Visit of Mgr. Lode Aerts to the Brothers of Charity and Fracarita International at ‘Huize Leven’ in

On Monday 12 June 2017, we, the Brothers and team members of Fracarita International, were delighted to welcome Mgr. Lode Aerts, the new bishop of Bruges to ‘Huize Leven’, Boeveriestraat 14 in Bruges. Mgr. Aerts received a warm welcome from Bro. René Stockman, Superior General of the Brothers of Charity.

The visit started with a reflection on Fracarita International’s mission in Huize Leven’s prayer room. The mission text was incorporated in Brother Superior General’s elucidation of the Gospel reading about the disciples being sent out. Subsequently, there was a PowerPoint presentation about the Brothers’ presence in Bruges in the past, in the fields of education and health care. The still existing former formation house in Sint-Michiels forms a bridge between the past and the present. Today, there are still two units located on the premises: ‘De Sleutel’, a day care centre for drug prevention, and ‘Ravelijn’, a school for special secondary education.

The current activities of Fracarita International in the Boeveriestraat were illustrated with photographs of the different sectors in which the Brothers work and which are the fields of Fracarita International with regard to fundraising and project management in education, mental health care, and care for persons with disabilities.

After the PowerPoint, the Bishop had a conversation with the Fracarita International team. Brother Superior General first shared an overview of Fracarita International’s tasks and what the international NGO of the Brothers of Charity represents. Then, the staff of Fracarita International shared their experiences with Mgr. Aerts, who listened very attentively and took part in the conversation. He is very knowledgeable about giving support to the South, and so he made a few proposals to contact diocese services and people he knows personally.

As a sign of gratitude, Bro. Superior General presented Mgr. Aerts with his book ‘Grenzen verleggen. Rondreis door Afrika en Azië bij de Broeders van Liefde’ (Pushing boundaries. A journey through Africa and Asia with the Brothers of Charity), an account of his travels and visits to different regions and countries. The morning was concluded with a reception and sandwich lunch.

YouTubevideo of the PowerPoint presentation (in Dutch):

Pictures: