Article 17 Dialogue

On 24 January, the Chaplain-President in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs participated in the Article 17 dialogue on liberal democracy held in the European Parliament in Brussels. The Article 17 dialogue is the formal dialogue between the EU and the religious and non-confessional organisations in Europe, which include the Anglican Church. An extremely interesting debate occurred on the origins of the human rights tradition in Europe and on the role of churches, religions and lifestances in promoting liberal democracy in the EU. The Chaplain-President permits himself the remark that, in view of the quality and importance of the debate, it is a tragedy that there is no longer any representation from the UK at such vital meetings.

Church of England Ministry Experience Scheme

The Anglican parishes in Belgium have been involved in the Church of England's Ministry Experience Scheme continuously since 2015: The Ministry Experience Scheme | The Church of England. Our picture shows from left to right the Revd Josh Peckett (formerly MES intern in Brussels, now curate of All Hallows Leeds Who's Who — All Hallows Leeds), the Revd Annie Bolger (formerly MES intern in Leuven, now curate of Holy Trinity Brussels Meet the Team — Holy Trinity Brussels) and Dhr Teus Vermeer (currently MES intern in Holy Trinity Brussels).

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

On Thursday 19 January, the Chaplain-President was honoured to represent the Anglican Church at the annual service for Christian unity organised by the Comité Interecclésial de Bruxelles/Interkerkelijk Comité voor Brussel at a service of solemn vespers held in the Orthodox Cathedral of Archangels Michael and Gabriel Brussels. The service was presided by Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium, and Cardinal Jozef De Kesel preached. The Chaplain-President was accompanied by Canons Paul Vrolijk and John Wilkinson of Holy Trinity Brussels (Canon Wilkinson currently chairs the Comité Interecclésial) and the Revd Sunny Hallanan of All Saints' Waterloo. A wonderful gift was made by the Orthodox community to the chefs de culte present during the service: two stones taken from St Catherine's Monastery Sinai, traditionally the place of the Burning Bush (Exodus 3) and the oldest continuously inhabited monastery in the world, containing the oldest continuously used library in the world. Our picture shows Cardinal De Kesel and Metropolitan Athenagoras at the reception after the service.

Living in Love and Faith

As the House of Bishops prepares to submit legislative ideas to the General Synod of the Church of England in February 2023 following the Living in Love and Faith process concerning LGBT+ Anglicans (Living in Love and Faith | The Church of England ), the Chaplain-President has published an article showing how apparent deep doctrinal divisions among Christians are more easily resolved than appearances might suggest.

Solemn opening 'Orthodox Center Ambiorix'

Members of the Central Committee were honoured to be present at the Solemn Opening of the Orthodox Center Ambiorix on 10 January 2023. The beautiful building is intended as a center for dialogue, peace and harmony in the heart of the European Institutions. We wish them well in this endeavour.

Leden van het Centraal Comité waren vereerd om aanwezig te zijn bij de plechtige opening van het Orthodoxe Centrum Ambiorix op 10 januari 2023. De bedoeling van het prachtige gebouw is als centrum voor dialoog, vrede en harmonie in het hart van de Europese instellingen. We wensen hen hierbij veel succes.

Les membres du Comité central ont eu l'honneur d'être présents à l'ouverture solennelle du Centre orthodoxe Ambiorix le 10 janvier 2023. Ce magnifique bâtiment est destiné à devenir un centre de dialogue, de paix et d'harmonie au cœur des institutions européennes. Nous leur souhaitons bonne chance dans cette entreprise.

Death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

The Central Committee offers its condolences to the Roman Catholic Church in Belgium on the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Het Centraal Comité betuigt zijn medeleven aan de Rooms-Katholieke Kerk in België bij het overlijden van emeritus paus Benedictus XVI.

Le Comité central présente ses condoléances à l'Église catholique romaine de Belgique à l'occasion du décès du pape émérite Benoît XVI.

Das Zentralkomitee spricht der römisch-katholischen Kirche in Belgien sein Beileid zum Tod des emeritierten Papstes Benedikt XVI.

“May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”

Le Comité Central aux côtés des travailleuses domestiques sans papiers

Elles sont des dizaines, armées de leurs seules larmes et sourires qui se mélangent dans un marasme d’espoir et de résignation. Sous-payées, abusées, coupées de leurs familles et de la sécurité sociale dont la Belgique s'enorgueillit pourtant.Ces femmes, ce sont celles qui font briller nos maisons et dont l’on moque le nom de “techniciennes de surface”. Ce sont elles qui furent, ce 17 décembre, mises en valeur par le parti Ecolo et leurs partenaires de majorité au sein du Parlement de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale. Après un spectacle d’introduction accompagné d’un  chœur polyphonique, des femmes sont venues témoigner et ont ensuite cédé le pas à des chercheurs et autres experts de leurs conditions de vie et de travail.

Emouna et la formation interreligieuse en 2023

Le 13 décembre, le Comité Central s’est rendu, aux côtés d’autres cultes reconnus, à la réunion de clôture de l’année 2022 de l’association interreligieuse Emouna, près de la Grand-Place de Bruxelles. Ce moment convivial n’en fut pas moins constructif puisqu’il s’est agit d’y discuter de l’avenir d’Emouna, tant en Belgique qu’ailleurs en Europe afin de promouvoir le vivre ensemble, la Démocratie et l’intégration des différences spirituelles et culturelles qui nous enrichissent.

