Seong Hwa Ceremony for Philippe Jacques, Belgian National Leader

By Yvo Bruffaerts Brussels, on 21 February 1951. He had and diplomatic, he was able to bridge 2 sisters and 2 brothers. many gaps and bring down many In 1979 he joined the Church with his walls. He had a natural gift to embrace wife and daughter. He had been living East and West, Flemings and a harmonious and peaceful family life Walloons, young and old, rich and up to that time. Unfortunately, his poor. spouse could not keep pace with the We have always been given a warm mission and left the Church shortly welcome to Philippe and Yoko’s home after. located in a very nice and peaceful area Philippe was blessed to Yoko Tanabe to the south of Brussels. The nearby at the 30,000 couples Blessing in forest was a place where Philippe Korea. In 1997 they welcomed their would often go and pray. daughter Mishio. He was successful in UPF and his Next to taking part in witnessing and work with Ambassadors for Peace and FR activities, Philippe also took care of built a huge network of contacts. He the church Ginseng business. accompanied many of them on 3 fact- finding tours to Israel. In August 1994 the leadership of the Belgian Church, under which Philippe Philippe supported FFWPU activities was working, broke with our Church. not only in Belgium, but also in However, Philippe and Yoko never neighboring Luxemburg, France and

O failed to support our True Parents. The Netherlands. n Saturday 30 July 2026 at Hence the legacy we owe to our 12am a wonderful and most In February 2005 Philippe and Yoko became the national leader’s couple for wonderful brother is huge. moving Seung Hwa Ceremony was held for Philippe Jacques, Belgium. Sadly, Philippe was diagnosed with Belgian National Leader, at the Philippe was a brother with a huge acute myeloid leukemia last year in FFWPU headquarters in Brussels. heart and found himself well above June. After a short treatment he and beyond all political and religious recovered remarkably well. Philippe was born in Anderlecht, confrontations. Being very sensitive

MC Hugo Veracx

Very soon he was again doing as much The opening prayers were said by European Continental Leader Jack Corley as he could for the providence. European WFWPU president Carolyn addressed Philippe’s family in particular, Unfortunately, these last weeks, Handshin as well as by the Rev. by saying that, having come from a very Philippe’s health was deteriorating Georges, Philippe’s elder brother. Catholic Irish family, he could very well rapidly. understand how difficult it must have We have fond memories of the been for them when Philippe joined our testimony he gave in a Belgian Church. He reassured them there was no television program, entitled “Via reason to worry as Philippe had lived a Annemie, which covered the 2015 very noble life Blessing in Korea. He openly and Now only, better late than never though, honestly proclaimed that Reverend Philippe’s family could come to realize Moon is the messiah. which path of faith Philippe had walked, and how much he had achieved. Subsequently, Philippe’s elder sister Joëlle Jacques told the story of Philippe’s life before he joined our Church. It was a heartwarming story, full of anecdotes.

Philippe’s brothers Georges and Vincent Jacques

The Seung Hwa Ceremony was a wonderful testimony to Philippe’s Yoko expressed her great gratitude to all physical family. Initially Philippe’s attendants and especially towards elder brother Rev. Georges Jacques Philippe’s relatives. Philippe’s sister gave being a Catholic priest, wanted to have her a warm embrace. the ceremony in a Catholic church. The entire ceremony was a wonderful Yoko and Mishio expressed their Yvo Bruffaerts reported on Philippe’s blend of our Church and some Catholic gratidute to Philippe’s family for rich church life, from the very traditions, a beautiful testimony to supporting to hold the ceremony at the beginning in 1979 till now. Philippe’s family, a significant event in headquarters in Brussels, which was Heavenly Parent’s providence for Belgium. donated by Philippe to the FFWPU. Philippe’s relatives must have felt very Finally 30 of them attended being uplifted by this experience and brought of moved by tears. his life. Philippe’s Won Jeon Ceremony took place close to his home. Rev. An blessed the tomb with holy soil and holy salt. After the Won Jeon Ceremony Philippe’s elder brother, Rev George Jacques, visited More testimonies followed, one of which Yoko and Mishio to tell them how much was given by our Ambassador for Peace he had been moved by the Seung Hwa H.E. Robert Vandemeulebroucke. Ceremony, our faith and our values.

