On Wednesday 9th December, the heads of the recognised religions and humanism met with the Federal Minister of Justice, Vincent Van Quickenborne. The meeting followed a decision byt he Council of State regarding the Covid-19 measures and public worship.
The Church needs to talk about race
The Black Lives Matter worldwide momevent has also found a voice in the churches, and we need to talk about racial issues in our own faith communities. This is why St Martha and Mary Leuven are organising an online series to talk about the issues involved. Please see the poster below for details. Do join the conversation! Tickets available at The Church needs to talk about race Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite
Photo St Martha & Mary
Advent at HTB
Advent is different this year, however, all our chaplaincies remain committed to offer services during this time. One example is Holy Trinity Brussels, who have put together an online programme (see the poster below). Do go and visit them!
Photo HTB
Covid measures remain in place
The representatives of the federal, regional and community governments in Belgium met last Friday 27th November, and have decided that there will be no changes to the Covid-measures for places of worship at this time.
This means that public in-person worship for Advent and Christmas will not be allowed, most likely until the middle of January. While this is a tough decision for all of us, this will undoubtedly be an especially hard blow for all those in our congregations who will be spending the holidays on their own. Our parishes are encouraged to provide online services and pastoral care if possible, while adhering to the Covid restrictions for live-streaming and recording.
Chaplain-President appointed Living in Love and Faith Advocate
The Church of England's House of Bishops has just published a major report on personal identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage entitled Living in Love and Faith (LLF) (see here: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/living-love-and-faith ). Each of the 42 dioceses of the Church of England is now asked to discuss the report during the next year and to report back to Dame Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London, with a view to the General Synod of the Church of England debating the issues covered by the report in 2022. Each diocesan bishop will appoint a part-time LLF Advocate to oversee this process and liaise with the Bishop of London. Bishop Robert Innes has appointed the Chaplain-President as the Diocese in Europe's LLF Advocate. There is more information about this appointment here: https://europe.anglican.org/main/latest-news/post/1624-living-in-love-and-faith-advocate
photo from the House of Bishops
King's Day 2020
15th November marks King’s Day in Belgium, traditionally with a Te Deum at the Cathedral in Brussels and a special session at the Federal Parliament. Unfortunately, due to the Covid restrictions this year the festivities had to be cancelled. The Chaplain-President and other members of the Central Committee would like nonetheless to offer HM the King and the Royal Family their best wishes for the occassion.
Anglican online worship in Belgium during lockdown
In these lockdown times, the Anglican congregations in Belgium are connecting to parisheners and friends in many different ways: live Morning Prayer and Compline, pre-recorded services and Eucharist, Philosophy Café, live Sunday services and midweek services to watch at your leisure, etc. A whole array of options!
Please refer to the CHAPLAINCIES page for the parish websites and news on what they have on offer.
Edith Cavell's final letter before her arrest given to Norwich Cathedral
At one of his regular meetings with fellow canon theologians of Anglican cathedrals (at the moment conducted by Zoom), the Chaplain-President learned from his friend and colleague from Norwich, Canon Dr Peter Doll, that the final letter written by Edith Cavell to her mother before her arrest in August 1915 has been gifted by its private owner to Norwich Cathedral, where Edith Cavell is buried. The full story may be read in this press release. Almost Edith Cavell's last words before being shot were: "Standing as I do in view of God and eternity, I realise that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone", words which continue to resonate across history. The Church of England remembers Edith Cavell in our calendar of saints, commemorating her on 12th October, the anniversary of her execution.
102nd anniversary of the end of World War 1
The commemoration of the Armistice of 11:00 on 11th November 1918 has become in Anglican practice an annual opportunity to remember before God and neighbour all those whose lives have been cut short or damaged in human warfare, and to give thanks for all those who have fought and died in the service of peace, freedom, justice and brotherhood. During this time of pandemic, this annual commemoration has taken different forms. Here is the service from Gent, led by Canon Stephen Murray of the Central Committee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF7qYApgBBc&feature=youtu.be
New Covid-19 Emergency Measures
Following the meeting of the Government's Concertation Committee on 30th October, the National Anglican Protocol and all our parish protocols are suspended until 14th December, and our parishes return to the régime of lockdown we experienced earlier this year, in which all parish worship and activities move on-line (except for funerals). As the pandemic continues, we renew our resolve to face it with strength, mutual support and generosity.
