Foreign priests from Leuven University to the rescue!

The bishopric of Mechelen and Brussels has plans to get foreign theology students to help out and celebrate mass on a temporary basis. The move is intended to cope with the shortage of Belgian priests. The theology students' services would be enlisted especially during the holidays and at weekends.

Jeroen Moens explains that the students in question are already fully fledged priests, but may be studying for a doctorate or the like at Leuven University: "We are now looking for guest families so that they can stay here during the holidays and at weekends. In this way they could serve as parish priests in Flemish Brabant during the summer."

The foreigners will have to speak sufficient Dutch and have to follow a course Belgian church culture.

The idea of enlisting the services of foreign priests is not entirely new to Belgium. It has been customary in French-speaking Belgium for many years where language poses less of a barrier.

So far 12 foreign priests have offered their services to Mechelen-Brussels.

 

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