Since the 80's no more happened: Bruges church wants new church build (and sell before the other four)

Bruges The city of Bruges, Emmaüsparochie, active in Sint-Michiels and Sint-Andries, wants four churches sell to a new to be able to put in the Abdijbekestraat. The plan is unseen: it is all of the years 80 ago that there is in Flanders a completely new church was built. “The community is enthusiastic,” says priest Filip Vanbesien.

“It is just in a period of crisis that you have to invest.” Pastor Filip Vanbesien was only a year and a half ago, the Emmaüsparochie strengthen. He stays within a few months as an only pastor on an area of 33,000 inhabitants, with five churches (four of the church, one of the city). “The number of churchgoers is far back in Flanders. In our parish it's: we have a solid core of 600 people every week to come to church. There are 150 funerals take place, this year, we guide 160 communicanten and 175 vormelingen. But we have the flight ahead. Now, if we do not intervene, then bleed our community to death.”

And so breeds the Emmaüsparochie already for a year on plans for the four churches of the diocese to sell. It relates specifically to the churches of Sint-Baafs, Sint-Michiel, Sint-Godelieve and Saint-Willibrord. “We're going to the next time looking for potential buyers. There must be a valuation of the buildings. The diocese supports the plan as long as there is a good solution is found for that church building.”

And then there is still the protected church in Sint-Andries: right in the middle of the cemetery. That is the property of the city of Bruges and also there would be no church activities and more take place. “I find it very positive that people want to be with a plan. What the city will do with the Sint-Anna-Sint-Andrieskerk? That should still be investigated, but according to me, there are more possibilities in the cultural sphere,” says vessels of Worship Mercedes Volcem (Open Vld).

a Few references

St.-Godelievekerk and the church of St. Willibrord is located right next to a school and so watching the church from a possible schoolinvulling. The churches of Sint-Baafs and Sint-Michiel would be for projects to be eligible. “With the sale of these four churches, we want a new church building,” says Vanbesien. It is from the 80's of the last century ago that such a thing happened in Flanders. When was the Saint-Godelievekerk in Roeselare built. Last year, the municipality of Etterbeek to an old church to break off and a new. Cost: 1.3 million euro. “The few references that exist,” says the priest. “But we feel that this decision is supported by the community. During the homily of Sunday, the parishioners of the five churches, the news learned.”

The new church will be energy-neutral with the latest: and get solar panels on the roof. The church is also modular designed. “That is to say that the church will be able to organize in smaller spaces,” says Filip Vanbesien. “That new church for a new dynamic concerns. I strongly believe that new parishioners are addressed to feel. And for the current parishioners are the changes not so much. The location is right in the middle of the spots where now the five churches.”

Ambitious

this is the Abdijbekestraat, where in addition to the school building Ravelijn a plot of the onze-Lieve-Vrouweziekenhuis of Bruges. At over 6,000 square meters would a church come up with premises for meetings. The owners see the future plans already sit. “And we can car park enough to create, because that is now a major issue in all the other churches. It is an ambitious plan, but I hope that within five years the first mass in the new location.”