On 9 May, the Chaplain-President, as Professor of History at FUTP Bruxelles, led a session of the Ecole Doctorale on his latest historical research on the active role of the Churches in the colonisation and systematic pillaging of Senegal and in the enslaving of its people. In order to act better in the future, the Churches need to be frank and honest about the past. The Central Committee commits itself to play a full part in this process, however difficult and embarrassing this process proves to be.
Commentating the coronation of the King of England on television
On 6 May, the Chaplain-President spent no less than six hours live on LN24 as part of the team commentating the coronation of King Charles III. This mammoth session did give him the chance to explain the meaning of the ritual of coronation and King Charles' dual role as head of the British State and supreme governor of the Church of England. The commentating team did feel by the end of the broadcast that they had become firm friends!
Reception at the British Embassy for the coronation of the King of England
On 5 May, the Chaplain-President was honoured to attend a supper reception at the British Embassy to mark the coronation of King Charles III. Bishop Robert, Canon John Wilkinson and several ecumenical friends also attended. The Chaplain-President was pleased to note the multiple references at the embassy to the close relationship between King Charles and his fourth cousin our King Philippe.
Service in Brussels for the coronation of the King of England
On 4 May, the Chaplain-President and Secretary-General were pleased to attend, alongside the presidents of Belgian Judaism and Islam, the secretary-generals of the Catholic Bishops' Conference and of the United Protestant Church, other Catholic and Orthodox guests, the Ambassador and Deputy Ambassador of the United Kingdom and the Ambassador of Canada, a service of prayer for the coronation of King Charles III at Holy Trinity Brussels. The service featured several of the languages used in Commonwealth countries and concluded with the national anthems of the UK and of Belgium. A champagne reception followed.
CAGO AGM
Op 3 mei vond de jaarlijkse vergadering van het Comité godsdienstonderwijs (CAGO) vzw plaats. De voorzitster moest zich verontschuldigen waardoor de kapelaan-voorzitter haar moest vervangen. CAGO heeft het verslag van de inspecteur-adviseur gehoord en de financiën van 2022 zijn goedgekeurd. Met veel dank heeft het comité het ontslag van Kanunnik Andrew Wagstaff goedgekeurd en wij wensen hem veel gezondheid en vreugde met zijn pensioen.
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.
Annie Bolger speaks about the Anglican Church
The Revd Annie Bolger, Assistant Curate at Holy Trinity Brussels, has been interviewed in the May/June 2023 edition of the Dutch-language magazine Maria. We are grateful to the editors of the magazine for permitting an Anglican voice to reach a wider Catholic audience. Tijdschriften – Mariaal Centrum
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.
EI&V
Op woensdag 19 april 2023, hebben de Inspecteur adviseur Anglicaans godsdienstonderwijs en de secretaris-generaal de vergadering van de Erkende Instanties en Levensbeschouwingen bijgewoond. Het was een boeiend discussie over de toekomst en mogelijkheden voor interlevensbeschouwelijk onderwijs in Vlaanderen.
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.
Happy Easter!
The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed, alleluia!
Happy Easter! Zalig Pasen! Joyeuses Pâques! Frohe Ostern!
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
The Central Committee robed
The Chrism Eucharist at Holy Trinity Brussels on 4 April provided a rare opportunity for the Central Committee to meet in their ecclesiastical robes! From left to right we see Eric Sibomana (Member of the Central Committee) robed as a lay reader and the Chaplain-President, the Vice-President and the Secretary-General robed as priests.