On 7 November, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, spoke to the diocesan network for parishes/chaplaincies engaged in refugee projects about the ways in which the European Institutions in Brussels consider questions of migration, immigration and refugees, and the ways in which the churches and other faith and lifestance groups contribute towards these discussions and decisions.
Forum Chrétien Francophone à Liège #2
Le passage biblique de Romains 10:15 était le thème utilisé au Forum chrétien francophone qui a lieu à l’Institut St-Laurent à Liège du 28 au 31 octobre 2024. Le Forum a pour but de réunir plus de 20 confessions ou familles chrétiennes de différents pays francophones d’Europe. Le chapelain-président a assisté à l’ouverture de la 2ème édition du Forum et le vice-président Eric Sibomana a pu participer au dernier jour de ce rassemblement chrétien du monde francophone. Ces quatre jours n’ont laissé aucun participant indifférent et ont servi à sensibiliser l’Eglise à œuvrer ensemble pour bâtir plus de ponts et moins de murs entre nous. Le constat général est que l’Esprit-Saint est à l’œuvre dans chaque famille chrétienne. Parmi les dires de ceux qui étaient sur place : « Il faut le vivre pour le comprendre » ou encore : « Si Dieu a des enfants partout, ça veut dire que nous sommes frères et sœurs : il y a une seule église. » Le vice-président a croisé Mme Natacha-Ingrid Tinteroff (pasteure anglicane en formation de la paroisse St-Michael à Paris) venue participer au Forum.
Meeting on arms control and disarmament
On 6 November, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, participated in a seminar jointly organised by the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland bureau in Brussels and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Brussels on the future of international dialogue on arms control and disarmament, in the light of the current war in Ukraine and the refusal of Mr Putin to engage in meaningful arms control conversations with Nato and others. Our conversations were sharpened by the fact that Mr Trump had been elected to the presidency of the USA for a second time the same morning, with possible consequences for the safety and peace of Ukraine. The Churches' contribution to real dialogue on the peace and security of nation states under threat of war was extensively discussed.
Meeting of the FIDIF
On 4 November, the Chaplain-President hosted and chaired at Holy Trinity Brussels a meeting of the Federale Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog/Dialogue Fédéral Interconvictionnel, the informal meeting of the chefs de culte which prepares for formal meetings with the Regional and Federal Governments in Belgium. The Second Secretary took the minutes. On this occasion, representatives of the Catholic, Protestant-Evangelical, Jewish, Anglican, Muslim, Orthodox, Humanist and Buddhist convictions were joined by a delegation from the Forum Hindou de Belgique, who gave a presentation on Belgian Hinduism and on the Forum's path towards legal recognition as a culte reconnu in Belgium.
The Anglican Representations to the UN and EU meet USPG
On 1 November, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, met Ms Martha Jarvis (the Archbishop of Canterbury's Permanent Representative to the UN) and the Revd Dr Duncan Dormor (General Secretary of USPG) at the USPG's headquarters in London, as part of their regular meetings to discuss Anglican Communion lobbying for peace, reconciliation, justice and the values of the Kingdom of God at the UN and EU. A very constructive conversation was had which we hope will lead to an even more prioritised and coordinated approach from the two principal Anglican delegations to international bodies.
Forum Chrétien Francophone à Liège
Le 28 octobre, le chapelain-président fut ravi de représenter Mgr Innes et l'Eglise anglicane en Belgique à la deuxième édition du Forum chrétien francophone, qui se déroule toute la semaine à l'Institut Saint-Laurent de Liège. La première soirée comprenait un délicieux repas des boulettes à la Liégeoise, suivi d'un temps de prière et louange. La soirée fut une excellente opportunité de retrouver de vieux amis de Liège, de Bruxelles, de Malines, ainsi que de s'en faire de nouveaux venus de Beauvais !
Ghanaian memorial service in St John's Gent
On 27 October, the Chaplain-President was privileged to lead the memorial service for Mrs Felicia Abban, the first female professional photographer in Ghana, who had for a time been the personal photographer of Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of post-independence Ghana and architect of the political philosophy of Pan-Africanism. The service was held in St John's Gent with large numbers of the Ghanaian diaspora in Gent attending, and was followed by refreshments provided by Mrs Abban's family.
