Kangeroos & Kiwi's

On 24-25 April 2023, the Secretary-General was honoured to be part of the annual ANZAC day celebrations. Two new flags were dedicated as gifts from Australia and New Zealand to the City of Ieper which were presented by Her Excellency, Caroline Millar, Australian Ambassador to the EU, NATO, Belgium and Luxembourg, and Her Excellency, Head of Mission Abassador, Diana Reaich. Then, on Tuesday 25 April, commemorations began with the traditional Dawn Ceremony at Polygon Wood. These acts of remebrance strengthens the bonds between 2 great nations and Belgium. The Abassadors and other speakers highlighted the need for unity among nations, particularly in light of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Discussing Anglicanism in Europe with the MES interns

On 26 April, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, led a zoom-session for the Diocese in Europe MES interns on the ways in which the Anglican Church is represented to the EU. This session also served as a recruitment-event for the interns in the hope that they might return to the Diocese in Europe in due course to minister here as chaplains! Ministry Experience Scheme - Diocese in Europe (anglican.org)

The Chaplain-President interviewed on LN24

On 26 April, the Chaplain-President was interviewed on the Belgian television channel LN24 about the political character of the early reign of King Charles III of the UK, in particular his decision to open the Royal Archives to researchers examining the historic relationship between the British monarchy and the transatlantic slave trade. La 1re chaîne d'info en Belgique | LN24

L’interreligieux à la prison !

Les représentants de l’aumônerie musulmane à la prison de Haren ont convié ce mardi 25 avril l’équipe anglicane à un moment festif. Ensemble, nous avons partagé un buffet dans le but de célébrer toutes nos fêtes religieuses communes ce mois-ci. Au programme : rassemblement et échanges autour d’un buffet sucré-salé, entre collègues et ce, dans la joie et la convivialité.

EMOUNA International

Notre équipe de l’aumônerie anglicane carcérale a participé à une rencontre “Emouna international” qui s’est tenue du 23 au 24 avril à Bruxelles. Emouna international regroupe les Emouna France, Belgique et Pays-Bas. Nos aumôniers ayant suivi la formation inter-convictionnel intitulée “Emouna” ont pu se joindre aux autres membres pour la visite des différents lieux de culte. Lors de la dernière journée, différentes présentations sur diverses thématiques interreligieuses, convictions philosophiques, ainsi que des projets et témoignages ont eu lieu. Notre photo montre l’équipe d’aumôniers anglicans carcéraux francophones. Emouna Be – Emouna Be Formation Sciences Po Paris Ministres du Culte

Meeting with COMECE

On 18 April, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, met Dr José Luis Bazan, Secretary of the Commission for Migration and Asylum at Comece (Commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conferences of the EU: José Luis Bazán - The Catholic Church in the European Union (comece.eu) ) for a very constructive discussion on Anglican-Catholic cooperation on issues of migration and asylum in the EU and the UK.

Interconvictional service of the SARM at the Chapelle Royale

On 5 April, the Chaplain-President and M. Eric Sibomana were delighted to attend the annual interconvictional service organised by the SARM (Service d'Assistance Religieuse et Morale) of the Belgian Ministry of Defence. This year, the ceremony was held at the Chapelle Royale, the home of the Eglise Protestante de Bruxelles-Musée. The SARM currently includes chaplains/counsellors from the Catholic, Jewish, Protestant and Humanist recognised convictions. Representatives from the Anglican, Muslim and Orthodox recognised convictions were also pleased to attend the ceremony, which will be posted on the SARM's YouTube channel here:  Service d'Assistance Religieuse et Morale - YouTube

Chrism Eucharist at Holy Trinity Brussels

Anglican tradition dictates that clergy and lay readers meet during Holy Week with their bishop to bless the oils which will be used in the coming year at baptism, confirmation and for ministry to the sick. For clergy & Readers from the Diocese in Europe, a chrism eucharist (Greek for "an anointing thanksgiving") was held on 4 April at Holy Trinity Brussels, presided by Bishop Richard Frith, formerly Bishop of Hereford (because the diocesan bishop Robert Innes is on sabbatical until later in the month). A lunch provided by Holy Trinity's Community Kitchen was served afterwards.

Greek National Day

On 28 March, the Chaplain-President was honoured to represent the Anglicans of Belgium at a lunch reception held at the Greek Ambassador's Residence in Brussels to celebrate the independence of Greece from the Ottoman Empire on 25 March 1829. Ambassador Dionyssios Kalamvrezos gave an uplifting speech on Greece's role in the United Nations. The Chaplain-President was delighted to speak to the Papal Nuncio Mgr Franco Coppola and Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium during the reception.

