Anniversary
The “Te Deum” will be sung tomorrow, 21 July, in many Churches in Belgium to mark the national Day. “This prayer event is a wonderful opportunity for Christians to publicly express their attachment to the values of the Gospel and the faith that supports them, for a positive coexistence in our country”, Fr. Eric Mattheeuws explained on the website of the Belgian Catholic Church today. “Our society – he added – suffers because some fundamental values are relativized, and the participation of the Christian community in this celebration is of significant value”. In many municipalities, following the traditional laying of flowers at the Monument to the Fallen, the representatives of different religions and movements will address those present. In his speech to the nation today, King Philippe exhorted all to “continue to shape an inclusive society in which no one feels abandoned”. It is fundamentally important to “learn from each other”. “Learning how to interpret the facts and expressing a value judgement”, he explained, enable us to “consciously take on our responsibilities”. Learning by “meeting another culture” is “an opportunity for mutual enrichment”. In Belgium, “there is much more than we think, there is a communion of values that goes beyond our differences”, and “we share the same questions, the same doubts, the same hopes, the same dreams”. “The wellbeing and happiness we all seek have a value only if they are truly shared”, the King concluded.
