroine who lived in Belgium during the First World War and whose faith embodied the principles of faith, selfless-service and sacrifice prior to her execution by the German army. As part of the Central Committee’s celebrations of 150 years of legal recognition, the Edith Cavell award was established to recognise those who offer these qualities of faith, service and sacrifice in the Anglican Church in Belgium today. The award was presented in the presence of Pat’s family and her church family of St. Bonficace.

Pat was nominated to the Central Committee by her parish in recognition of her many years of faithful service. The Central Committee was impressed to learn about Pat’s commitment to ecumenism, teaching Sunday school for many years, as a faithful member of the choir, and arranging flowers each week. Pat has been an active member of the Ladies Guild and has offered pastoral care for many people and visited the sick. One member wrote, “[Pat] thinks of her input as ‘just what I do’ but it goes above and beyond people’s care for their fellow parishioners.”

We give thanks to God for the examples of faith from people like Edith Cavell and Pat. Congratulations!

(Thank you to Bob Turner for the photos of the special occasion)

EI&V vergadert met kabinet Demir

Op 29 september 2025 waren de secretaris-generaal en de adviseur inspecteur anglicaans godsdienst onderwijs aanwezig samen met de leden van de EI&V bij een kennismakingsgesprek met vertegenwoordigers van het kabinet van Vlaams minister Demir.

Sindsdien hebben vertegenwoordigers van het godsdienstonderwijs voor elk van de erkende erediensten een verklaring afgegeven aan de leerkracht LBV.

All Saints' Waterloo

On 28 September, while others in the Central Committee were visiting St Boniface's Antwerpen, the Chaplain-President preached at the parish communion service at All Saints' Waterloo. The former Secretary of the Central Committee, the Revd Jo Jan Vandenheede, is now the Assistant Priest in Waterloo, as the parish continues its search for a new Rector. After a warm and uplifting service, the congregation had coffee together, along with some delicious carrot-cake.

Fête de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles

Le 27 septembre, le chapelain-président a eu l'honneur de représenter les anglicans de Belgique à la fête de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, qui se tenait à l'hôtel de ville de Bruxelles. Au programme des discours des personnages politiques entrelacés des interventions des humoristes La Framboise frivole. A noter particulièrement était le discours de M. Benoît Dispa, président du Parlement de la Fédération, qui donnait un plaidoyer énergétique contre les trois P "populisme, polarisation, post-vérité" qui - dans le contexte du virage des démocraties occidentales vers des politiques extrémistes - rappelait au chapelain-président qu'il était finalement chez lui en Belgique.

How European states formally relate to religions and convictions

On 24 September, the Chaplain-President attended a dinner at the Maison du Cygne in Brussels offered by Madame Maïté De Rue and Madame Eline Roofthooft of the Belgian Ministry of Justice, to which the chefs de culte et de conviction in Belgium were invited alongside senior civil servants from across the EU and the UK who work in the area of State relations with religious and philosophical groups. Conversations were rich and varied about how different European countries navigate formal relations with churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and meeting-houses. Jack was able to defend the solutions adopted in Belgian law as offering the nation religious and philosophical groups which related well together and acted for the public good.

Prison chaplain training day

On the 24th of September, Anglican prison chaplains met in Church House at Holy Trinity Brussels for a training day. The programme started with a time of Bible study and singing, led by one of the volunteer prison chaplains, Balthazar. Later, the Secretary-General Stephen Murray, facilitated a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) which the group worked through over the course of the day. The prison chaplains also attended the mid-week Eucharist that takes place at Holy Trinity every Wednesday.