Theo, the sexton of Parochie Maria, worked across the world with many different cultures in his former job as a sailor. He feels the English community does a great job at both communicating cross culturally and as Catholics.
“This is a unique religious community in Den Bosch in terms of nationality and age. Although relatively new, its members are there for each other and offer help when it’s needed. They’re very reliable in that way.”
Theo thinks such diversity is necessary to keep Catholicism relevant and thriving. “The Church needs to be there for everyone, and keep space for renewal. That also means different viewpoints need to be welcomed, be that from a cultural or catholic point of view. That’s very visible in our English community. Backgrounds and opinions differ a lot sometimes, but the conversations are always respectful and people are willing to reflect on their own views. All of this combined makes you realize the world is bigger than just Den Bosch or the Netherlands.”
That might help people prioritize religion some more. “People seem to chase status, far away holidays and other relatively superficial things more than they value spirituality and belonging to a community. With communities like these, that might shift, because there’s a good example that can be followed,” Theo concludes.
Feel free to join us for English mass, every Saturday at 17.15h. St. Catharine's church is located at Kruisbroedershof 4 5211 GX 's-Hertogenbosch.