Service for Morocco at the Great Synagogue

On 28 September, the Chaplain-President was honoured to represent the Anglicans of Belgium at the Cérémonie du souvenir pour les victimes du tremblement de terre du 9 septembre au Maroc, held at the Great Synagogue of Brussels. In addition to beautiful pieces on the violin and the finest singing from the cantor, the packed synagogue was graced by a sermon from Chief Rabbi Albert Guigui, and by speeches from the President of the Consistoire Israélite Maître Philippe Markiewicz and from the Ambassador of Morocco M. Mohammed Ameur. The whole service was a highly symbolic sign to the people of Belgium that Jew and Muslim are friends, brothers and sisters, and it was a privilege for the Christians present to witness this emotional friendship in the face of the 3,000 people dead and 6,000 people injured by the earthquake earlier this month.

Fête de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles

Le 27 septembre, le chapelain-président était ravi d'assister à la fête de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles tenue à l'Hôtel de Ville de Bruxelles en présence du Premier Ministre Alexander De Croo et d'une haute-délégation de l'Assemblée nationale de Côte d'Ivoire. Pendant la cérémonie, le Ministre-Président de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Pierre-Yves Jeholet, a prononcé un discours très intéressant sur la prise en change des multiples extrémismes et radicalismes violents qui sapent la démocratie belge.

New book by Paul Vrolijk

On 15 September, the Revd Dr Paul Vrolijk, until recently the canon chancellor of Holy Trinity Brussels and formerly a member of the Central Committee, published a new book: Farewell to my Father (Farewell to my father : Vrolijk, Paul: Amazon.nl: Boeken ). Paul is a scholar of the Hebrew Bible, but this book is a more personal exploration of Paul's emotional and spiritual reactions to his father's death. Following his retirement from Holy Trinity Brussels, Paul is still very much involved in the life of the Anglican Church of Belgium and he also runs Christilience, an organisation aimed at helping people acquire resilience when faced by life's challenges: Christilience.org

The Central Committee visits the parishes

On 24 September, the Chaplain-President and the Secretary-General, who are both Anglican priests, took the principal Sunday services at St John's Gent and St Boniface Antwerpen. It is always a pleasure for the Central Committee to get out and about in the Belgian parishes, to offer to help where we can, to listen to news and views, and to pray with our fellow Anglican Christians.

Anglican professors busy at KU Leuven

On 22 September, the Chaplain-President met Père Georges Mizingi, a Congolese Catholic priest who is embarking on a PhD project on the great Congolese theologian Oscar Bimwenyi and who has interests in Cardinal Malula relevant to the Theo Teams project being led this year by the Chaplain-President on the relations between Malula and President Mobutu. The Chaplain-President then attended the KU Leuven Faculty of Theology Thesis Fair to speak to potential PhD students about the possibility of being their supervisor: our photo shows him with the Revd Prof Hector Patmore, another Anglican priest who is a professor in the faculty.

Goodbye to Père Krystian Sowa SJ at the Chapelle de l'Europe

On 20 September, the Chaplain-President had the pleasure tinged with sadness of representing the Anglicans of Belgium at the annual prière oecuménique de la rentrée at the Chapelle de l'Europe (Chapelle pour l'Europe | (chapellepourleurope.eu) ), the Jesuit-inspired Christian chaplaincy to the EU Institutions in Brussels, with which the Anglican Church has always enjoyed close relations. Mgr Noël Treanor (papal nuncio to the EU) led the service, assisted by an ecumenical team including the Revd Sarah-Jane King, curate in St Martha and St Mary Leuven. Comte Herman Van Rompuy, president of the Chapelle de l'Europe, gave a fine speech in honour of Père Krystian Sowa, who was leaving his post as director of the Chapelle after 11 years. Père Krystian and the Chaplain-President had spearheaded several initiatives at the Chapelle together in the past, and it was a joy to hear that their "film nights with supper and discussion" are still a popular ministry there. Godspeed to Krystian as he begins his new ministry in the Vatican.

Extraordinary General Assembly of the CEC

On 20 September, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, represented the six British, Irish and European Anglican Churches who are members of the CEC, together with the six European Old Catholic Churches who are members of the CEC, at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Conference of European Churches (Welcome | CEC Europe ). This meeting had the purpose of voting on minor administrative changes to the constitution of the CEC and was also an excellent opportunity for sharing and discussion between the CEC's Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and Old Catholic branches over lunch.


Eurodiaconia

On 18 September, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, was pleased to meet Heather Roy, Secretary General of the prominent NGO Eurodiaconia (Eurodiaconia ) in her offices next to the European Commission in Brussels, to discuss Eurodiaconia's advocacy and practical action for diaconal service across Europe. Heather is also one of the lay readers at Holy Trinity Brussels (Meet the Team — Holy Trinity Brussels ).

