Official visit to the Maison d'Izieu (France)

On 29 and 30 April, the Chaplain-President was humbled and honoured to represent the Anglicans of Belgium at the official visit of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles to the Maison d'Izieu, Mémorial des Enfants Juifs Exterminés, near Lyon, expertly led by Minister-President Pierre-Yves Jeholet. On 6 April 1944, the Gestapo arrested 44 Jewish children (including 10 Belgians) and 6 adults at a remote farmhouse where they had been in hiding. All but one were subsequently murdered by the Nazis. The farmhouse managed nonetheless to save 60 Jewish children during WW2. The intensive two-day visit by the Minister-President, his cabinet, the Chefs de Culte and several classes of Belgian schoolchildren included several public commemorations, participation in the workshops organised for the pupils, meetings with local acteurs in interfaith dialogue and very high levels of local hospitality. Minister-President Jeholet gave a speech at one of the commemorations which the Chaplain-President felt was among the best speeches he had ever heard. The Central Committee was privileged to take part in this visit and to explore with others how to build a Europe in which the horrors of 1944 will not be repeated. The current war in Ukraine reminds us that this ideal is very far from being realised. Accueil - Maison d'Izieu (memorializieu.eu).

For further informations, here is a link to the report of the local newspaper "L'Avenir” whose journalists followed pupils from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (Herve) to Izieu.

Europe-Africa academic links

On 27 April, the Chaplain-President took a session of PhD supervision with two of his doctoral students, Nathan Ngoy (working on the colonialist character of British missionary activity in Congo-Kinshasa) and Silvère Olongo (working on contemporary Protestant attitudes towards LGBT people in Cameroon). All three researchers are active in Cares Brussels, a new research-group which focuses on Europe-Africa theological links. Les membres du CARES – caresbrussels.org

Article 17 Dialogue

On 27 April, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, met Dr Nicola Censini, coordinator of the European Parliament's Article 17 dialogue between the EU and the religious and humanist communities of Europe (as opposed to Dr Vincent Depaigne, who handles this dossier for the European Commission). A full and deep discussion was held about how the Anglican Church can remain a stakeholder in this dialogue after the departure of the UK (with its tens of millions of Anglicans) from the EU.

Professionaliseeringstraject Thomas More

De Vlaamse overheid werkt samen met Thomas More hogeschool te Mechelen om een professionaliseeringstraject te lanceren voor eredienst besturen. Levensbeschouwelijke vertegenwoordigers zijn samengekomen op 25 april 2023 in Mechelen om wat feedback te geven en vragen te stellen. De secretaris-generaal was aanwezig namens de anglicaanse kerk. Hij kijk uit om meer details te delen onder de anglicaanse parochies in de komende maanden.

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.