NEWS

On 14 January Father Yves Serck passed away unexpectedly.

 

Father Serck was president of the asbl Solidarité Mutualité des Religieux de Belgique, member of the Board of Directors and the General Assembly of the Sint-Michiels federation of Christian Mutual Societies and sat on the Board of Directors of the National Alliance of Christian Mutual Societies on behalf of the MRB.

 

He had been active in the Bureau and the Board of Directors of the IMS  for 28 years (15 years as Secretary General, then Technical Advisor and Vice-President of the Board of Directors for 2 years). He represented the Belgian Section.

 

His funeral ceremony took place on 19 January in the beautiful Sint-Andries church of the Benedictine community of Zevenkerken, just outside Bruges. He was surrounded by his Benedictine brothers, who were joined by many friends and family members.

 

Punctuated by testimonies and evocations of his pastoral journey, it highlighted the role that Yves had played since 1998 in accompanying people in palliative care. This late discovery was almost a second vocation.

 

Some colleagues from the MRB gave us a testimony.

I personally experienced Father Yves as a committed representative of the Religious. He was a quiet but eloquent defender of their rights.

I still remember that he always came to greet us in the service on the occasion of his participation in the meetings of the Board of Sint-Michiels. At least in the period before the covid. He always took the time to talk to every member of staff.

Judith Zoete

 

It is a shock for me to learn of the death of Father Yves. He was already president of the M.R.B. when I arrived in 1992. Of course, at our last General Assembly, he seemed weakened, but still as active as ever.  The work he has done within the M.R.B. is exemplary.

Sister Anne-Marie Glade

 

I did not have many opportunities to meet Father Serck outside the meetings. In any case, I have the memory of a very kind man who was at the same time quite determined to defend the “rights” of religious.

Father André Moreau sj

 

Father Yves, after Father Paul and Father Wim, you are already the third colleague who has taken the step to the beyond.

It was even frightening when I opened the newspaper on Tuesday morning to see your death notice.

We had only agreed on the phone a few days before. Things were going a little better, you said to me then.

Together we always made sure that the Religious of Belgium had good support in the area of health care.

During the last weeks of the MRB’s holidays, you welcomed us again in the Abbey. However, it was already with a weak voice that you gave us a tour of the property. You told me that it was a pity that the alliance of congregations and orders would not work. You had also come to express this message at the last party in Nieuwpoort.

Thank you for the trust and, as long as I can, I will carry the interests of the Religious with all my heart, as I promised you during our last telephone call. Who could have imagined then that this would be our last conversation?

Wilfried Meert sdb

 

Farewell, Father Yves! Your spirit and your prayers are with us.

 

 

Arnaud Gorgemans

Head of the Belgian Section of the IMS

 

Photo A. Gorgemans