Our FFWPU headquarter is located on the 2nd floor. A group of second generation brothers from Belgium, France and Germany carried the casket to the hall. Very soon though their hearts were melting down by seeing so many people at the HQ. More than 200 attended. Rev. Jun Seok An, Vice President Jean-Francois Moulinet, Regional Leader for the Francophone Nations, offering a Our Japanese National Messiah Mr FFWPU International, presented Yoko rose to Philippe Ikeno travelled all the way from with a special certificate of recognition Chicago to attend. by our True Mother.

We are very grateful for the great support and love we could receive from brothers and sisters worldwide. We are particularly grateful to Reverend and Mrs An and their daughter, who spent several days with Yoko and Mishio to prepare for the Seung Hwa ceremony.

From this link you can see more pictutres view video

Dr No-hi Pak, Special Emmisary for Europe, leading four cheers of Ok-Mansei

Prayer at Opening Ceremony Seong Hwa of Philippe Jacques Carolyn Handschin, Vice President FFWPU-Europe know he is safely with you. eternal spiritual realm. How blessed Yet, we attend this we are to understand the true meaning celebration with mixed of those words, “whatever you bind on feelings. It is, in many earth, will be bound in heaven…(Matt ways a liberation for him to 18:18)” It is the love invested for the pass on and to be with sake of others that will measure the You,- and work closely quality of life and liberation there. We with You and our True know that Philippe was very rich in Father without the burden this sphere. of his ailing physical body. We all feel repentance for not having He will continue in his loved and sacrificed more, thinking eternal home, as he has on maybe he could’ve suffered less. We this earth, to give, love and reflect with sadness at not having bring joy to You. shown more of our love and Yet we will miss his appreciation for him. It is not too late. physical presence so much, Let us mark this day of offering with a the many who love him renewed determination to see this New and know him best: Cultural Revolution flourish here in especially, his physical and Europe - and to lighten the burden of spiritual family and friends our True Mother, and you, our gathered here today. Please Heavenly Parent. comfort them and remind Drawn together as brothers and sisters them of the value of the here today to celebrate the life of life and work that he Philippe on this earth, and, as well to continues to lead and let celebrate the knowledge that we will them feel his presence. continue together in Filial Piety. We are grateful to have Nothing would make him (or You) shared your Providential happier than the victories and work here in Europe with breakthroughs that we today re-

O ur Beloved Heavenly Parent him. It must not be by chance that he determine - as we go forward together We are gathered here today to has been National Leader for 12 years towards the settlement of CIG here in celebrate the ascension of your in this nation of Belgium, that houses Europe. precious son, Philippe Jacques. some of the most important European We want to bring that joy to you more Representing all nations here in Europe institutions, and that he was dedicated than ever, to be victors in fulfilling and our whole Unificationist Family, to explaining your truth and bringing Heaven’s destiny for our nations, our we humbly pray and hope for a your vision of a Heavenly Culture to families and our individual lives. We peaceful transition. We send him on this nation and continent. offer you this solemn prayer in our with our love and sincere gratitude! How fortunate we are to have been names as Blessed Central families who His life thus far has been a life lived taught the grace of Seong Hwa, to deeply love and trust you, our for others, as you have taught and know the true purpose of our physical Heavenly Parent. shown us: generous, filial and lives and to have some framework for Aju! Amen! sacrificial. How grateful we can be to understanding what awaits us all in the

Message from Sung-il Cho, Director-General FFWPU International Headquarters, and Title from True Parents, read by Dr No-hi Pak

B eloved Rev. Philippe Jacques and his bereaved family members, 조국광복필승봉신대표자 (Jo-guk Gwang-bok Pil-seung Bong-shin De- pyo-ja) – A representative who has First of all, I would like to express earnestly devoted and sacrificed my deep condolences to Rev. himself to victoriously regain God’s Philippe Jacques and to his bereaved homeland family. Therefore, together with all the blessed A great star that used to shine down families and members around the brightly on Belgium and guide world I would like to send you our people to Heaven’s Will has set on sincerest, most heartfelt June 23 by the heavenly calendar in congratulations and blessing on your the 4th year of Cheon Il Guk. His transition to our Heavenly Parent’s passing is a great loss to not only world of love, the eternal world where Belgium, but also Europe and the our True Father now resides. entire Unification Movement. I sincerely pray that the seonghwa Seonghwa, however, does not leave ceremony of Rev. Philippe Jacques us with sadness or pain. It is a sacred will be a precious occasion that happening. According to True overflows with joy and glory. Parents, when a person experiences seonghwa, his or her life on earth can finally blossom, bear fruit, and enter the world of joy and victory, the spiritual world. With precious regard for Rev. Jacques’ dedication and the noble life he has led to fulfill the will of the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind since 1979, the year he joined our church, True Parents Dr No-hi Pak reading the meaasage from bestow on him the following title: Sung-il Cho, Director-General FFWPU International Headquarters

