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Toussaint'06: evangelization in the city

By Toussaints web page


Kraainem (19 August 2006).- 

This year, Brussels is honored to host a huge international event called Toussiant 2006. The Catholic Church is gathering to reflect on the subject “Evangelization in the City”. This is the fourth year in a European capital city, and we are being called to participate. The Brussels congress focus will be “Confrontation between faith and modern culture”, and St Anthony’s Parish has signed up to host one day’s session to help the participants focus and reflect on this theme. 
How can you get involved? 
1) Be a registered participant! Simply go to http://www.bruxelles-toussaint2006.be/ and sign up! 
2) Be a host for one of the thousands of English-speaking pilgrims that will travel to Brussels from throughout Europe and beyond for this major Catholic event! Pilgrims will be in Brussels from 28 Oct to 5 Nov 2006, and only need a room, breakfast and your Christian hospitality. This also can be done at http://www.bruxelles-toussaint2006.be, but we ask you to let us know if you do sign up, so we can track host families. If you can only host part of the time, how about teaming with another parish family for the rest of the week? 
3) Join the St Anthony’s team to plan and host the Toussiant 2006 day of reflection. Contact Barry O’Halpin or Dan Nickerson 02 731-8760, danandada@skynet.be 

From Jeremiah 23:4 “I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them so that they no longer fear and tremble: and none shall be missing, says the Lord.” Perhaps this is your chance to shepherd for your fellow Christian Brothers and Sisters for a week, that could change their lives and yours. Please pray on it!To register and participate

Christians in Belgium are asked to get involved in preparing the projects organised by parishes, movements and communities. They can get in touch with their parish priest, with the responsible person in their parish or group.
Reception of Congressists

The Christians of Belgium are invited to offer accommodation with breakfast to people attending the Congress – adults or families – from 28th October to 5th November. 

For more details you can view or open (right hand click and „register yourself“) on the registration form on http://www.bruxelles-toussaint2006.be.
The motto of the congress “Come and See”. . . (John 1:38-39) Taken from the Gospel of John, these words are the ‘motto’ for the whole project of Brussels – All Saints 2006.  They are part of a dialogue:  “Master, where do you live?” the question of the disciples, and the response of Jesus: “Come and See”.  It is a seeking, a meeting, and an invitation to a forward step, to an experience.  This dialogue begun 2000 years ago continues today. 

Congress on “Evangelization in the City”
After Vienna, Paris, and Lisbon, the Church of Brussels needs to reflect on its mission of evangelization in the city.  Even if the week’s strongest points of reflection at All Saints 2006 will be the Congress gatherings at the Basilica of Koekelberg and the many activities in our parishes, this whole event gives every member of the Church a regular reason to meet, to reflect, to discuss, and to pray together.

During the Congress, we will be opening the doors of the Churches of Brussels, and we will come out of them and say who we are.  We will be doing this without pretensions or trying to impose on anyone. We want to straightforwardly show who we are, and that we seek to be partakers in all that makes the joys and the sorrows of our time.

Objectives of Brussels-All Saints 2006
· Strengthen our identity as Christians in Brussels, the capital of Europe and Belgium, doing this in continuity with the Congresses held in Vienna (2003), Paris (2004), and Lisbon (2005). 
· In the context of this All Saints 2006 Congress, unite our parishes, movements and other church groupings by creating regular occasions for gatherings, for reflection, for discussions and for spiritual depth, and this in circumstances encouraging a dynamic of growth for the future too.  
· Assure the visibility of a Catholic Church which is modern, open, present and not either ‘up-tight’ or ‘over-bearing’, and where one can live the message and follow the example of the Christ.

Message from our Archbishop Cardinal Danneels

In five capital cities, the Church is gathering in congresses to reflect on the subject “Evangelization in the City”.  Following in turn, they are taking place in Vienna (2003), Paris (2004), Lisbon (this year of 2005), Brussels (early November 2006) and Budapest (2007). 
At Brussels, the Church risks being hidden by other multiple centers of interest. So we wish to make the Church at Brussels more visible, to show its place and value.  With this in mind, we want to reflect in this Congress with the help of internationally known speakers and participants from a number of countries.  The theme of our Congress is “Confrontation between faith and modern culture”.  Where could this theme be more important than in our cosmopolitan city of Brussels? 
Parishes and associations from Brussels and elsewhere can participate with all sorts of initiatives and under a variety of forms.  Liturgical celebrations and cultural events will make Brussels 2006 not a ‘religious market place’ but a profound experience of the beauty and the strength of our faith, an experience opening the Gospel in an attractive way for those who do not know it. 
 Forward therefore towards Brussels 2006, toward an intense week of life and Christian culture celebrating the feast of All Saints 2006.
 + Godfried Cardinal Danneels,
Archbishop of Malines-Bruxelles

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