Concertation des Eglises chrétiennes en Belgique
On 24 October, the Concertation des Eglises chrétiennes en Belgique (in effect the Belgian Council of Churches) met at the Catholic headquarters in Brussels for a full agenda of discussion about issues topical to the member Catholic, Protestant, Anglican and Orthodox Churches. Following the retirement of the Revd Sunny Hallanan, the Anglican delegation is now composed of the Chaplain-President, Canon John Wilkinson and Sister Julian, an Anglican Benedictine sister attached to the Catholic community at Wavreumont near Malmédy.
The Archbishop of Malines-Brussels visits KU Leuven
On 23 October, the Chaplain-President had the great pleasure to attend a question-and-answer session led by Mgr Luc Terlinden, Archbishop of Malines-Brussels, at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies KU Leuven, where Jack is an associate professor. The session was followed by lunch in the faculty library. Notable in the Faculty of Theology are the number of students from the Global South (proportionately more than in any other faculty in the university). Both the Catholic and Anglican Churches are very proud of the Faculty of Theology at KU Leuven, which currently ranks as the 6th best religious studies faculty in the world.
Meeting at the Ministry of Defence
On 22 October, the Chaplain-President and the Vice-President were pleased to attend at meeting of the Service d'assistance religieuse et morale (SARM) of the Belgian Ministry of Defence at the Club Prince Albert in Brussels, for an update on the future of military chaplaincy in Belgium in a changing context of political and military tensions in Europe.
Erfgoedvorming: PARCUM en anglicaanse kerken in Vlaanderen
Op 19 oktober 2024 vond er een vormingsevenement plaats rond erfgoed bij de parochie van St. Boniface anglicaanse kerk te Antwerpen. De dag was een resultaat van samenwerking met PARCUM, het Centraal Comité, het Anglicaans Instituut van België en EVADOC.
Er waren deelnemers van 5 verschillende parochies in Vlaanderen en Brussels, oecumenische vertegenwoordigers en erfgoed experten van Nederland.
Jan Klinckaert gaf een lezing over het belang van erfgoed. Aaldert Prins van EVADOC en KADOC gaf wat toelichting over archieven. Ten slotte, vertelde Julie Aerts over immaterieel erfgoed en hoe verhalen erfgoed ook kunnen zijn.
Dank aan alle deelnemers, de vrijwilligers van St. Bonifacekerk en verschillende partners voor een zeer geslaagde dag.
Visit of the Bishop of Leeds to Brussels
On 16 October, Bishop Robert and the Chaplain-President received a delegation from the Church of England in England led by the Bishop of Leeds, the Right Revd Nick Baines, who were spending the day in Brussels in connection with a report being written by the Bishop of Leeds on the future of the Church of England's relationship with Europe. Bishop Baines went on to meet Baron Frans van Daele of the European Commission, Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium, the Deputy British Ambassador to Belgium, the head of the German Protestant delegation in Brussels and the General Secretary of the Conference of European Churches. We hope that Bishop Nick received a good flavour of European Anglicanism and our various interfaces with European life and politics.
Warm relations with the British Embassy
On 14 October, the Chaplain-President was delighted to have lunch at the British embassy with Ms Chloe Louter, Deputy Ambassador and Chargée d'Affaires. They had a long and fruitful discussion about religion in Belgium and about Anglo-Belgian relations.
Cérémonie de rentrée académique de la FUTP Bruxelles
Le 11 octobre, le chapelain-président, en sa qualité de professeur titulaire d'histoire moderne à la FUTP Bruxelles, a participé à une joyeuse cérémonie de rentrée académique et de remise de diplômes, organisée à la chapelle royale de Bruxelles. En plus des diplômes habituels de bachelier et de master en théologie, les nouveaux certificats universitaires proposés par la FUTP en études afropéennes, en dialogue interreligieux et en islamologie ont produit un nombre de récipiendaires massivement élargi. La cérémonie est suivie d'une conviviale réception, occasion surtout pour les professeurs de rencontrer les familles fières des étudiants.
