Belgium’s Catholic leader open to sponsorship money

The Primate of Belgium, André-Joseph Léonard, is said to have nothing against the idea of sponsors giving financial help to the Church. Johan Bonny, bishop of Antwerp, had earlier floated the idea of seeking financial help from sponsors to guarantee the day-to-day running of his diocese. “The remuneration of priests and ministers by the authorities and the municipalities, while sizeable, is not enough to cover the needs of a parish,” Léonard said yesterday. Another suggestion by Bonny is to reduce the number of parishes. In his diocese of Antwerp, he wants to bring the number down from 300 to 60. Léonard views this as the way to go. “Everywhere in Europe, parishes are going to have to collaborate closely,” he said.