The Central Committee warmly congratulates HM Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, on her platinum jubilee, recognising her 70 years of unfailing, selfless service to the British and Commonwealth peoples, and her constant friendship with and courtesy to the Belgian people.
Concertation d'Eglises chrétiennes en Belgique/Overleg van Christelijke Kerken in België
On 2 June, the Chaplain-President chaired a meeting of the CECB/OCKB hosted by our Catholic friends in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg. The Second Secretary took the notes of the meeting. Among many items for discussion was the practical Christian response in Belgium to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Sant'Egidio eucharistieviering in Antwerpen
Op 1 mei had de Kapelaan-Voorzitter van het Centraal Comité van de Anglicaanse Eredienst de eer om in de kathedraal van Antwerpen de mis van de katholieke weldadigheid Sant'Egidio bij te wonen, opgedragen door kardinaal Jozef De Kesel (Home - Sant' Egidio (www.santegidio.be)). Op onze foto ziet u eerwaade Ann Babb (Antwerpen) en metropoliet Athenagoras van België, die ook bij de viering aanwezig was.
Conseil de dialogue/Dialoograad
On 2 May, the Chaplain-President and the other presidents of the Recognised Convictions attended a meeting of the Conseil de dialogue/Dialoograad chaired by Minister Van Quickenborne.
New Second Secretary on the Central Committee
The Central Committee is extremely grateful to Minister Van Quickenborne for granting a stipend for a Second Secretary to help the Chaplain-President and the Secretary in the exercise of their responsibilities towards the Belgian public authorities as well as towards the Anglican canonical authorities and Belgian Anglicans in general. On 3 May, M. Charles Melebeck began work in this role. We wish him a warm welcome!
Diocesan Synod discusses human sexuality
On 4 May, the Chaplain-President spoke at a special meeting of the Diocesan Synod of the Diocese in Europe (Diocesan Synod - Diocese in Europe (anglican.org)) to discuss the Church of England's report on identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage: Living in Love and Faith (2020): Living in Love and Faith | The Church of England ). The General Synod of the Church of England will debate this report later in 2022.
Couloirs humanitaires/Humanitaire corridors
On 5 May, the Chaplain-President attended a meeting of the Humanitarian Corridors Task Force hosted by Sant'Egidio Belgium (Couloirs humanitaires : Sant’Egidio dresse un premier bilan - Sant' Egidio (santegidio.be) ). In 2019, Humanitarian Corridors Belgium, supported by the Recognised Convictions, brought 150 Syrian refugees, both Christians and Muslims, into safety in Belgium. The Anglican parish in Gent hosted one family. Despite the ongoing refugee crisis for Ukrainians, Humanitarian Corridors hopes to bring 250 Syrian refugees to safety in Belgium during 2022-2023.
Colloque "Neutralité, religion, enterprise" à l'UCLouvain
Les 5 et 6 mai, le Chapelain-Président et M. Eric Sibomana ont participé au colloque international « Neutralité, religion, entreprise », animé par Louis-Léon Christians et Léopold Vanbellingen à l'UCLouvain (Institut de recherche Religions, Spiritualités, Cultures, Sociétés | UCLouvain ). Ce fut l’occasion de riches échanges sur la place de l'appartenance religieuse des salariés au sein de l'Etat neutre.
Anglicaans Comité voor Godsdienstonderwijs
Op 10 mei kwam het bestuur van het Anglicaans Comité voor Godsdienstonderwijs (met daarin de voorzitter en vice-voorzitter van het Centraal Comité van de Anglicaanse Eredienst in België) bijeen in de St. Bonifatiuskerk in Antwerpen voor de jaarlijkse algemene vergadering.
Meeting with the Bishops' Conference in Belgium
On 12 May, Bishop Robert and the Chaplain-President were honoured to be invited, along with the presidents of the Orthodox, Protestant and Evangelical Churches in Belgium, to a special meeting of the Conférence des Evêques de Belgique/Bischoppenconferentie van België at the Archbishop's Palace in Malines/Mechelen. They discussed Pope Francis' plans for a Synod of Catholic Bishops to meet in 2023 to discuss the Church and synodality. The meeting was followed by a delightful supper.
