NEWS
On 15 January, the entire Central Committee, members and secretariat, had the pleasure of meeting the new chef du service des cultes, Mevr Eline Roofthooft, and her staff at the Ministry of Justice, with a full agenda.
On 10 January, the board of the Comité Anglicaans Godsdienstonderwijs in België met with a full agenda to discuss the progress of Anglican religious education in Flanders and Brussels.
On 9 January, Chaplain-President McDonald and Vice-President Sibomana welcomed a delegation from the Belgian SARM (Beldefnews | Le Service d’Assistance Religieuse et Morale commémore et honorent les anciens combattants (mil.be)) and the British RACD (Royal Army Chaplains' Department | The British Army (mod.uk)) to Holy Trinity Brussels to discuss plans to hold SARM's annual ceremony of commemoration at Holy Trinity this May, in a ceremony which we hope will include representatives of the British and Belgian armed forces, an important example of the solidarity, friendship and mutual service which shape relations between our country and the United Kingdom.
Best Wishes for the New Year from the Central Committee of the Anglican Church in Belgium,
Beste wensen voor het nieuwe jaar van het Centraal Comité van de Anglicaanse Eredienst in België,
Meilleurs vœux pour la nouvelle année au nom du Comité Central du Culte Anglican en Belgique,
On 21 December, the Chaplain-President, Secretary-General and Second Secretary welcomed delegates from the Recognised Convictions for their regular meeting together, called the FIDIF (Federale Interlevensbeschouwelijke Dialoog/Dialogue Interconvictionnel Fédéral), held at Holy Trinity Brussels. FIDIF's main purpose is to prepare for the regular meetings of the Dialoograad/Conseil de Dialogue, the statutory dialogue between the Recognised Convictions and the Federal Government.
Onderzoekers van Universiteit van Antwerpen, in opdracht van de Vlaamse overheid, zijn op 20 december 2023 naar het bureau van het Centraal Comité om te spreken over het eredienst decreet. Het was heel leerzaam voor iedereen.
Twee in het jaar komen de erkende levensbeschouwingen in Vlaanderen en vertegenwoordigers van de VRT samen in overleg. Op maandag 18 december 2023 heeft de secretaris-generaal deel genomen van deze bijeenkomst namens de anglicanen in Vlaanderen. De VRT gaf prestatie over verschillende programma’s van traditioneel media (radio en televisie) alsook de nieuwe zoals VRT Max, podcasts, enz.
De levensbeschouwingen stelde ook wat vragen aan de VRT en gaf input voor programma’s in de toekomst.
Op 15 december 2023 heeft de secretaris-generaal de werkgroep rond erkenning en training van spirituele zorgverleners in Vlaanderen verwelkomt bij Holy Trinity te Brussel. Afgelopen maanden heeft de werkgroep contact gemaakt met alle politieke partijen in Vlaanderen. Ze maken nog verder plannen om dit opdracht in de spotlight te zetten voor de verkiezingen in 2024. Dit soort job is al een realiteit in veel andere landen maar nog niet in Vlaanderen. Samen willen de erkende levensbeschouwingen in Vlaanderen de mogelijkheid bieden voor professionele training en officiële erkenning van dit werk.
Op 8 december 2023 heeft de secretaris-generaal een vergadering (online) bijgewoond van de stuurgroep voor interlevensbeschouwelijk dialoog in het onderwijs. Vertegenwoordigers van Gemeentelijk Onderwijs (GO!) en de Erkende Instanties en levensbeschouwelijke Vakken (EI&V) hebben jaren samen gewerkt op dit protocol en deze competenties. Leraren opleiding heeft veel positieve reacties opgeleverd en volgende week is er een persconferentie voorzien met de Vlaamse minister van onderwijs. Diegene die fysiek aanwezig waren, hebben van en kleine receptie genoten na het ondertekenen van het protocol.
On 5 December, the Chaplain-President, Secretary-General and Second Secretary attended a meeting at the handsome Ambtswoning van de Vlaamse Regering building in Brussels to enable the presidents and secretary-generals of the Recognised Convictions to meet Paul Van Tigchelt (the new Federal minister of Justice, therefore responsible for the Recognsied Convictions at the national level) and Gwendolyn Rutten (the new Flemish minister of the Interior, therefore responsible for the Recognised Convictions in Flanders). A very comprehensive and full conversation occurred on the Israel-Hamas war, the societal impact of the Recognised Convictions, the forthcoming Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Central Committee looks forward to continuing this conversation with Minister Van Tigchelt on the Conseil du Dialogue and with Minister Rutten on the VILD.
Op 30 november 2023, nam de secretaris-generaal deel van een vergadering van het Overlegorgaan van Christenen en Joden in België (OCJB). Normaal komt deze groep regelmatig samen in het jaar maar deze keer met bijzondere aandacht voor het oorlog tussen Israël en Hamas in het Midden Oosten. Er werd een intense gedachten wisseling zoals bij deze onderwerp hoort. Er waren ook rapporten over conferenties van afgelopen maanden met christenen en joden. Er is geen gezamenlijke verklaring tot stand gekomen maar wel verzoek om verder in dialoog te gaan, om een eind te brengen aan antisemitisme, en om solidair te zijn tegen het terrorisme. Bij afsluiting wensten wij elkaar prettige feestdagen toe.
