Dialoog inburgering

Op dinsdag 21 mei 2024 hebben de kapelaan-voorzitter, secretaris-general en tweede secretaris van het Centraal Comité meegedaan bij een eerste vergadering tussen de erkende levensbeschouwingen, de Vlaamse overheid en agentschappen van 3 gemeentes die verantwoordelijk zijn voor inburgering. Kabinetschef Gunter Van Neste heeft iedereen samen gebracht om dialoog te beginnen tussen deze actoren rond dit thema. De overheid beseft dat levensbeschouwingen veel contact hebben met nieuwe burgers in het land en tegelijk de levensbeschouwingen zoeken meer mogelijkheden om hun aanhangers te helpen integreren. Alle partijen waren heel blij met deze eerste kennismaking en verder dialoog zal voortkomen.

Revd Annie Bolger speaks in Anglican Theology lecture

On 16 May, the Chaplain-President was delighted to welcome the Revd Annie Bolger, Assistant Chaplain at Holy Trinity Brussels, to his lecture at KU Leuven on Women in Anglicanism. After a survey by Jack of Anglican attitudes to the place of women in the Church, Annie took the floor to speak about her personal experiences as a new Anglican, as a parish intern in Leuven, as an ordinand in Leuven and Mirfield and as a priest in Brussels. A lively session of questions from the students followed. Thanks to Annie for offering so much of herself in this session!

Caring for seafarers in Antwerp

On May 15th, the Second Secretary travelled to the Antwerp Harbour Hotel to meet with Revd. June Mark Yañez, who works as a chaplain for St. Boniface Anglican church and the Mission to Seafarers, and Steve Morgan, Regional Director for Europe for the Mission to Seafarers. The Harbour Hotel is where the Mission to Seafarers share offices with similar organisations and offer services to seafarers who have docked in the port of Antwerp.

It was a wonderful opportunity to learn from Revd. Yañez about the help and support that the Mission to Seafarers offers to the people of many nationalities who come on ships of all sizes to the port of Antwerp. In turn, the Second Secretary was able to explain in detail how this fits into the Anglican Church’s ministry in Belgium and together we discussed what future ministry opportunities might look like.

We give thanks for all the work the Mission to Seafarers does in accompanying seafarers who are far from home and family, working in very difficult conditions and we are thankful for many years of partnership between the Anglican Church and this organisation.

Remise des diplômes au Centre pour la Paix

Le 28 avril, a présidé le chapelain-président, au nom de Mgr Robert Innes, la séance annuelle du Centre pour la Paix et la Transformation des Conflits, abrité à Holy Trinity de Bruxelles, au cours de laquelle les diplômes ont été remis. 19 candidats, ayant suivi des filières francophone ou anglophone, ont reçu leurs diplômes en une atmosphère de joie et de liesse. La cérémonie a eu lieu lors d'une eucharistie dans l'église Holy Trinity et a été suivie d'un repas festif dans la salle paroissiale. Nous tenons à remercier tout particulièrement notre cher collègue le révérend Jean-Bosco Turahirwa, qui préside et anime le Centre pour la Paix avec tant d'enthousiasme et d'inspiration. Félicitations aux diplômés !

A new beginning

Just over a year ago, the Anglican Church in Leuven, which is comprised of many students and several families, agreed to work together with Sant’Egidio and Humanitarian Corridors to welcome refugees for the next year. There was a lot of work to prepare. Then, the first family arrived. Thankfully, they were able to be registered legally in Belgium and moved in Antwerpen in November 2023. A second family arrived just days later. Again, they have gone through a succesful procedure to have their status recognised by the Belgian government and just this past week, they moved to an apartment in Brussels. With their move, the 1 year agreement to help with resettlement has ended. The Central Committee would like to thank the incredible team of volunteers from St. Martha & St. Mary’s, Leuven for all their hard work.

We will remember them

On 2 May 2024, the Secretary-General was honoured to lead a re-burial service for Flight Sergeant Charles Carr Atkin at the Noorderbegraafplaats Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Vlissingen. While FS Atkin already had a tombstone, additional remains were found in 2013. A long historical process ended recently and his remains have now been re-buried and re-united. Members of FS Atkin’s family from Australia were also present. Other artefacts that were found from when his plane crashed on the Dutch coast were displayed and shared. The service was organised by the Australian Embassy in Belgium and the Australian defense attache to Belgium, the Netherlands, NATO & SHAPE.

Encore une visite du Musée royal de l'Afrique centrale

Le 30 avril, the chapelain-président, dans sa qualité de professeur titulaire à la FUTP Bruxelles, a animé une visite guidée du Musée royal de l'Afrique centrale pour un groupe d'étudiants qui suivent son cours "L'afropéanité". Les étudiants sont majoritairement d'origine africaine ; pour presque tous c'est leur première visite du plus grand centre de recherche scientifique sur le Congo au monde. Une longue conversation s'en suit au café du musée sur le rôle des Eglises, y compris de l'Eglise anglicane, dans la colonisation ainsi que dans la décolonisation des pays africains. On y aborde aussi les possibilités ouvertes aux diplômés en théologie et sciences religieuses de poursuivre des ministères anglicans en Belgique.