Bijeenkomst van de VILD
Op 13 mei kwam de Vlaamse Interlevensbeschouwelijjke Dialoog bijeen in de Grote Moskee van Brussel voor een volle agenda van gespreksonderwerpen tussen de Vlaamse Regering en de erkende levensbeschouwingen. De kapelaan-voorzitter vertegenwoordigde de Anglicaanse Kerk.
Meeting with Government of Brussels Capital Region about Ukrainian refugees
On 28th April, the Chaplain-President participated in a Zoom meeting of the presidents of the recognised life stances with M. Pierre Verbeeren (the coordinator for Ukraine) and his team from the Brussels Regional Government, to discuss practical options for helping the 20,000 Ukrainian refugees expected to be in Brussels soon, to find meals, housing, education and integration into Belgian society, as well as pastoral and spiritual support.
The website for information for the region is Home page | BPS-BPV (helpukraine.brussels) (set to your language).
Evensong als immaterieel erfgoed
Op vrijdag 22 april jl. hielden de kapelaan-voorzitter en de secretaris een online overleg met de mensen van PARCUM over de anglicaanse avondliturgie Evensong als immaterieel erfgoed in Vlaanderen en Brussel. Binnenkort verschijnt een artikeltje hierover op de PARCUM website.
Visite à Liège
Le chapelain-président a passé l'après-midi du 25 avril à Liège afin de faire le point autour d'un café avec le rév. Guy Diakiese, chapelain de la paroisse anglicane là-bas.
Visit from the Belgian army
On 21st April, the Chaplain-President was honoured to receive a visit at Holy Trinity Brussels from Lt-General Pierre Neirinckx, Aide-de-Camp to HM the King and Surgeon-General, to discuss the welfare of those serving in the Belgian Armed Forces.
Zalig Pasen - Joyeuses Pâques - Frohe Ostern - Happy Easter
Interconvictional ceremony for Belgian military veterans at the Great Synagogue
On 6th April, the Chaplain-President represented the Anglican Church at an interconvictional ceremony led by the military chaplains and counsellors of Belgium, held at the Great Synagogue in Brussels. Among several speeches and testimonies, Lt-Gen Pierre Neirinckx gave the principal address. The spectacular and moving music was provided by the choir of the Great Synagogue.
Entretien avec le chapelain-président dans Religiozine
Le numéro de mars 2022 du magazine des fabriques d'église en Région wallonne, Religiozine (Religiozine | Religiosoft ), inclut un entretien avec le chapelain-président sur l'histoire et les enjeux de l'anglicanisme belge. Vous pouvez consulter le magazine ici.
NBG-bezoek aan het Centraal Comité
Op 21 maart jl. ontvingen de kapelaan-voorzitter en de secretaris de vertegenwoordigers van het Nederlands-Vlaams Bijbelgenootschap, drs. Lydia van der Meer (R) en mw. Marian Knetemann, in Holy Trinity Brussels. Mw. Knetemann is een oud-studente van kanunnik McDonald aan de Protestantse Faculteit. Samen bespraken we ideeën voor mogelijk materiaal dat in de anglicaanse parochies in Vlaanderen en Brussel zou kunnen worden gebruikt voor o.a. Bijbelstudies voor volwassenen.
Church of England Ministry Experience Scheme in Europe
One of the Chaplain-President's tasks in the Diocese in Europe is to be an educational mentor for the Ministry Experience Scheme (MES), which allows people under the age of 30 to do a "taster" year in an Anglican parish as part of their discernment for ordination in the Anglican Church (The Ministry Experience Scheme | The Church of England ). One of this year's MES Europe interns, dhr. Teus Vermeer, is an intern in Holy Trinity Brussels. Our picture shows the Chaplain-President with the Revd Annie Bolger, now curate at Holy Trinity Brussels, who was previously a MES intern at St Martha & St Mary Leuven.
