The Belgian Bishops’ Conference published its seventh annual report for 2023 this Wednesday. The document highlights the involvement of volunteers and salutes the hopeful experience of faith for the young people of WYD in Lisbon. As the number of diocesan priests continues to decline, the commitment of the laity is more necessary than ever.
Xavier Sartre – Vatican City
It has already been three months since Pope Francis visited Belgium. It is far too early for the country’s Church to benefit from this, but the encouragement given by the Holy Father can only confirm and comfort a Church faced with a particularly secularized society and intrinsic problems.
Thus, the number of diocesan priests. In six years, a thousand of them have disappeared, a sign of the aging of the Belgian clergy, accentuated by the fact that“there have been very few candidates for new ordinations for around ten years” recognizes Father Tommy Scholtès, the spokesperson for the Belgian bishops. But this development was predictable and the Church prepared for it.
“There are more and more secular collaborations, he explains. We are fortunate to be able to appoint parish leaders in the dioceses who are paid like priests and who work within the framework of the bishopric, for catechesis, visiting the sick or chaplaincy. There are also many deacons” although this does not prevent many areas of the country from not being able to celebrate the Eucharist for a more or less long period.
Youth, source of hope
The other good news for the Church of Belgium is the commitment of volunteers. In 2023, parishes benefited from 3.5 million volunteer hours. Who in the sacristy, who in catechism, who with the sick. The challenge is to supervise them well. There is training planned for everyone, because “Visiting a sick person cannot be improvised, there are words to say and not to say,” notes Father Scholtès. It’s not about sending anyone anywhere.. Despite everything, “the group of volunteers becomes the supporting group in the parishes and this is structured into a few associations necessary for management”recognizes the spokesperson.
Another reason to hope and rejoice, young people “in search of meaning” as shown by the mobilization of young Belgians for the WYD in Lisbon, or even very recently, the «Hope Happening»this festival organized in parallel with the Pope’s visit to Brussels and Louvain. But we must not be satisfied with these particular events, “you have to maintain the relationship and give it meaning throughout the year” warns Father Scholtès.
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