New Pastor in Ninove: Fr. Kenneth Coppens

Last Sunday, Fr. Kenneth Coppens (25) became the new pastor of the Chapel of Our Lady of Beech Tree. during Sunday's Eucharistic celebration. Fr. Kenneth is the young priest in the Ecumenical Catholic Community of the Good Shepherd, a community neither under the Vatican or Utrecht.

The chapel is not easy to find. Especially in the summer because the chapel is surrounded by greenery. But through the business area Brakelsesteenweg you come after one hundred meters to the Mariaweg. The path takes you to the idyllic chapel.

"It was built in 1661 by a man who was thankful for the miraculous healing of his wife. Unfortunately, vandals have recently passed and many windows were smashed, but the insurance is taking care of it, "says Brother Kenneth of the Ecumenical Catholic Community.

"The difference with Roman Catholics? We are not bound by celibacy, we also accept gay men and lesbians or divorcees. My own parents divorced. Who are we to force people into a miserable life going forward? "

Born in Ninove

The installation of the young priest for the chapel is unique because that town never before had someone qualified in the 350-year history to serve as a priest. The priest came to celebrate mass sometimes, but they never dedicated the chapel. This compliments Brother Kenneth's role as pastor for funerals in Bruges. "

Brother Kenneth was born and raised in Ninove Onkerzele. At a young age he felt the calling to become a priest. His preparation for the priesthood began in 2006 and he became a priest in 2010.

The chapel dates from 1661. From now on they will be used daily. "I want to celebrate mass every day at 5:30. Half an hour earlier there will be a rosary because this chapel is a pilgrimage place. "

In the chapel are currently 50 seats in a pavilion nearby, there are even more.

"I'm happy with 50 believers."

The appointment took place Sunday, June 26 at 5:30pm. Brother Kenneth was installed as Pastor by Brother Gino, Bishop of the Good Shepherd communities in Belgium.

Feast of St. Willibrord: dancing procession of Echternach

Echternach - 14 June 2011 - Since the medieval town of Echternach, Luxembourg is the center of the so-called "dancing procession" in honor of St. Willibrord (ca.658 -739). On 'the third day of Pentecost, "many thousands of Catholic pilgrims commemorate the Anglo-Saxon monk who established Christianity in northwest Europe.

The celebrations were inaugurated last night in the basilica by Mgr. Fernand Franck, Archbishop of Luxembourg. Bishop Tebartz-van Elst of Limburg in Germany held a recital. Bishops from across the Benelux, France and Germany were present.

The pilgrimage was happy today, besides sun and a good temperature, there was considerable international interests, both from the participants and the spectators. Since last year, the procession to the Immaterial World Heritage List of UNESCO, which only increases the interest.

The participants of the procession are connected with white handkerchiefs and jump to special marches forward, alternately on their left and right foot. The origin of this use is unknown.

Like other years the procession began and ended in the center of town to the abbey founded in 698 by Willibrord. In the crypt lie the bones in a marble sarcophagus that covers the simple Merovingian coffin.

Willibrord was known as the "apostle of the Frisians' (or 'apostle of the lowlands'), spread out from the Lauwers to Luxembourg and Germany until well into the existing Denmark. Willibrord  was consecrated archbishop of the Frisians in 695 by Pope Sergius I. It was an old Roman fort on the site of the present seat of Utrecht. The St. Willibrord, the patron of the Dutch church province.

Both the Roman Catholic archbishop Wim Eijk as the Old Catholic Archbishop Joris Vercammen, were both present at the procession in Echternach, and are considered (the 71st and 83rd, respectively) successors of Willibrord. Both the Roman Catholic St. Catharine's Cathedral and the Old Catholic Cathedral  of St. Gertrude house relics of St. Willibrord.

Kerken Nacht "Church Night" 2011

At least ten places on the weekend of 24/25/26 June will hold a church night. Even a few old Catholic parish will participates in this. For an evening and night the churches' massive doors opened and offer a varied spiritual, social and cultural programs. The Church Night allure was once highly enjoyed in the Dutch countryside.

