A stamp for the “Apostle of the lepers”Father Damien (1840-1889), Belgian missionary in the Hawaii, will be canonized next October 11. Faher Damien died from leprosy after having devoted 15 years to the care of the lepers confined in the Island of Molokai. He was beatified by John Paul II in 1995. For the occasion, Belgium’s Postal service will issue a special stamp on October 5. The stamp, depicting a close-up of the “Apostle of the lepers” with the leprosy-sufferers he assisted on the background, was presented past June 30 by the managing director of the Postal Service Johnny Thijsha to the archbishop of Brussels Cardinal Godfied Danneels, and to Belgium’s Prime Minister Steven Vanackere. “We’re proud of Father Damien”, Thijsha said. “With this stamp the Postal Service pays homage to one of the most distinguished Belgians of all times”. The stamp will be issued in 327 thousand samples on five-item sheets and will be available from October 5 across all postal offices. The stamp’s value will correspond to the regular stamp-fee for mail sent across European Countries (0.90 euros).Summer session on catechesis and liturgy Like every year, during the summer holidays the Inter-diocesan Commission for Liturgical Pastoral Care (CIPL) will be organizing two discussion panels. The first, in July, is devoted to adults with children. The second, in August, is for adults. The purpose of the twofold initiative, the promoters explained, is “to propose a reflection on the distinctive features of Catechesis and on the specific features of liturgy, enhancing the links between the two”. This will be done “by sharing a community life-experience, with workshops, celebrations and expositions, in a fraternal and familiar atmosphere”. The first session will take place July 3-7 at the N-D C Bellevue Collège in Dinant. The second is scheduled for August 17-21 at the “Sainte-Marie” Institute in Jambes. The theme of both is: “Celebrating a path of Catechesis, a path of initiation”, since, according to the promoters, “Catechesis and liturgy, far from opposing each other, complete each other, initiating to faith and providing its structure”. “Focused on the reality of contemporary Church, on its changes and questions – is written in a note – the sessions are aimed at proposing a reflection on the challenges of the pastoral care of the liturgy and of sacraments. This entails Church faith dimension, that is both missionary and evangelising”. For this reason participants will be encouraged to identify “paths enabling their concrete progress towards their initiation within parish communities, in pastoral units and deaconries”. Speakers include liturgists Patrick Willocq and José Bouchez.The 2010 Christian Art award on the 12 ApostlesFrom next September, with the help of their parents, teachers and catechists, children and youth are called to participate in the 2010 Christian Art Award. Established in 1970 by René Pouillard, artist and professor of religion in the Brabant Walloon School where he used to teach, the recognition has become a national award with the objective “of encouraging young people and the youth, students and non-professional artists to express their faith in Christ through creative and artistic media”. The theme of this 40th-year event is “The Twelve Apostles”. The competition, explained the Pouillard Foundation that promoted the event, “brings to the fore the artist buried inside each one of us while enabling the youth” to address “issues requiring reflection and in-depth analysis in order to become a source of artistic inspiration”. Hence, the invitation to “encounter these men (the Apostles ed.’s note) and learn to know them through the account of the Gospel and the Acts, and choose a passage, a gesture or a word”. The contest envisages four categories divided into age groups: 8-11 years; 12-15 years; 16-21 years; 22 and more. Batik, design, sculpture, painting, ceramics, upholstering, collage, bas-relief, mosaics are the techniques and materials admitted. The Award (one for each age group) will be presented April 25 2010 in the Trinity Church in Brussels.Charismatic renewal at the sanctuary of Banneux”Do you love me?”: The three-fold question addressed to Christ by Peter is the theme of the 2009 session of Charismatic Renewal, scheduled at the sanctuary of Banneux July 21-25. “A clear appeal to love, conversion, sanctity and evangelization”, thus abbot Danny-Pierre Hillewaert, responsible of youth pastoral care in the diocese of Tournai explained the meaning of the chosen theme. Starting “from the heart of contemplation” the religious said, arousing “Christians zeal and their love for Christ, imbued with the fire of the Holy Spirit, yearning to proclaim the Gospel in Belgium and throughout the world”. Children, youth, adults, and old people are all welcome to the meeting that will involve small groups in order to experience, the promoters said, “fraternal charity, community life, listening to the Word of God, common prayer and discernment”. Charismatic renewal sessions are being held since 1986.