On 12 November, the Chaplain-President represented the Anglicans of Belgium at an Armistice Commemoration in the Cimetière de Belgrade in Namur, led by his colleague in FUTP Bruxelles, Prof Jean-François Husson, a noted expert on the close relations between Namur and the British and Irish armed forces. The Chaplain-President gave a speech, along with Eliane Tillieux (Speaker of the Belgian Parliament), Maxime Prévot (Mayor of Namur), Alain Gendron (Canadian Ambassador to Belgium), Kevin Conmy (Irish Ambassador to Belgium), and high representatives of the Belgian and British armies. The Chaplain-President, accompanied by two chaplains of the Belgian military Service d'Assistance Religieuse et Morale, was privileged to lay flowers at the tomb of Padre RM Henderson of the British Royal Army Chaplains' Department, who died of Spanish flu in Namur in 1919. The Cimetière de Belgrade is a remarkable resting place for Belgian, French, Italian, Commonwealth (British, Irish, Canadian, Indian, Australian, New Zealand) and Soviet troops who died in action near Namur in both World Wars. It encapsulates Belgium's and Europe's blood-soaked history, to which the Central Committee responds with service and hope for the future of the Belgian people.
On 11 November, the Chaplain-President represented the Anglicans of Belgium at the National Armistice Commemoration at the Colonne du Congrès and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Brussels, led by HM the King.
The Secretary-General was honoured to pray during the commemoration ceremonies at the Menin Gate in Ieper (Ypres) on Armistice Day, 11 November 2023. A poem was also offered by the Secular Humanist consultant and a prayer was done by the Protestant Pastor, Christian Bultinck. Currently, the chaplaincy is in vacancy, so the Secretary-General was pleased to be able to take part, as well as preach and lead the service at St. George’s Memorial Church prior to the ceremony at the Menin Gate.
The service in the church was well attended in a way that had not been seen since before the pandemic.
Due to renovations on the Menin Gate, the outdoor ceremony took place next to the Gate or the first time. After weeks of rain and flooding in certain parts of West Flanders, the proceedings took place under glorious sunshine.
At the ceremony, Prime Minister De Croo, Minister Diependaele, 9 ambassadors and many members of the public laid wreaths in tribute to those who have sacrificed their lives for the freedom that Belgium now enjoys. The current conflicts in Ukraine and Israel & Gaza were at the forefront of our thoughts.
On 2 November, the Chaplain-President, acting in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, participated in on online briefing by Prof Peter Ludlow, a noted expert on the European Council, to discuss the recent meeting of the European Council and its conclusions on the current dreadful conflict in Israel and Palestine.
On 7 July, the Chaplain-President, as guest-professor in KU Leuven, met with one of his PhD students, Nathan Ngoy, to discuss the next stages in the 2023-24 KU Leuven Theo Teams project on the relationship between President Mobutu and Cardinal Malula which the Chaplain-President is coordinating and for which M. Ngoy will be the academic assistant. A diverse team of 8 researchers will use their expertise and learning to analyse the turbulent relationship between the President of DRC-Zaïre and the Cardinal-Archbishop of Kinshasa, hopefully to tease out possible pointers for interconvictional dialogue in Africa and Europe today.
On 6 July, the Chaplain-President, as stipendiary guest-professor in systematic theology, was delighted to be present at the graduation ceremony and the faculty dinner for the Faculteit Theologie en Religiewetenschappen KU Leuven. Both events were fine occasions to hear the Dean, Prof Bénédicte Lemmelijn, give excellent speeches praising the students and the teachers of the faculty. A reception followed the graduation, allowing students and staff to mingle and talk. The dinner included PhD students with teaching responsibilities in the faculty, allowing a fair bit of supervision work to be conducted during a superb meal!
On 2 July, the Chaplain-President was honoured to represent the Central Committee at the farewell service for the Reverend Canon Dr Paul Vrolijk, Canon Chancellor of Holy Trinity Brussels since 2015. Paul preached at a service in which many colleagues, including the Reverends John Wilkinson, Annie Bolger, Jean-Bosco Turahirwa, Charles Kabera and Jack McDonald, were pleased to stand with Paul as he bade farewell to his Holy Trinity Brussels family. A lavish and varied parish lunch followed the service. We wish Paul and his lovely family all good things and Godspeed as they move on to new challenges, and we delight that they are set to remain in Brussels for a time.
The Revd Catriona Laing writes:
'Dear Colleagues,
I am delighted to let you know that Mishleen and Marian have arrived safely in Belgium and are beginning to settle into their new lives in Leuven. They are the two sisters from Syria who our churches are supporting through the Humanitarian Corridors scheme and at St Martha & St Mary’s, we are incredibly grateful for the generous support of the Anglican chaplaincies in Belgium.
As you will all appreciate, being able to speak the language is one of the first steps to the integration process and Mishleen and Marian are very keen to start learning Dutch. They have already picked up a few words and are enthusiastic to learn more! In order to follow classes offered by the city or the university in Leuven, they need to be registered with Stad Leuven, which will take several more weeks. In the meantime, we would like to organise private lessons for them, just to help get them started on their Dutch.
To that end, we are seeking donations from churches across our deanery. If any of you, or your congregation members would like to make a donation specifically towards the cost of Dutch classes, we would be extremely grateful. Please mark Humanitarian Corridors Dutch Lessons in the description of your online payment. If you’d like more information about any of this, feel free to contact Catriona Laing, Chaplain of St Martha & St Mary’s.'
If you, your church or someone you know would like to contribute to this project, please transfer the donation to the ACBL asbl/vzw bank account:
Bank: BNP Paribas Fortis
IBAN: BE25 0018 8280 7382
BIC:GEBABEBB
* Please be sure to include the message: “Humanitarian Corridors support”
On 27 June, the Chaplain-President, in his capacity as Bishop Robert's adviser for EU affairs, attended a full Article 17 dialogue at the European Parliament, on the subject of the religious and philosophical implications of the European Single Market. The Chaplain-President was able to table a key question during the dialogue about how the Single Market conforms or does not conform to each conviction's body of social ethics. Many thanks to Dr Nicola Censini, the European Parliament's coordinator for Article 17 Dialogue, for organising such a captivating and popular session.