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🇧🇪 Belgium /Culture & Society

Belgian church closes doors after 122 years due to dwindling congregation and volunteers

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The Sint-Vincentius church in Buizingen, Belgium, closed its doors permanently after 122 years due to a lack of successors for volunteers and declining attendance.
  • The decision was made after consultations involving the dean, the diocese, the city, and the parish itself.
  • Parishioners, particularly older ones, are finding the closure emotionally difficult, with concerns raised about future burial sites.

After 122 years of service, the Sint-Vincentius church in Buizingen, near Halle, Belgium, has permanently closed its doors. The decision, described as rationally understandable but emotionally challenging, stems from a dwindling number of volunteers and a consistent decline in church attendance.

That does affect you. I really liked coming here. When that disappears, it's a great pity.

— Dean Raymond DecosterExpressing his personal feelings about the church closure.

The church's fabric committee volunteers initiated the closure, citing the aging membership and burnout among the remaining staff. Dean Raymond Decoster, who led the final service, expressed his sadness at losing a place he cherished, acknowledging the emotional weight of the closure despite its logical necessity. The financial aspect also played a significant role in the decision-making process.

Guy Borremans, secretary of the church fabric committee, marked the occasion by writing a farewell speech. Reflecting on his lifelong connection to the church, he described it as closing a chapter, emphasizing his learned ability to move on. However, he noted that the closure deeply affects many older parishioners, some of whom reportedly weep daily over the loss.

It is rationally completely understandable, but emotionally it is much more difficult.

— Dean Raymond DecosterDescribing the emotional impact of the church's closure.

Concerns have also been raised by the older generation, the primary remaining congregants, about where they will be buried in the future. Dean Decoster, while saddened by the closure of Sint-Vincentius, remains active in other regional parishes, continuing to lead services and manage the parish newsletter. He anticipates that other churches in the region may face similar closures in the near future.

Of my 7 to my 77 years, I have been a churchgoer, altar server and master of ceremonies. It is a chapter that is being closed. I have learned to leave things behind, so I am not going to cry about it.

— Guy BorremansReflecting on his long involvement with the church and the closure.

The final service saw the Sint-Vincentius church filled with congregants, reflecting the community's attachment to the historic place of worship. The closure signifies the end of an era for the parish and highlights broader trends affecting religious institutions.

There are people who cry about it daily. The older generation, the only churchgoers left, are now worriedly asking themselves where they will be buried later.

— Guy BorremansDescribing the emotional impact of the closure on older parishioners.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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