Thanksgiving Mass for the 56th anniversary of Sant'Egidio

On 28 April, the Chaplain-President was honoured to represent the Anglicans of Belgium at a mass celebrated by Archbishop Luc Terlinden of Malines-Bruxelles and Bishop Jean-Pierre Delville of Liège to celebrate the 56th anniversary of our friends at Sant'Egidio, with whom we work so effectively in the Humanitarian Corridors programme. After the service, the first bricks of a new Sant'Egidio social centre based at the parish were ceremonially laid by Archbishop Terlinden, Philippe Close (Mayor of Brussels) and Baroness Hilde Kieboom and Baron Jan De Volder of Sant'Egidio. Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/metropolis2012/sets/72177720316546597/

Central Committee Bureau blue-sky thinking day

On 24 April, the Central Committee Bureau (the Chaplain-President, Secretary-General and Second Secretary) had a blue-sky thinking day at the Africa Museum in Tervuren, choosing this location because Jack's academic work includes Central Africa and he is familiar with the museum and its Research and Documentation Centre, which is the largest research facility in the world for Congolese history and culture. Jack offered his colleagues a tour of the museum and they then had a very constructive vision-meeting, imagining what the Anglican Church in Belgium might look like in 2030 and how to respond faithfully and creatively to the social and political pressures and opportunities which our situation brings.

Welcoming the Revd. Richard Clement to Belgium!

On Saturday the 20th of April, the Second Secretary was pleased to be able to attend the licensing service for the Revd. Richard Clement to Saint George’s Memorial Church in Ieper.

The Archdeacon of North-West Europe, the Ven. Sam van Leer, presided. During the service, Revd. Richard was warmly welcomed by representatives from the parish, as well as by Sir Edward Crofton, Chair of the Friends of Saint George’s Memorial Church, by the Revd. Father Miguel Dehondt, Dean of St Martin’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Ieper, and by the Revd. Christian Bultinck, Pastor of the Protestant Church in Ieper. Also present at the service was His Excellency Martin Shearman, British Ambassador to Belgium.

The Central Committee also wishes the Revd. Richard many blessings as he begins this new stage of his ministry and we wish him all the best as he settles into life in Belgium.

VILD vergadering

Op 19 april hebben de kapelaan-voorzitter, secretaris-generaal en tweede-secretaris de laatste vergadering van het Vlaams Interlevensbeschouwelijk Dialoog (VILD) bijgewoond. Deze keer was de voorzitterschap onder meneer Bruno Spriet, secretaris-generaal van de rooms-katholieke eredienst in Vlaanderen.

Er werd gesproken over, onder andere: 1) stand van zaken van de erkenningsaanvragen, 2) grote discussie over de net gepubliceerde evaluatiestudie van Universiteit Antwerpen over het eredienstendecreet, 3) verslagen van de werkgroepen i) armoede, ii) communicatie, iii) spirituele zorgverleners; 4) stand van zaken van de commissies misbruik.

Het was een vol agenda met gedachten wisselingen.

L'Aumônerie anglicane des prisons s'explique

Le 15 avril, le professeur-invité à la FUTP, Armin Kummer (faculté où d'ailleurs le chapelain-président est professeur-titulaire) a lancé une invitation au Coordinateur national de l’ Aumônerie anglicane des Etablissements pénitentiaires fermés. Réponse à laquelle Eric Sibomana, aussi vice-président du Comité central, a répondu positivement. La sœur Hélène Ntombo, aumônière catholique, et Eric ont pu intervenir dans le cadre du cours intitulé : “L’accompagnement pastoral”. Ils ont pris plaisir à expliquer leur travail dans le milieu carcéral ; ils ont eu l'occasion de partager leur expérience en tant qu'aumôniers, en mettant en avant les défis et les récompenses de ce travail ; ils ont également pu discuter des différentes facettes du soutien spirituel et émotionnel aux détenus, ainsi que des stratégies pour favoriser leur réhabilitation et leur réinsertion sociale. Eric et Hélène ont mis l'accent sur l'importance de l'empathie, de la compassion et du respect dans ce contexte particulier.

Celebrating 54 years of Sant'Egidio in Belgium

On Sunday the 14th of April, the Second Secretary and Secretary General were pleased to attend a celebration for Sant’Egidio Belgium’s 54th anniversary in Antwerp.

The day began with a gathering at Sant’Egidio’s Laudato Si’ center, which serves one of Antwerp’s outlying neighborhoods. Everyone who had come to Belgium through the Humanitarian Corridors scheme was invited to come, so it was a joyful morning of reconnecting and sharing experiences. Many beneficiaries of the programme took the opportunity to express their gratitude for the difference Humanitarian Corridors made in their journey to safely and legally come to Europe. Representatives from Sant’Egidio also highlighted the value that migrants bring to Belgian society - today and in the future.