Vlaams Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog

Op vrijdag 24 maart waren de anglicaanse kerken in Vlaanderen vertegenwoordigd door de Kapelaan-voorzitter, vice-voorzitster en secretaris-generaal van het Centraal Comité. We kregen update over beroepskwalificaties voor erkend spirituele zorgverleners in de zorg. Dan was er prestatie van Soligion (UAntwerpen) rond de samenwerking tussen levensbeschouwingen op het welvaart veld. De boeddhisten gaven ook wat toelichting over de laatste stappen van hun officiële erkenning van de federale overheid.

The security of places of worship

On 27 March, the Chaplain-President and Secretary-General were present at a meeting between the chefs de culte and representatives of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior to discuss the security of the buildings used by the recognised convictions in Belgium.

Le 27 mars, le Chapelain-président et le secrétaire général ont assisté à une réunion entre les chefs de culte et des représentants du ministère de la justice et du ministère de l'intérieur pour discuter de la sécurité des bâtiments utilisés par les convictions reconnues en Belgique.

Op 27 maart waren de Kapelaan-voorzitter en de secretaris-generaal bij een vergadering van de chefs de culte en vertegenwoordigers van de ministeries van Justitie en van Binnenlandse Zaken om de veiligheid van de gebouwen van de erkende levensbeschouwingen te bespreken.

Professionaliseringstraject voor Vlaamse kerkraden

Op dinsdag 21 maart 2023 heeft het Centraal Comité vertegenwoordigers van de Vlaamse overheid en Thomas More hogeschool verwelkomt voor een inspireert gedachtewisseling rond opleiding voor kerkraden in Vlaanderen. Begin september 2023 lanceert Thomas More een 2-jaar proefproject voor de professionalisering van kerkraden voor een bachelors diploma. Dit initiatief komt door samenwerking met de Vlaamse overheid en de 8 erkende levensbeschouwingen. Het voorstel is echt een aanrader voor alle lokale geloofsgemeenschappen. Als u meer informatie wil, neem maar dan contact op met ons bureau.

Article 17 Dialogue

On 20 March, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity of Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, represented the Anglican Church at an informal meeting of the Article 17 Dialogue between the European Commission and representatives of the principal European churches, religions and secular-humanist organisations. An interesting time of sharing and debate focused on the war in Ukraine, the European Union's Defence of Democracy Package (European Commission pledges to introduce a Defence of Democracy Package to uphold civil society - Philea) and the role of the new EU Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion, Baron Frans Van Daele (Belgian diplomat Frans van Daele appointed as EU special envoy for freedom of religion (belganewsagency.eu)).

Anglican Prison Chaplains team meets in Haren Prison

On 16 March, the entire Anglican Prison Chaplains team gathered in Haren Prison, Brussels, for a day of discussion and meetings. We were delighted to be received by M. Frédéric Dulière, one the directors of the prison, for a question-and-answer session in the morning. M. Jurgen Van Poecke, director-general of the prison, met us during lunch in the prison canteen. Mr Jonathan Mayers, counter-terrorism policy adviser at the British Embassy, joined us for the morning session. The Secretary-General closed the day with a meditation and prayers. Our picture shows the prison chaplaincy team, from left to right: M. Eric Sibomana, Dhr Egbert van Groesen, the Secretary-General, the Revd Charles Kabera, Mr Jonathan Mayers (British Embassy), the Chaplain-President, the Second Secretary, Mrs Grace West.

Sant'Egidio célèbre ses 55 ans

Le dimanche 5 mars, le Deuxième-secrétaire représentait le Chapelain-président à la célébration eucharistique, présidée par Son Eminence le Cardinal Jozef de Kesel en présence de Son Excellence le Nonce apostolique en Belgique, des 55 ans d’existence de Sant’Egidio (https://www.santegidio.be/fr/) sur le sol belge.

La baronne Hilde Kieboom et le baron Jan De Volder, respectivement fondatrice de la branche belge de l’association caritative italienne et responsable de son implantation bruxelloise, voulurent souligner les succès rencontrés dans l’aide au plus démunis et mettre en lumière la force des solidarités construites avec les différents cultes reconnus en Belgique. Parmi ces derniers, le Comité Central est investi, avec des paroisses anglicanes, dans l’organisation des Couloirs humanitaires qui viennent en aide aux réfugiés qui frappent aujourd’hui au(x) cœur(s) de l’Europe dans l’espoir d’y retrouver le droit d’exister.

Anglican representation to the EU

On 2 March, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, met a group of local experts in EU affairs and politics, to share information and insight about recent developments. Migration and refugee policy, the EU Green Deal, and the war in Ukraine are the most significant and pressing European matters which are of concern to the Diocese in Europe and to the Central Committee, and which demand Anglican action and cooperation.