The Iman Foundation
PROMOTING DIALOGUE • CHALLENGING EXTREMISM • BRINGING CHANGE
Advisory Board

Monseigneur Guy Harpigny, Bishop of Tournai (Belgium)

Monseigneur Guy Harpigny is the Bishop of Tournai. He is responsible for relations with Islam.

He was appointed as the 100th Bishop of Tournai by Pope John Paul II on May 22, 2003, and was ordained on September 7, 2003. He was appointed member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue by Pope Benedict XVI on March 9, 2007.

He was appointed Grand Officer of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem on June 26, 2008 by Cardinal John Patrick Foley, the Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

He was born in Luttre on April 13, 1948 to Henri Harpigny (born in Rêves in 1921) and Elza Adams (born in Turnhour in 1923), and he is the eldest of four children (Luc, Agnès, Marie-Anne).

Henry Harpigny worked as a staffer for the railways and ended his career as a deputy master of the Charleroi Station. Elza Adams was a Catholic religion teacher in the public schools of Pont-à-Celles.

He was baptized at the Saint-Nicolas parish church in Luttre on April 18, 1948. He received his First Communion on Thursday, April 15, 1955, while his Profession of Faith was declared on May 17, 1959, and his confirmation was performed at the Jean-Baptiste Church in Gosselies on May 22, 1959.

He attended preschool at both Turnhout (Albertstraat) and Luttre (public school).

He had his primary education at the Luttre public school (1954-1960).

He studied humanities, Latin, and Greek at the Collège Sainte-Gertrude in Nivelles (1960-1966).

Member of the Patro de Luttre youth movement till the age of 18.

Acolyte at Pont-à-Celles (public chapel at La Chaussée and the parish church of Saint-Jean- Baptiste) till the age of 18.

He studied philosophy at the Seminary of Bonne-Espérance for one year (1966-1967).

He attended the Seminary of Saint-Paul at Mechelsevest, Leuven, in preparation for duties of the Diocese of Tournai (1967-1969).

He studied psychology for two years at the Catholic University of Louvain.

He studied psychology in 1969 at the Catholic University of Louvain.

He attended the Seminary of Tournai where he majored in Theology (1969-1973).

He graduated with a Bachelor of Theology from the Catholic University of Louvain-Seminary of Tournai in 1973.

He was ordained deacon on February 25, 1973 by Mgr. Himmer at the church of the Seminary of Tournai.

He was ordained priest on July 7, 1973 by Mgr. Himmer at the Saint-Christophe Church, Charleroi.

He studied Theology and the Arabic Language at the Catholic University of Louvain (1973-1978), the Catholic University of Paris (Institut Catholique de Paris), the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris, and at the Sorbonne University, Paris (1975-1976). He did student internship at the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies, Cairo (1976-1977).

He graduated from the Catholic University of Louvain in 1975 with a Bachelor of Theology.

He received his Ph.D in Theology in 1981 from the Catholic University of Louvain (research project begun in 1978).

He obtained a diploma in the Arabic Language from the Department of Teaching and Research on Theology and Religious Studies at the School of Old Oriental Languages, the Catholic University of Paris (1976).

He earned a Master of History and Philology in 1976 from the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (Paris), Section (IV).

He occupied the position of dominical vicar at Marchienne-au-Pont (1973-1980).

He did his military service acting as the chaplain of the Logistics School of Tournai (1978-1979).

He was a member of the animation group at the Center for Theological Research and Education (CREFOT) (1977-1985).

He was a professor of fundamental theology, dogmatic theology, ecumenism, and Islam at the Seminary of Tournai (1980-1997).

He was an instructor of Islam at the Faculty of Theology, Lille Catholic University (1991-1993).

He was a professor of Islam, religious phenomena, dogmatic theology, and ecumenism at the Higher Institute of Religious Studies, Charleroi (1986-1997).

He was appointed the Director of the Office of Religious Teaching (ODER) (1993-1997).

He was appointed the Director of the Higher Institute of Religious Studies, Charleroi (1993-1997).

He was a member of the editorial board of Faith and Time (1985-1992).

He was the publisher of Faith and Time (1986-1992).

He occupied the position of supervisor of theological education for lay persons at the Training Center for Christian Communities (1993-1997).

He was appointed Secretary of the Diocesan Commission for Ecumenism (1985-2003).

He was a board member of the National Catholic Commission for Ecumenism (1985-2003).

He was a member of the Diocesan Commission for Continuing Education (1982-2003).

He was a member of the Diocesan Commission for Pastoral Animators (1993-2003).

He was a member of the Inter-diocesan Committee for Relations with Islam in Belgium (1986-1989, 2002-2003).

He was a member of the Committee for relations with Muslims in Europe (CRME) (Council of Catholic Episcopal Conferences of and Christian Churches Conferences) (1987-1989).

He occupied the position of counselor to Islamic-Christian couples seeking Christian marriage in the province of Hainaut (1988-2003).

He was appointed dean of the Mons-Borinage area (1997-2003).

He was appointed dean of Mons (1997-2003).

He was appointed priest of Mons (Sainte-Waudru, Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Martin à Hyon, 1997-2003) and of Mons Sacré-Coeur (1999-2003).

He was a member of the Council of Priests (2001-2002).

He was a member of the College of Consultors (2001-2003).

He was a member of the Church and Faith Committee, the Bishops’ Conference (2002).