100 YEARS OF THE BELGIUM PROVINCE

On 26 September it was party time in Borgerhout. When the guests had to leave their homes, the preparation teams were already at work in the church hall. And the laymen of ‘Open Hart Beweging’ (Open Heart Movement) were making their presence felt.

The 100 years are described in a book published especially for this jubilee. In the church, on the communion bench, it had found a place together with other significant objects for the 100 years that the members of the province have worked in Belgium, Congo, Brazil, Papua and many other places where they were sent. At the end of the celebration this book full of testimonies was given especially to the guests from far away Fr. General and his assistants Fr. Humberto Henriques Da Silva and Fr. André Claessens.

The Eucharistic celebration was very festive and was presided over by Fr. General Abzalon Tovar and other concelebrants. To our great surprise, Fr. Abzalon presided in Dutch. His simplicity and availability to all were much appreciated. In his homily, commenting on the readings of the 26th Sunday of the year B, he congratulated the MSC of Belgium for their witness, often in difficult circumstances, and reminded them that the challenge of the mission is always there: creative openness for the evangelisation of our world today. And among the concelebrants were the four members of the new intercultural community that is being set up to help meet the challenge in the years to come… Moreover, after communion they sang a song to Our Lady, who has faithfully accompanied us during this centenary. She was there, too, when “difficulties became possibilities”, as our Founder liked to say.

Let us give thanks to the Lord for this moving history of the MSC of Belgium! Eternal is his love for us…

André Claessens, MSC