SportsConsilium Belgium
Further to our article of 7th October 2020 below, the SportConsilium website is now up and running. You may consult a page which shows some interviews with Committee members, including the Chaplain-President, here: https://sportconsilium.org/le-comite/
New restrictions and new protocol
The Government's Concertation Committee met on 22nd and 23rd October to discuss the evolution of the covid19 pandemic and to impose stricter measures on the country to combat it. The Central Committee's latest National Anglican Protocol (our 9th since May) was approved by the Concertation Committee and comes into effect from today. It can be found here in French and here in Dutch.
Indisposition of Mrs Sophie Wilmès
The Chaplain-President joins the whole Anglican community in Belgium in prayers and best wishes for our former Prime Minister - the first woman PM in our history - Sophie Wilmès, now our Foreign Minister, who is unfortunately currently in intensive care in hospital with Covid-19. Madame Wilmès has steered our country through the difficult waters of the pandemic with skill, expertise and good humour and we thank her for all that she has done for Belgium. We wish her a speedy and full recovery.
Latest NAP#8
Chancellor Paul Vrolijk resigns from the Central Committee
At the annual meeting of the synod of the Archdeaconry of Benelux, held last week online, our Archdeacon Paul Vrolijk, who is also Chancellor of Holy Trinity Pro-Cathedral Brussels, informed the meeting that he would step down from his duties as Archdeacon in November and as a member of the Central Committee with immediate effect. This was solely and simply due to Paul's extremely heavy workload as Chancellor and senior chaplain of one of the largest parishes in the Diocese in Europe. We record our deep thanks to Paul for his professional and cheerful contributions to the work of the Central Committee since he joined us in 2017. Because the Central Committee office is situated inside Holy Trinity Brussels, we rejoice that we will remain just a few metres from Paul's office on the same corridor! We look forward to continuing our deep collaboration in the future as representatives of the Diocese and of the Central Committee. We intend to submit the name of a new member of the Central Committee to the Minister of Justice this calendar year, for appointment by the Minister in the name of HM King Philippe.
A New Emouna Year
Twenty new émouniens met in Louvain-la-Neuve on 7th October 2020 to inaugurate the new academic year. Emouna is a one-year Francophone interfaith formation for leaders in various Christian Churches (Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, Evangelical, Orthodox) and in Judaism, Islam and Buddhism. Because of the ongoing pandemic, several participants were present by Zoom. The Anglican student this year is the Revd Charles Kabera, one of our stipendiary prison chaplains in Belgium. More information about Emouna may be found here: www.emouna.be (NB: A Dutch-speaking course Emoena België will begin in 2021 to accompany the French-speaking course.)
The SportsConsilium Officially Inaugurated
On Tuesday 6th October, the Chaplain-President and the Secretary attended the official installation of the SportsConsilium. This new advisory body, supported by the French-speaking Community in Belgium and Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles, is composed of representatives from the recognised religions and secular humanism, and representatitves from the important national sports organisations, like for example the Belgian Olympic Interfederal Committee. The SportsConsilium will investigate complaints and queries relating to the life-stances in the environment of sports. It is the practical outcome of the charter “Le sport, l’esprit de l’humanité” which was signed 4 years ago, and is an unicum in the world.
A New Canon for Brussels
The Revd Stephen Murray, chaplain in Gent and Vice-President of the Central Committee, writes,
On Friday 25th September, I was collated as a Canon of the Pro-Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Brussels, and I can now sit in the seat of St. Willibrord, who converted the Frisians. This is a wonderful historic coincidence as my late father-in-law was a very proud Frisian. It is also very appropriate to the mission and ministry in this Archdeaconry.
New Federal Minister of Justice
On Thursday 1st October 2020, the new Federal Government was sworn in by King Filip.
The new Minister of Justice, also responsible for the recognised life-stances, is Mr Vincent Van Quickenborne.
The Central Committee by way of its Chaplain-President has sent Mr Van Quickenborne their congratulations, and wishes for a fruitful cooperation.
