On Monday, Bishop André-Mutien Léonard, of the Diocese of Namur, was appointed as the new Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussel (Malines-Brussels). He is the most traditional bishop of Belgium, has publicly defended Pope Pius XII against the allegation of "silence" made against him, and has often spoken out forcefully against abortion and euthanasia and on other moral issues concerning sexuality and bioethics. Regarding some comments that he made on television about homosexual behaviour, he said:
I know that within a few years, I will risk prison by saying this, but it could offer me a little vacation.He was in fact charged with homophobia: the charges were dropped last April.
He welcomed Summorum Pontificum with enthusiasm, arranged for a daily usus antiquior Mass in his cathedral of Namur and, as NLM reported, celebrated Pontifical High Mass at the Eucharistic Congress in Quebec in 2008 (see picture above.) Some years earlier, he took part in the 2001 conference at Fontgombault with Cardinal Ratzinger - an occasion at which the idea of the "Reform of the Reform" really took off.
Considering his approach to the Liturgy, I found this photo amusing (note the sign):
Since being appointed Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussel on Monday, he has dropped the "Mutien" from his name and taken the name "Joseph" instead, in honour of St Joseph, the patron saint of Belgium. On his website, he lists his priorities for the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussel. These include:
- systematic pastoral visitation of the parishes of the Archdiocese (something he did assiduously in Namur)
- celebrating the Liturgy in a way that is dignified and faithful to the tradition of the Church, and encouraging Eucharistic adoration
- social concern, especially for the homeless
- the promotion of vocations; and the sharing of responsibilities
Belgium has 8 dioceses and a Military Ordinariate. There are 71 seminarians in Belgium. 35 of them are for the Diocese of Namur.
16 comments:
I've attended Mass in Namur and Liège several (NO in French and on one occasion in Latin) and was always impressed by the reverence and devotion shown by the celebrants.
Here is an ENglish translation, by a Dutch Catholic blogger, of a 2006 interview with the bishop by a Belgian paper (or newswebpage, or some such).
Perhaps the Archbishop could include another point in his priorities, that of instructing the Bishops of England and Wales in the areas of leadership, guidance and spirituality.
May God Bless the new Archbishop and continue to give him the strength and courage to swim against the hedonistic tide of the 'Culture of Death'.
I hope the Belgians realise just how fortunate they are to have this good Bishop leading them at this pivotal time in human history.
I love his comment about 'a little vacation' :-) That's a cracker!!!!
And what is the current good news out of Westminster??? Any Bishops taking up the cause for Catholic Schools??? Noticed the push for yet more sexualisation in the compulsory PSHE and Citizenship classes??? Why does our Catholic RE GCSE programme contain a compulsory 'alternative religions' section which all but blots out the fact that Salvation and ultimate re-union with God comes only through Jesus Christ.
My girls rea coming home from Catholic RE classes with nothing but worksheets, books and internet homework requirements for ISLAM!!!!
The secularisation, sexualisation and islamicisation of our children in Catholic schools MUST STOP!
Will some of our Bishops PLEASE stand up and be counted - yes! even at the prospect of 'taking a little vacation' - and do something about this.
We Catholic parents have been fighting a very lone battle for too many years and now I fear for my grandchildren.
Please God - help us.
Many people within and without Belgium are looking forward to the new archbishop. Many others, predictably including mainstream media, are not, but Msgr. Léonard is quite media-savvy. I saw him in a talkshow on Belgian tv last night, and I was impressed. He is not at all afraid to answer the difficult questions, although he is sometimes visibly exasperrated by questions that seem to portray the Church is being only concerned with homosexuality and wymyn prysts.
[as a bit of (hopefully) harmless spamming, I have a translation of a 2006 interview with Msgr. Léonard on my blog here.]
Where is our Archbishop André-Joseph Léonard??
This Bishop seems to be exactly what Belgium needs.
Ad multos annos.
JARay
The diocese of Namur contains Beauring and Banneux. Thanks be to the Blessed Virgin of the Poor for giving the Church such a good bishop.
Deo Gratias !
Ad multos annos.
That pic is priceless!
Please God Belgium will recover under his guardianship.
I lived in Belgium in the seventies and eighties and watched a solidly Catholic country decay into resentment and apathy, caused by, I suspect, some of the liturgical changes. I remember in particular the introduction of the "sign of peace" hand shake, met with resentment since Belgians like to decide for themselves who to shake hands with, as well as in another church lay cheer-leaders in the pulpit urging silent resentful congregations to respond in French (in this case)in the Novus Ordo.
On recent visits I have encountered confusingly disparate liturgical practices including priests sitting twiddling their thumbs during Mass while droves of EMHC roamed the church as well as whole congreations, with two exceptions I might add, holding hands during the Our Father.
There is also, I think more importantly, a degree of relativism which has crept into educated thinking and this I detected in Leuven of all places.
But the instinct is still solidly Catholic. Archbishop Leonard will succeed but I have just been told by a "contact" in Belgium that he believes it will take five years!
Jacobi's comment is interesting -this sign of peace 'thing' is just plain annoying and a real distraction. At a point in the Holy Mass where you are at your most spiritually attentive there's that poke in your back which 'says' 'I wanna shake your hand', then there's all the grinning, arm waving, back slapping and pew jumping. Please - can't we save all that for after Mass in the Church hall or yard?
I bet Calvary was just the most appropriate place for a friendly hand-shake and back-slap while our Saviour Jesus Christ was dying the most agonising death on that Cross for our sakes.
Jacobi, I only wish we had a clear 5-year programme of the reform of the reform here in England!!!
5 years is but the blink of an eye. The only problem is we do not have Archbishop Leonard as our Shepherd.
Obviously England needs a Bishop named Leonard !
I say this because I note that one of the Archbishop's top priorities is the pastoral Visitation of his Parishes : which was also a top priority of the late Mgr Graham Leonard - whose funeral Mass was this morning - in his days as Anglican Bishop of Truro, and later of London.
Clearly there's something about Leonards and visiting Parishes !
(sigh) I can only dream of this happening in So. California.
I am happy for Mechelen-Brussel however!
May Our Lord & Our Lady bless Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard and his new Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels.
I suggest bloggers should be careful about becoming too enthusiastic about Archbishop Leonard as he is a great supporter of Medjugorje and Vassula!
I have only recently started viewing various Catholic blogs and have been dismayed to find the majority being very negative about Medjugorje. Maybe Archbishop Leonard will be a good example for them in apparition discernment and encourage them to be more open hearted.
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