Hamont-Achel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – 2 Hamont-Achel churches, Achel-Statie and Hamont-Lo, will close; weekly Mass shifts to 2 churches. Pastor Roel Albers cites declining attendance. Final services: Dec 27, 2025, 5:30 PM and Jan 4, 2026, 7:00 PM.
As VRT News reported, 2 churches in Hamont-Achel, in the province of Limburg, Belgium, will close within a week. From January 2026, the St. Joseph Hamont-Achel pastoral unit will hold weekly Mass in only 2 churches.
Services will take place on Saturdays at 6 p.m. in Achel and on Sundays at 10 a.m. in Hamont. Church leaders say the change follows a government-requested plan to better manage church buildings and resources.
What is happening to Achel-Statie and Hamont-Lo churches in Hamont-Achel?
A new schedule for holiday services will start in 2026. Christmas Eve, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil will be celebrated in Achel in even-numbered years and in Hamont in odd-numbered years. Christmas Day and Easter Sunday will take place in Hamont during even-numbered years and in Achel during odd-numbered years.
Church leaders say the plan allows major celebrations to continue while adjusting to fewer church locations.
“Church attendance continues to decline. Now it’s clear that two churches are sufficient,”
says Pastor Roel Albers.
“So you have to be a good steward and take care of the church buildings. Of course, those also cost money. And so, the decision was made to deconsecrate the churches of Achel-Statie and Hamont-Lo.”
The final services are now approaching. The last Mass at the church of Achel-Statie will be held this evening at 5:30 PM, while the church of Hamont-Lo will have its closing service next Saturday, Jan 3, 2025, at 7:00 PM.
Pastor Albers says the celebrations will go ahead largely as usual, giving parishioners a chance to take part in familiar rituals despite the closures. At the same time, discussions are ongoing with the Hamont-Achel city council about possible future uses for the tw future.
2 years ago, church authorities decided to reduce the number of active parishes in Hamont-Achel from 4 to 2.
“That’s a very legal process, requiring approval from both the bishop and the government. That’s what happened recently.”
The decision has caused strong emotions among residents and parishioners who have long ties to the churches that will close.
“The churches were consecrated in the 1960s, so many people witnessed the construction. That makes it a sad event. At the same time, there’s a lot of understanding that keeping four churches open is no longer sustainable,”
says the pastor.
In 2023, Hamont-Achel made the decision to merge 4 parishes into 2 parishes due to lower attendance in some parishes and as an efficient use of church buildings. The churches of Achel-Statie and Hamont-Lo have been serving the community for many years.