Koos van Noppen is coordinator of the church in Amersfoort night and everyday life working for the Inner Mission League (IZB). In some articles, he explained the background of the organization of such a large event. His story is about the Bedrock, but stands as a symbol for the other towns.

Church Night 2011 is the largest event that the local Council of Churches in Amersfoort has ever organized. As many as 45 Churches and Christian faith communities will open their doors Saturday night June 25, each with its own program.

The initiative for the organization was born in the bosom of the Protestant town of Amersfoort. Soon hooked to the Roman Catholic parish, together, the two major church denominations seventeen locations throughout the city. But under the umbrella of the local Council of Churches is a whole string of other smaller denominations, ranging from the Reformed Church, to the Orthodox Parish, to the Old Catholics, and the Dutch-Reformed.

Link to: kerken nacht

Dutch Delegation Condemns Violence Against Homosexuals

Members of the Dutch delegation of the World Council of Churches, asked the Idaho initiative to support and to condemn violence against homosexuals. Ds. Peter Verhoeff, president of the general synod of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, made this call during a workshop which dealt with homosexuality.

Ds. Wielie Elhorst, chairman of the HTL (National KoördinatiePunt homosexuality and church groups) had Tuesday challenged the churches in the Netherlands during a forum in the cathedral to the position of homosexuals firmer to raise during the international peace conference in Kingston, Jamaica. The Dutch churches signed a Declaration against Violence against homosexuals: "Our aim is committed to including in our international church contacts with representatives of other religions who are homophobic, have gay hostility, gay hatred and have violence to fight against homosexuals. "

The Old Catholic Church was represented by the Bishop of Haarlem, Mgr. Dick Schoon.

Verhoeff came back to this in Kingston. With Geesje Werkman Church in Action, he visited the workshop of the European Forum of LGTB (Lesbian Gay, Bisexual and Transger groups). Geesje Werkman says, that there are about fifty people attended the workshop from all over the world. The room - which was quite small - was packed.

Geesje Werkman spoke of the inspiring meeting. "The power was palpable. There were portraits of people who have been tortured, or murdered because of their sexuality and people were humiliated and were placed in isolation. One prominent example is the murder of David Kato in Uganda."

Workman: "It's sad to see how churches often have dirty hands in this area. The LGTB showed a part of the work, including training, Bible study, empowerment and coaching. This work is weather or other local groups, regional development, and contributes to the emancipation of homosexuals in many places in Europe.

Workman: "We talked in groups about how to create safe places for people with a different orientation in the church. The results were, although with some difference in one direction, namely: The church is a place where Christians relate with fellow believers and with God and Jesus, but if churches create barriers to be there, then people will not hear the message. The churches has to go for inclusiveness, said the tenor of the group, including its theology must include people, not exclude, and this applies not only in terms of homosexuality, but in many areas.

Ds. Peter Verhoeff advised all present to their church to call for and end to violence against homosexuals and for the vast majority of the Dutch churches to mark the International Day Against homophobia (IDAHO) and put their signatures under a statement of that effect.

The organization took us back to a statement by Bishop Desmond Tutu: "Jesus was very serious when He said that God is our Father, and we all belong to one family ... Lesbian and gay, so called straight people - people of all origin and colors-all belong to this family, and all are loved and precious. "

Finally, it was reported that the work of the Forum among others, is possible thanks to a sizeable contribution to the Church in Action.

Below is the verbatim text of the Religious Declaration against Violence against homosexuals
Utrecht, May 17, 2011


In our country, violence occurs regularly - subtle and less subtle - to gays and lesbians. They are beaten, harassed, bullied or abused, and may live to see their cars being vandalized or defaced their home is. In many places they do not dare to come out that they are homosexual.


To mark the International Day Against homophobia (IDAHO) , we declare as representatives of the Dutch churches following:

We do not think in all respects to homosexuality, but we are one in the belief that man is created in the image of God and precious in his eyes. Therefore, people treat each other with dignity - respectful, peaceful and loving - and violence against homosexuals, in whatever form, out of the question.