Retirement party for Mgr Herman Cosijns

On 14 September, the Chaplain-President was delighted to attend the retirement party of Mgr Herman Cosijns, Secretary-General of the Conférence épiscopale de Belgique/Belgische Bisschoppenconferentie, held in the gardens of the Archbishop's Palace in Mechelen. As his final working act, Cardinal Jozef De Kesel gave a warm speech of thanks, to which Mgr Cosijns equally warmly replied. Their successors as Archbishop and Secretary-General, Mgr Luc Terlinden and Mr Bruno Spriet, were present to guarantee a smooth succession. All the chefs de culte were present to support and encourage. A delicious supper was served after the speeches.

Fêtes de Wallonie

Le 16 septembre, le chapelain-président a eu le plaisir d'assister à la cérémonie officielle des Fêtes de Wallonie au Théâtre Royal de Namur. Entre une bonne musique et une réception délicieuse, trois discours percutants sur l'avenir démocratique de la Wallonie sont prononcés par André Frédéric (président du Parlement wallon), Elio Di Rupo (ministre-président de Wallonie) et Mme Malu Dreyer (ministre-présidente de Rhénanie-Palatinat).


Conseil Consultatif Supérieur des Cours Philosophiques

Le 12 septembre, le chapelain-président a représenté le Comité central à une réunion du Conseil consultatif supérieur des cours philosophiques (CCSCP - Enseignement.be - Le Conseil consultatif supérieur des cours philosophiques), organe qui permet aux convictions reconnues d'assurer une liaison fréquente avec le gouvernement de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, l'autorité de tutelle des cours de religion dans les écoles publiques francophones de Belgique. Cette réunion est présidée par Mme Caroline Désir, ministre de l'éducation de la Wallonie et de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles : tous les participants se sont accordés à dire que la réunion a été constructive et positive.


Enthronement of the new Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels #2

On 12 September, the Chaplain-President was honoured to represent the Central Committee, Bishop Robert and Holy Trinity Brussels at Mgr Luc Terlinden's second enthronement in ten days. Having been consecrated bishop and enthroned in the archbishop's cathedra in Mechelen on 3 September, Mgr Terlinden was then enthroned in his other cathedral, St Michel & St Gudule in Brussels. An enormous congregation attended a service of music and joy to welcome Brussels' new archbishop with enthusiasm and style.

30th anniversary of the death of King Baudouin

On 9 September, the Chaplain-President was honoured to represent the Anglicans of Belgium at the royal mass to commemorate the anniversary of the death of King Baudouin, which occurred by tragic surprise on 31 July 1993. The mass was celebrated in the royal parish of Notre-Dame de Laeken by Mgr Luc Terlinden, the new archbishop of Malines-Brussels, accompanied by Mgr Noël Treanor (the papal nuncio to the EU) and Mgr Franco Coppola (the papal nuncio to Belgium), in the presence of the King and Queen, as well as of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. King Baudouin was much loved and respected in the English-speaking world: it is a breach of British royal protocol for the Sovereign to attend the funeral of another head of State, but Queen Elizabeth broke this protocol to attend King Baudouin's funeral, so deep was their mutual friendship.

Suffragan Bishop David Hamid's retirement

The Central Committee congratulates the Suffragan (Assistant) Bishop of the Diocese in Europe, The Rt. Revd David Hamid, on the announcement of his retirement (effective 29 Feb. 2024). For more than 21 years, Bishop David has blessed the diocese with his service to the Gospel, especially in the areas of ecumenism and ministry training. We wish Bishop David and Colleen every blessing as they look forward to this new season in their lives & ministry.

Enthronement of the new Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels

On 3 September, the Chaplain-President and Bishop Robert were privileged to represent the Anglican Church in Belgium at the consecration and enthronement of Mgr Luc Terlinden as Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels and Primate of Belgium, in the Catholic cathedral in Mechelen/Malines. Mgr Terlinden's previous post was Vicar-General of the Diocese of Mechelen-Brussels, where the Chaplain-President had contact with him on the organising committee for the centenary of the Malines Conversations between Catholics and Anglicans (Centenary Commemoration – Malines conversations group - because of the covid pandemic, these centenary celebrations have been postponed until 2025). Mgr Terlinden is a noted expert on the philosophers John Henry Newman (1801-1890, an Anglican priest before becoming a Catholic cardinal) and Charles Taylor (b.1931, both an Anglican and a Catholic). The Central Committee rejoices in Mgr Terlinden's consecration and looks forward to working closely with him for the good of the people of Belgium.

The Anglican Church in Belgium in full evolution

The Central Committee has noticed that for the first time since Anglicanism was recognised by the Belgian State in 1870, not a single one of the 20 Anglican clergy and lay-readers salaried by the Ministry of Justice is registered as a British citizen. Our parishes are growing and in good heart, and they are increasingly staffed by non-British clergy and lay-readers. We nonetheless deplore this evidence of the steady distancing between the UK and Belgium which the Withdrawal Agreement (2020) and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (2021) have triggered since they came into force, a distancing which in no way corresponds to the extremely warm relations enjoyed between Belgium and Britain since Belgium's independence in 1831.