On 24th January the Chaplain-President attended the New Year party given in Liège by the Government of Wallonia. He had been invited by Mr Elio Di Rupo, the Prime Minister of the Walloon Region.
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2020
On 23rd January, the Chaplain-President preached at the annual Brussels Capital Region ecumenical service at the Protestant church Bruxelles-Botanique, co-presided by Pastor Steven Fuite (Protestant), Mgr Jean Kockerols (Catholic), Mgr Athenagoras Peckstadt (Orthodox) and the Chaplain-President. His sermon in French and Dutch may be read here.
Orthodox Basilios bread
Meanwhile, still on the 21st, the Chaplain-President attended Vespers at the Orthodox Cathedral in Brussels for the blessing of the Basilios bread, a celebration marking the Epiphany. At the service H.E. Mgr Athenagoras Peckstadt, the Metropolitan of Belgium, preached. You can find his sermon (FR) here.
GO! New Year's reception
Also on the 21st, in the evening, the Secretary attended the New Year’s drink of the GO! or Gemeenschapsonderwijs, the official net of public schools in Flanders and Brussels. The reception took place at the Flemish Parliament in attendance of Mr Ben Weyts, the Minister of Education. In public Dutch-speaking schools students and pupils may opt in for Anglican Religious Education for two hours a week.
Panathlon W-B
On 21st January, the Chaplain-President and the Secretary participated in a meeting of the Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles at the Belgian National Olympic Committee to further a project to offer advice to sportswomen and sportsmen about issues of faith, fair play, religious practice and laïcité.
Visit to Parcum in Heverlee (Louvain)
On 16th January, the Chaplain-President and Secretary of the Central Committee visited the historic site and museum of the Abdij van Park in Heverlee, near Louvain. There they met with Miss Julie Aerts who is responsible for the Hemelsbreed online survey on religious heritage in Flanders and Brussels. The results of the survey will be published in June of this year.
Visit to Justice department of Lifestances
On 14th January, the Caplain-President and the Secretary of the Central Committee visited the Federal Ministry of Justice department of Lifestances to wish its director and staff all the best for the new year and to discuss the future of the Anglican Church in Belgium.
Season’s Greetings
Before the holidays, staff and clergy at Church House in Brussels (Holy Trinity and Central Committee) enjoyed a lovely Christmas lunch with all the traditional trimmings. From all of us in Belgium: Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!
Youth and Justice
On 9th and 11th December, representatives of the inter-life stance platform in Belgium visited two Youth Detention and Rehabilitation Centres, one in Saint-Servais (Namur), one in Mol. There they had an opportunity to visit the facilities and speak to youngsters, staff and chaplains. A press release in FR and NL is available here.
Photo: E. De Beukelaer
Ecumenical Patriarch visits Brugge
On 11th November, Armistice Day, His All-Holiness The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I visited the Europacollege in Brugge to deliver a lecture on The Role of the Churches in Europe Today. His-Allholiness was welcomed and introduced by Mr Herman Van Rompay, former President of the Council of the EU. On behalf of the Central Committee, our Secretary, The Revd Jo Jan Vandenheede, attended the event.
Photo: J.J. Vandenheede
Emouna BE - radio interview Fr. Dominique Janthial
Fr. Dominique Janthial, the Roman Catholic co-founder of Emouna Belgium gave an interview to French-speaking Christian Radio: https://rcf.fr/amp/actualite/social/pere-jean-dominique-janthial?__twitter_impression=true
Crown Princess Elisabeth turns 18
On 25th October, the Chaplain-president Jack McDonald attended the 18th birthday celebrations at the Royal Palace for The Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant.
Sports and lifestances
On 23rd October 2019, a meeting was held at the offices of the Belgian Olympic Committee to discuss the implementation of the charter Le sport, l’esprit de l’humanité, about lifestances, sports and the promotion of fair play and respect. You can find the Declaration in French and Dutch in our Publications section.
10 Years EVADOC
On 19th October 2019, Evadoc, the Evangelical documentation centre in Flanders celebrated its 10th anniversary at the Evangelical Theological Faculty in Heverlee (Leuven). In cooperation with Kadoc, its Roman Catholic counterpart Evadoc also looks after the archives of the Anglican communities in Belgium.
Launch of EMOUNA Belgium
On 16th October 2019, Emouna Belgium was launched at the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve. Emouna is an inter-religious education programme. Over the course of the academic year, about 30 participants will be taken to various places of religious importance in the country to learn more about each other and each other’s faith traditions. Our own prison chaplain, Eric Sibomana has enrolled.
Study day in Brugge
On 12th October 2019, CRKC-PARCUM (religious heritage) organised a study day in Brugge about the cultural and societal importance of the rich tradition of processions in Flanders.
Visit Argentine Ambassador
Friday 13th September 2019 was an auspicious day, when the Chaplain-president Jack McDonald received H.E. the Ambassador from the Argentine Republic, Mr Pablo Ariel Grinspun to the offices of the Central Comité. Both talked at length about the system of the recognised life stances in Belgium.
Photo: J.J. Vandenheede