Founded by the Bishops’ Conference of Belgium in 1967, the Catholic National Commission for Ecumenism aims to promote the contacts of the Catholic Church with the other Christian Churches and religious communities, as well as to develop ecumenical pastoralism in our country. It is composed of the presidents of the diocesan commissions and those in charge of the national subcommissions.
Bishop-Referee: Bishop Johan Bonny, Bishop of Antwerp
Chairman: Prof. Peter De Mey – Secretary: Msgr. Etienne Quintiens
Festive program 100 years of ‘Malines Conversations’
between Catholics and Anglicans
100 years ago, the ‘Malines Conversations’ ended. Precursor to ecumenism, then-archbishop Cardinal Désiré-Joseph Mercier (1851-1926), in a friendly atmosphere, invited a few people to talks that explored the conditions for a rapprochement between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches. With them were, among others, on the Anglican side Charles Wood, 2nd Viscount Halifax, on the Catholic side priest Fernand Portal. The talks took place in Mechelen at the episcopal palace in 1921, 1923 and 1925. The table where the conversations were held is still there.
On the occasion of the centenary of the Malines Conversations, the Archdiocese of Malines-Brussels is organizing an international academic congress in collaboration with the KU Leuven and UC Louvain, from Thursday 18 till Saturday 20 September. The congress language is English.
Registrations were open until 10 September.
PROGRAM
The Centenary of the Malines Conversations and Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue Today
18-20 September 2025
Thursday 18 September
16.00 Registrations
17.00-19.00 Opening plenary: The Historical context of the Malines Conversations (1921-1926)
17.00 Word of Welcome by Archbishop Luc Terlinden, overview and practical information by Peter De Mey (KU Leuven) and deacon Koen Jacobs, diocesan responsible for ecumenism.
17.30 Jan De Volder (KU Leuven), The Catholic Protagonists and their Views on Christian Unity: Cardinal Mercier, Fernand Portal, Lambert Beauduin
18.10 Jeremy Morris (National Advisor for Anglican Relations for the Church of England), An Anglican View on the Malines Conversations: Expectations, Experiences, Results
18.50 Conversation with the two speakers
19.15 Walking dinner
Friday 19 September
8.00 Church Sint-Jan, Roman Catholic Eucharist, sermon by Anglican bishop Robert Innes
9.00-10.30 Plenary session 2: The Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue as an opportunity to reflect on ecumenical method
9.00 Paul Murray (University of Durham), Receptive Ecumenism as a Tool for Ecumenical Dialogue
9.30 Ian Ernest (former Primate of the Anglican Church of the Indian Ocean), The Ecumenical Methodology of IARCCUM: Experiences from Mauritius and Rome
10.00 Conversation with the two speakers
10.30 Coffee break
11.00-12.30 Short paper session 1
12.30-14.00 Lunch break
14.00-16.00 Plenary session 3: The Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue as an opportunity to reflect on Church and ministry
14.00 Jamie Hawkey (Canon theologian, Westminster Abbey), Do Anglican Orders Have to Remain forever Utterly Null and Void?
14.30 Arnaud Join-Lambert (UC Louvain), The Ecumenical Significance of the Rediscovery of Synodality in the Roman Catholic Church
15.00 Conversation with the two speakers
15.30 Coffee break
16.00-18.00 Short paper session 2
20.00 Concert by Christ’s College Cambridge Choir
Saturday 20 September
8.00 Church Sint-Jan, Roman Catholic Eucharist, sermon by Anglican theologian Helen Orchard
9.00-10.30 Short paper session 3
10.30 Coffee break
11.00-12.30 Plenary session 4: The Anglican-Catholic dialogue as an opportunity to reflect on Christian life and worship
11.00 Kirsty Borthwick (College chaplain Christ Church, University of Oxford), The Beauty of Anglican Liturgies as an Example for Other Christian Churches
11.30 Sigrid Müller (Universität Wien), The Challenge and Richness of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue on Ethical Issues
12.00 Conversation with the two speakers
12.30 Highlights of the conference as experienced by an Anglican and a Catholic listener
12.50 Words of thanks
13.00 End of the conference
14.30-17.30 City tour with visit to the Cathedral.
18.30-21.00 Conference dinner
For any further information please contact the organisation team at this address: mechelse.gesprekken@diomb.be .
Concert on Friday evening
On the occasion of the centenary of the Malines Conversations, we invite you to come and listen to the famous Chapel Choir of the Cambridge Christ’s College. In the cathedral of Saint Rumbold they will bring a concert with English choir music from the sixteenth till twenty first century.
On the program:
- Songs of Farewell by C.H.H. Parry
- Requiem by Herbet Howells
- Works of Tallis, Gibbons, Stanford, Weir and Rooney
Start: 8 pm
Tickets can be bought here: https://be.ticketgang.eu/orgFrameSaleNew.php?org=191614#
Festive program on Sunday
At the end of the festive program, there will be a solemn moment on Sunday afternoon in the Saint Rumbold’s Cathedral.
14.00 Academic session
15.30 Unveiling of a memorial plaque at the tomb of Cardinal Mercier
16.00 Anglican Evensong
The speakers will be Archbishop Luc Terlinden, Cardinal Kurt Koch, Bishop Johan Bonny, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell.
Peter Wood, Earl of Halifax and great-grandson of Charles Wood, conversation partner of Cardinal Mercier, will address the audience.
This afternoon program is freely accessible to the public.