After lunch and a ferry ride across to Antwerp’s Right Bank, more guests gathered for a thanksgiving mass in the Cathedral of Our Lady, at which Kardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg, preached and Bishop Bonny of Antwerp presided. Sant’Egidio volunteers and representatives from partner organisations and the Belgian government were all welcomed. The service was followed by a reception at Sant’Egidio’s central hub.

Exploring pathways to safe and legal passage

On April 9, the Second Secretary of the Central Committee had the pleasure of attending and speaking at Sant’Egidio Belgium’s HUMCore result presentation day. The event took place at the beautiful Muntpunt library and it was well attended by participants from all over Belgium and Europe.

Central to the programme were presentations about the HUMCore project, which Sant’Egidio has been carrying out in Europe for the past three years. The research focused on comparing complementary pathways for refugees coming to Europe (such as Humanitarian Corridors), proposed policy changes and guidelines for best practices for sponsorship and integration.

Throughout the day, we heard from Sant’Egidio staff, university researchers, representatives from the EU and Belgian government, sponsors and beneficiaries. During the afternoon session, Rebecca shared about the Anglican Church in Belgium’s experience of receiving three families - one in Gent 2019 and two in Leuven in 2023.

Humanitarian Corridors aims to provide an answer to the many refugees who are fleeing situations of war and poverty in several countries. Since the HUMCore research project started, over 2000 people in vulnerable situations have been granted safe and legal passage to European countries, where each one of them was welcomed by a sponsoring community, who has helped them on the journey to integration in their new home. It has been an enriching experience for the volunteers from Anglican churches across Belgium to participate in this scheme, and the Central Committee looks forward to further cooperation with Sant’Egidio and Humanitarian Corridors.

Interested in finding out more? Dive into the world of Humanitarian Corridors through this enlightening video:

"Europe, a leap into the unknown" (Robert Schuman)

On 9 April, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, attended a fascinating evening at Comece in which the Spanish author Victoria Martin de la Torre spoke about the new Polish translation of her book Europe, a Leap into the Unknown, a presentation of the lives of some of the founders of the European Union in the aftermath of the carnage of the Second World War. Two Polish MEPs, Roza Thun and Jan Olbrycht, were present to comment on the book from different political perspectives, and a lively public discussion took place about possible next directions for the EU.

FIDIF vergadering

Op 8 april 2024 hebben de kapelaan-voorzitter, secretaris-generaal en tweede secretaris de laatste vergadering van FIDIF bijgewoond. FIDIF zit onder de voorzitterschap van Bernard DuFour namens de rooms-katholieke eredienst en mevrouw Breekveldt van de anglicaanse eredienst dient als secretaris van dit orgaan. Op de agenda stond 4 belangrijke punten: 1) verloop van de erkenning van het boeddhisme, 2) opvolging van het Vlaamse kaderwet voor de erediensten en vrijzinnigheid, 3) communicatie in aanloop van de verkiezingen in 2024 omtrent de financiering van de levensbeschouwingen, 4) gedachte wisseling over mogelijk vredesboom initiatief.

Meeting with Denis Mukwege

On 30 March, the Chaplain-President interviewed Dr Denis Mukwege, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Congolese gynecologist and campaigner against the rape of women and girls as a weapon of war in the eastern Congo. The interview was part of Jack’s academic research into Christianity in Africa with a particular focus on the Congo, which has a long, and often difficult history with Belgium. Jack, Dr. Mukwege and PhD candidate, Nathan Ngoy, had a most interesting and important conversation about the nature of religious belief in Congo, the links between traditional Congolese beliefs and Christianity, the violence of both European colonisers and African leaders in Congo, and ways in which the victims of rape can begin a process of healing with the support of medical professionals and the churches. Jack felt during this interview that he was in the presence of true human greatness.

Celebrating friendship between faiths

On Wednesday 3 April 2024, the Secretary-General was pleased to represent the Central Committee of the Anglican Church at the Great Synagogue in Brussels for a special evening celebrating the friendship between the Jewish community in Belgium and Cardinal Josef De Kezel & Archbishop Luc Terlinden.

The two Roman Catholic leaders were warmly greeted by the President of the Jewish Consistory, Philippe Markiewicz, Grand Rabbi Guigui, the members of the synagogue and invited dignitaries and guests. The speeches were particularly poignant in light of the current conflict between the state of Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as well as acknowledging the history of anti-semitism in the Roman Catholic and other Christian churches. However, on this evening, the focus was on: friendship, brotherhood, solidarity, democracy and peace among all faiths and convictions in order to strengthen our society and work together for a positive future where everyone can flourish.

Speeches were interspersed with musical pieces which, appropriately enough, can only be described as divine!

Coverage of the event is also available in Flemish and French.