Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – St. Andrew’s Church in Antwerp held a prayer for Pride, led by Saskia Van den Kieboom. Transgender woman praised Bishop Johan Bonny for supporting LGBTQ+ rights and church openness.
As VRT News reported, this morning, Aug 9, 2025, St. Andrew’s Church in Antwerp held a prayer service to mark Antwerp Pride. Many people from the LGBTQIA+ community, church leaders, and supporters attended. Saskia Van den Kieboom, who helps the Diocese of Antwerp with faith and LGBTQIA+ issues, organised the event.
She said the church is slowly becoming more open to LGBTQIA+ people. Even the Vatican is starting to change its approach, though not everyone agrees yet. Saskia also pointed out that attitudes vary worldwide. In places like Africa, strong opposition remains. She said honest talks are needed to reduce conflict and increase understanding.
“There is no consensus on LGBT, not even in the Vatican. But the hardness is softening.”
Saskia Van den Kieboom, Diocese of Antwerp
What role does Antwerp’s St. Andrew’s play in LGBTQ+ church acceptance?
Saskia said Pride is important not just to celebrate but also to protest against discrimination faced by many LGBTQIA+ people. She mentioned that while the church and society are making some progress, more work is needed for full acceptance.
At the prayer service in St. Andrew’s Church in Antwerp, a transgender woman shared her story about why the church’s openness matters so much. She said transgender people face many challenges today, and their rights are under pressure in many places. That is why she thinks it is very important for the church to be welcoming and supportive.
She said,
“I feel more and more welcome.”
The transgender woman praised Antwerp Bishop Johan Bonny for his strong support of LGBTQ+ rights. She said he knows the church must welcome everyone, especially as many churches have fewer visitors.
“There are already so many empty churches,”
she said.
She also shared her own story from her church in Hasselt, where she came out as a woman.
“I am who I am, and I’m very happy now,”
she said.
What is the future of LGBTQ+ inclusion in European churches?
In recent years, many churches in Europe have started to rethink how they welcome LGBTQ+ people. Some church leaders support more openness, while others stick to old beliefs. Antwerp Bishop Johan Bonny is one of the leaders pushing for change and more acceptance. Some believe that being open to everyone can help bring people back.