Eulogy at the Seonghwa Ceremony for Philippe Jacques Jack Corley, President FFWPU-Europe

M rs. Yoko Jacques, Mishio Jacques, all of the Jacques family who are here, brothers and sisters from throughout Europe: It is really an honour to be here at this Seonghwa ceremony for a very special brother. I want to begin by reading some words from our True Father, spoken in February 2000: We are created as God’s children. As we grow in love, relating to brothers and sisters, becoming husbands and wives, giving birth to children and raising them, God is present each step of the way, harvesting true love. God observes and guides us as we develop, and He becomes the owner of love at way, we attach a thousand times thing we need to know about the each stage. In this sense, it can be more value to the person we love meaning of our life. And it’s on said that human beings, through occasions like this—when we have to than to ourselves. whom God comes to own all love, I wanted to read this statement because say farewell to one of our brothers or are more precious to God than sisters whom we have known and God is to Himself. In the same I think this tells us the most important loved—that we think about these

later, I went back to Ireland and met one of my former teachers, who had become a bishop. He said, “Dear Jack, why did you forsake the Mother Church?” I said, “I didn’t. I have not forsaken the Mother Church. I spent my whole life being grateful for what I have gained as a Catholic, and now I have found something which is enhancing what I already believed and actually helping me even more to pursue the values that I believed as a Catholic.” “Catholic” means “universal,” and it means that we are universal people. We think beyond just a small denomination; we think beyond just a small nation. We are universal people. I think it was Yvo Bruffaerts who mentioned that Philippe had the ability questions. As you know from Divine never lost his sense of priorities, he to go beyond Walloon, Flemish, Principle and from the teachings of our never lost the recognition of the really French and Dutch, and this is truly the True Parents, this life is a training important things in life. So, despite the case. ground for the eternal life, and I really fact that he could have become a very appreciate the reading by Philippe’s rich and lived a comfortable life, he I came to know Philippe more brother, Georges Jacques, from 1 never forgot what was really personally from 2009, when I returned Corinthians 13, quoting from the important: that, in the end, life on earth to Europe after an absence of about 26 words of Saint Paul about love, that we is transitory. years. We used to meet in London at can do many things, we can have some meetings, and right away he This reminds me of the words of Jesus really impressed me by his jolly nature. limitless faith and even give our lives Christ: “For what does it profit a man away, we can have all manner of He used to meet me and say: “I am so if he gains the whole world but loses glad to see my brother. I’m happy to spiritual gifts, but if we do not have his soul?” [Matthew 16:26]. Philippe love, we have nothing. I think that see you, my brother [speaking with a Jacques, in a way, could have gained Belgian French accent]”. This jolly, summarises what is really important the whole world, but he never lost his about life. happy, positive person became an soul. He was able to combine both. He instant friend for me. Actually, Reverend Moon always was able to be successful in his life. He spoke about the family as the training was able to interact with people at a He used to proudly drive all the way to ground in which we discover true love. very normal, human level, and yet he the United Kingdom, now that we have We are born as children, we receive the never lost sight of the importance of the Channel Tunnel—when it’s not love of our parents, we then begin to his own spiritual quest and value. So being blockaded—and we would meet, reciprocate that love, we respond to he goes into the spiritual world with and it was always a pleasure to talk to our parents’ love, we love our siblings great accomplishments. I sincerely him. I felt he had, as we heard today, a and those around us, we then enter into hope that the family and friends who sort of mischievous nature, but also a the conjugal relationship as a husband are here today can see all these people really sensitive and happy, almost or wife, we experience that kind of here from many countries, especially childlike nature. If you look at love, and then we become parents. And from here in Belgium, who loved your photographs of him, his eyes are as we go through life, we go through brother, your cousin, or your friend crystal-clear. I’ve seen several the school of love and ethics. We are whom you may have known some photographs of him recently since he actually growing our heart, and what is years ago. We truly loved Philippe passed, and I’m amazed at the clarity the purpose of all this? It is so that we Jacques. Let’s give him some of his eyes. People say that the eyes are can reside eternally with our Heavenly applause! the window to the soul, and his soul Parent in the eternal spiritual world. was clear; his soul was pure. When he joined the Unification Our life on earth is the soil upon which Church, I’m sure it was a shock for Just a year ago I was appointed to be we grow love. In other words, our many of his family and friends. Why the European continental director, and physical bodies are created by God to would he join this strange “cult” and that was about the same time that practise loving, so that when we enter give up what seemed to be a very Philippe discovered he had leukaemia. the spiritual world, we can merge with normal life? He did this because of his So my first visit as European leader God and be eternally in the realm of love for God. And where did he find was to the university hospital here in God’s love. Once we understand this that love? He found it in his family. He Brussels, to meet Philippe. I expected point, our life has meaning and found it in the Catholic Church. I to see someone very downcast and inestimable value, and I really believe myself come from an Irish Catholic feeling, “Why me? Why me?” Not at that Philippe Jacques was a model of background. I know the Catholic faith all. Philippe was positive, saying, “I this kind of person. As you heard from very well. I spent five years in a will fight this, and if it’s God’s will various testimonies today, he forsook a Catholic boarding school. I was that I win, great, and if not, I’m also comfortable life to follow a more planning to become a priest, like his okay with that.” He was ready to do austere, spiritual life. We all brother, Georges, and to this day I whatever God willed in his life at that understand that he had great skills as a deeply appreciate what I received as a critical moment. I came to admire him businessman. He was able to become Catholic growing up in a very Catholic as he forsook the chemotherapy and rich, he was able to become a person of family in a very Catholic country. It used natural methods with a very substance in terms of business, yet he has been the root of my faith. Years positive mind-set, and returned to what