From violating human rights, we say now: that is wrong. Today we highlight in particular with the violation of human rights concerns of homosexuals. This includes all forms of physical, psychological and verbal violence against homosexuals and inciting such violence. Anyone who uses violence against the person as image bearer of God, ignores the call of Christ to God and to love our neighbor. In our faith communities, the human dignity of homosexuals sometimes violated by unloving and without understanding them to go.

We want our work to ensure in every possible way the dignity of all people to defend. We call upon believers in our churches not to give power to any form of violence against homosexuals. Churches want the example of Christ, for meeting space. They want a safe place for everyone, including homosexuals.

We call on everyone to their own place in society to provide an environment where gays feel safe and so are contributing to a secure environment in our society.

We would always endeavor to church in our international contacts and our contacts with representatives of other religions homophobia, gay hostility, hatred and violence against homosexuals gay combat.

History reminds us that violence contradicts the will of God

Panelist of the Peace Conference

A delegation of nine Dutch attended the peace conference of the World Council of Churches in Kingston (Jamaica) from 18 to 24 May 2011. Approximately one thousand representatives of churches and non-governmental organizations are working together to find a way to achieve peace in the whole world in accordance with the message of Jesus.

The council declared, "we believe that peace and working for peace an irreplaceable aspect of our faith." Peace is a gift and and a vocation. The convention examines the big picture, but is nevertheless not naive. Peace begins with the recognition that human trafficking is a form of violence. The convention was not discussing peace as if they were in a vacuum. All the major crises of the last seventy years have passed. Testimonies were impressive to listen to as a survivor of Hiroshima, the Dalits in India or the Armenian Archbishop of Baghdad, Mgr. Avak, and much more. It was also that in some conflicts, the churches were directly or indirectly involved. Sometimes it was the rulers who shamelessly used religion to resort to arms. Churches have sometimes been complacent because they do not otherwise dare, or - which is worse - because they believe themselves to profit from it. The final message states that Christians are therefore complicit in the violence in the world.

But we have also made progress, according to the findings. Together with other religions we are ready to regard "peace" as a core value of faith . Now all believers declare that war should be declared illegal. Immediately a concrete action. Christians and churches must meet at this point to continue to lead the way by inspiring each other, and to correct each other. On his own, no one can guarantee their own integrity, there is too much impurity which can easily seduce. But fortunately there are also broader social movements, such as Amnesty International, who are committed to reducing violence and war. It would be a good thing if more churches would declare solidarity with the aims and actions of these movements.

No peace without justice: peace is always a "just peace" or it is not peace. Of course, it is all good to reducing violence, however, that does not solve the problems of social injustice. Weapons will only be silenced for good when the most rejected in the world achieves justice. The churches should be counted on to fight oppression and discrimination, for whatever reason.

The same is true for environmental issues. "The environmental crisis is fundamentally a moral and spiritual crisis," the final message. Churches would therefore like to urge governments to work to develop an ecologically sustainable economy which will immediately brings us to fight poverty. It is scandalous that so much money goes to weapons while we desperately need to combat poverty so that all people have enough to eat. There must be a shift in economic thinking and acting towards an economy where social responsibility is the focus of the assessment.
"History reminds us that violence contradicts the will of God and is never able to resolve conflicts." Therefore, we must not depend on the doctrine of 'just war', which is not actually a road to peace. Instead we need to develop a doctrine of 'just peace'.

The ecumenical movement puts justice and peace as the heart of the movement. The commitment of the churches for justice and peace is indeed the nature of the churches' relationship with each other, even more than the theological projects they undertake together. Yet this commitment of the churches is even furthered by theological thought. There are already important steps in the call for just peace- the preparatory document for the convention (by the Council of Churches published in Dutch in 2009) - remains an important task for the future. The project "Catholicism and Globalization" has already been started by the Union of Utrecht with the Philippine Independent Church and the Episcopal Church.