National Commemoration of the victims of genocide

On 9 December, the Chaplain-President was honoured to represent the Anglicans of Belgium at the National Commemoration of the victims of genocide, held in the House of Representatives and chaired by the Présidente de la Chambre des Représentants, Mme Eliane Tillieux. A series of speeches, musical interludes and witness-statements reminded the Nation that the world has not been inoculated against genocide by the horror of Auschwitz - far from it: the experiences of Tutsi and moderate Hutu in Rwanda are close to every Belgian's heart, and the list of genocides gets longer with every decade. This is a spur for prayer, witness and action by the Recognised Religions.

Diocesan Prayer for Ukraine

On 7 December, the Chaplain-President took part in a special Advent prayer-service for Ukraine, organised on Zoom. Bishop Robert preached on his experiences in Kiev last week, accompanying Archbishop Justin to that war-torn city:  Archbishop Justin and Bishop Robert visit Ukraine - Latest News (anglican.org) There will be futher online Advent prayers for Ukraine on 14 and 21 December: the invitation may be found here: Join our weekly Advent prayers online for Ukraine - Latest News (anglican.org)

Les Convictions reconnues en dialogue avec la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles

Le 06 décembre, une première rencontre a eu lieu entre le Cabinet du Ministre-Président de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles - Pierre-Yves Jeholet - et les représentants des Convictions reconnues en Belgique. Le Comité Central y était représenté par le Chapelain-Président ainsi que par le Deuxième-Secrétaire. Cet échange fut l’occasion d’évoquer l’actualité politique et de souligner le rôle fondamental joué par les Religions et de la Laïcité au sein du débat démocratique.

Les Convictions, le Cultes et l'Etat en contextes belge et européen

Mardi 29 novembre, le Comité Central assistait à un séminaire - organisé à Louvain-la-Neuve par la Chaire “Droits et Religions” de l’UCLouvain- à destination des Cultes et Convictions reconnues en Belgique. L’objectif de cet après-midi était d’offrir un état des lieux de la situation des rapports entre les cultes et convictions et l’Etat belge dans un contexte européen. Les reconnaissances officielles des cultes et convictions ont lieu depuis l’indépendance du pays au XIXe siècle, mais le droit régissant ces reconnaissances ne cesse d’évoluer au gré des réformes constitutionnelles, du développement de la législation européenne et de l’arrivée de nouveaux cultes et convictions sur le territoire national. Il est donc nécessaire, tant pour le Législateur que pour les autorités des Cultes et Convictions reconnues, de se tenir à la page des évolutions législatives en la matière.

LoGoï Institute

Anglican Prison Ministry Coordinator and Central Committee member, Eric Sibomana, joined other former students of Emouna Belgium to establish LoGoï whose mission is to be: Intercultural, International & Interconvictional. On Sunday 4 December 2022 at the Prince Albert Club, LoGoï inaugurated their proposal to establish a European Charter for Interconvictionality. The Secretary-General had the pleasure of attending as well and listening to many interesting speakers. The event ended with a solemn moment where all members of LoGoï officially signed the mission statement.

Appointment of the new Vice-President of the Central Committee

On 1 December, confirmation from the Ministry of Justice came through of the appointment by the Minister of Justice in the name of HM the King of the new Vice-President of the Central Committee. This is the Reverend Dr Catriona Laing. She succeeds Canon Stephen Murray, who resigned as Vice-President in September in order to be appointed as Secretary-General. According to the law of 1875, the members of the Central Committee are appointed by the King of the Belgians on the advice of the Chaplain-President (or in the case of a vacancy for the post of Chaplain-President, on the advice of the Bishop of Gibraltar-in-Europe). We are thrilled to welcome Catriona to the Central Committee: she is chaplain of St Martha and St Mary Leuven (Staff and Councils (anglicanchurchleuven.be)), assistant chaplain of Holy Trinity Brussels (Catriona Laing — Holy Trinity Brussels) and assistant dean of Women's Ministry in the Diocese in Europe (Diocese appoints Dean and Assistant Dean of Women's Ministry - Latest News (anglican.org)). Her academic writing centres especially on Anglican-Muslim relations. Welcome, Catriona!

Meeting of the FIDIF

On 1 December, the Central Committee hosted the FIDIF (Federale Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog/Dialogue Interconvictionnel Fédéral) at Holy Trinity Brussels. The presidents of Belgian Judaism, Islam, Anglicanism, Protestant-Evangelicalism and Buddhism were present, alongside representatives from Belgian Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Secular Humanism. The Secretary-General and the Second Secretary took the minutes and Guido Bowen (pre-ordination intern at Holy Trinity) kindly served the refreshments. The main agenda items were preparation for another FIDIF conference after the success of our conferences in recent years on "Relgioptimiste", "Jail & Justice" and "Never Alone", and practical preparation for the next Dialoograad/Conseil de Dialogue with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice at the end of January.

Round Table on Migration at the EKD Offices

On 29 November, the Chaplain-President was privileged to be one of the speakers at a round table on the subject of migration hosted at the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland's Brussels office. The EKD and the Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference in Germany have jointly produced a major report on a Christian approach to migration and refugees in Europe, Shaping Migration in a Humane Manner: Human dignity of migrants in a migration society – EKD The report was presented by Dr Stefan Hesse, archbishop of Hamburg, and a number of MEPs and church commentators then offered comments and analysis on it. The Chaplain-President's comments centred on the impressive ecumenical scope of the report and its rooting of modern humanitarian responses to migration in clear biblical and historical Christian origins.