by Wilfried Gepts, cicm
This summer I will celebrate my 82nd birthday. So, you can understand why presently my JPIC engagements are minimal. I consider our CICM priorities, JPIC-IRD (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation – Interreligious Dialogue, as the two glasses of my spectacles. This particular focus allows me to watch the world selectively, including the town where I live (Lier), near Antwerp. My JPIC-IRD specs help me avoid to get lost under the daily stream of information and many challenges.
Till last year, I was a member of the Antwerp Diocesan JPIC Committee. I kept my seat warm until our confrere Ghislain Toussé was ready to take over from me. He is also joining the BNL JPIC Working Group, where I continue to participate actively.
I gladly follow the campaigns and activities of ORBIT, where refugees and migrants feel at home. In view of the elections in Belgium (National and European), ORBIT issued its advice which I helped spreading and discussing, right and left. I also attend ORBIT’s formation sessions to keep me informed on refugee policies. Nowadays, we can no longer afford not to keep in touch with the developments in society; for example, I have been reading Yuval Noah Harari’s Trilogy (Sapiens, Homo Deus, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century). An eye-opener!
In principle, I use public transportation and, if need be, I practice car-sharing. Recently on a rainy day, I joined one of the climate marches in Brussels (70,000 attended). One lady was holding a sign: “I must come along, my daughters insisted!”
Here in town, I am a member of the local Amnesty Group. We regularly organize open “Amnesty letter writing” evenings, old fashioned, indeed, but still effective. During the yearly Human Rights Week, we invite the public to participate in a letter-writing marathon. At the service of schools and city guides, I composed a Human Rights Walk in Lier. One of our Amnesty Group also coordinates the local “World Council” (including Fair Trade Shop, minority groups, etc.).
I belong to the MOWE-Lier fan club: volunteers who help newly arrived asylum seekers and migrants for housing and other necessities; offering them coaching courses, etc. Last year, I assisted in the conversation group. On Sun- days, I attend Mass and other celebrations at De Brug (the Bridge).
During Lent, a Protestant scholar took care of the thematic celebrations. On another occasion, an imam delivered the “homily”. Repeatedly, I was asked to join the group of celebrants, but I refused leaving room for younger people. As a result, a young pastoral worker is sometimes leading the celebration.
At the previous BNL Encounter Days (September 2018), we were challenged to practice our faith in times of secularization. So, I am trying to reformulate and live my “secular” faith. The first “secular believer”, I presume, was Jesus himself as the Gospel of John let him say: “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth” (Jn 4:21.24).
Fortunately, life is about more than CICM priorities. There are confreres, family, friends, and neighbors, birthdays and funerals, unexpected encounters. There is a small talk, fantasy, humor, laughing, and leisure, cooking and doing the dishes, walking and reading.