Session d'information chez le Ministère de la Justice
Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash
Le 10 octobre, le Secrétaire Général et la Deuxième Secrétaire ont participé à une séance d’information offerte par le Ministère de la Justice concernant la collecte et le contrôle des extraits de casier judiciaire des ministres du culte et délégués de la Laïcité.
Le Comité central souhaite que chacun, en particulier les mineurs et les adultes vulnérables, se sente bienvenu et à l'aise, que ce soit dans nos bureaux ou dans l'une de nos paroisses. Le Comité central tient alors à s'assurer que tous ses ministres ont effectué toutes les vérifications nécessaires en matière de protection des personnes vulnérables.
The Central Committee at the EU Institutions
On 8 October, the Chaplain-President was busy in the European Commission for a session led by Frans van Daele, EU Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief, after which he went to the European Parliament. Later that day, the Chaplain-President, the Revd Sarah-Jane King (chaplain at St Martha and St Mary Leuven) and M. Balthazar Nahimana (worship-leader at Saint-Esprit Mons) were the Anglican attendees at the Prière oecuménique de la Rentrée at the Chapelle de l'Europe (the Jesuit and ecumenical mission to workers in the EU Institutions), led by Bishop Robert, Archbishop Luc Terlinden (who preached) and other church leaders. This was followed by a delicious reception.
Meeting of the Chapter of the Diocese in Europe
On 9 October, the Chaplain-President, as one of the two canon theologians of the Diocese in Europe, participated in a meeting by zoom of the diocesan chapter (the canons of the three Church of England cathedrals in Gibraltar, Malta and Brussels). The other canon theologian, the Revd Canon Prof Robin Gill, based in Gibraltar, spoke on religious resonance and religious harmony.
Malines Conversations Centenary
On 7 October, the Chaplain-President was invited by the Archbishop of Malines-Bruxelles for lunch at the Archbishop's Palace in Mechelen with the Catholic group overseeing the centenary celebrations of the Malines Conversations of 1921-1927, the first serious ecumenical conversations between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church since their separation in 1534. Centenary plans were well-prepared for 2021, but the covid pandemic interrupted these. A major conference involving the Catholic and Anglican Churches and KU Leuven is now planned for 18-21 September 2025. The gap in our photo shows the plaque on the actual table in the Archbishop's Palace which was used for the Malines Conversations, with a portrait behind of Cardinal Désiré-Joseph Mercier, who spearheaded them.
Licensing of the Revd Sarah-Jane King as Anglican chaplain in Leuven
On 6 October, the Chaplain-President, Secretary-General and Second Secretary were delighted to attend the licensing of our friend and colleague Sarah-Jane King as the new priest-in-charge of St Martha and St Mary Leuven. The Anglican parish in Leuven currently uses two Catholic buildings for worship, the chapel of Justus-Lipsiuscollege and the chapel of Amerikaanscollege, and this service took place in the American College chapel. A packed congregation, including many ecumenical friends from the Catholic and Evangelical Churches, watched the Venerable Sam van Leer, archdeacon of Benelux, license Sarah-Jane on behalf of Bishop Robert. A fine lunch of samosas, cake and coffee followed. Welcome to the team of Anglican incumbents in Belgium, Sarah-Jane!
The Central Committee at the Archdeaconry of Benelux Annual Synod
From 3 to 5 October, the Chaplain-President, Vice-President, Secretary-General and Second Secretary were pleased to attend the annual synod of the archdeaconry of Benelux of the Diocese in Europe, a gathering for prayer, worship, study and discussion by 37 Anglican clergy and 48 Anglican laity who work in Benelux parishes and ministries. The synod has met for the past decade in the beautiful Oude Abdij Drongen near Gent. The synod reminds the Chaplain-President of the European Parliament in the sense that the business tends to take place in English, with French and Dutch being spoken in the wings and at meals! On a busy synod agenda were in-depth discussions of ageing and of youth in the Church, as well as sessions on safeguarding, care for creation and racial justice. Bishop Robert flew in to join the synod from Washington DC, where he had been co-chairing a meeting of the global Anglican-Roman Catholic conversations, IARCCUM. At a meeting on the final day, the Central Committee was able to present a video outlining our work and to speak in particular about the new Anglican Institute in Belgium.