European unity has met some Musical Intermezzo by stumbling blocks, but I believe that the Family Delens spiritual foundation of Europe is made by people like Philippe Jacques, who have the capacity to love beyond borders, beyond race, beyond religion. He is a true European. He’s a true Catholic. He’s a true citizen of the world. This is who we are saying goodbye to today. As we say goodbye, I know we will feel sad, but at the same time we feel comforted to know that he is now with our Heavenly Parent. We will support and comfort his wife, Yoko, their daughter, Mishio, and all the members of the family. I want to ask his family, who may not have always understood his life choices, to really trust me when I tell them that he lived a noble life and that he truly is being embraced by God seemed a very normal, healthy state. I grateful that his passing was peaceful at this moment. You can be proud of was thrilled to see him in Prague at our and that he’s now in a far better place. him as your brother, your cousin, your April 2016 meeting and to see how As we heard from Reverend Jun-seok friend. You have every reason to be well he looked. We were all thrilled. An, with the words from True Mother, proud of Philippe Jacques, because we, he is being given a great and noble title all of us here, are here because we are Then, just one month ago on 29th June, proud of him. We’re not direct I met him again in Brussels and I in accordance with the kind of person that he truly was. relatives, we’re not all from the same noticed that his skin had a kind of country, but we are proud of this yellowish colour. So I asked him, So Philippe was a husband, a father brother and we truly know that history “Philippe, how are you?” and he said, and a leader. He had so many different here in Belgium will remember him. “I don’t feel so good. Recently I qualities; he was a businessman and He will be remembered in the history haven’t felt so good. Tomorrow I was successful at that. His nature was of Belgium for his love, for his service should go to the doctor.” Of course, we positive; his nature was generous. The to God’s providence at this time in know that he did go to the doctor and fact that we are sitting in this building history and for his heart of love and the leukaemia had returned even more is a testament to his generosity. His selflessness as he lived his life. strongly. In a way it was a very attitude in the face of impending death gracious passing, because he did not go was courageous and calm. And I’m so I also want to say to Philippe—because through a lingering suffering. God glad that he could pass in a peaceful Phillipe is with us; he is observing gave him that year of life to love his way and know that he’s really going these proceedings—Philippe, we want wife, to love his daughter, to love his back to his Heavenly Parent. to say goodbye to you, but it’s not family and to love his country more. forever. In our movement we like to As was mentioned by Mrs. Carolyn say that there are no goodbyes, there is And then, when the time came, he Handschin in her prayer, it may be of quickly went to the spiritual world. I only “See you later,” and so we will some significance that he was the see each other later. All of us here in think this is the calling of God. I think leader of the nation in which the it’s no accident. this room believe that there is life after European Union is headquartered. And death, because that’s what gives On the one hand, of course we grieve, so this could be a sacrifice for the sake meaning to the physical life; the fact we miss him, but also we can be of Europe. As you know, recently that we will go through the family as the school of love and we will learn to love, and then we will graduate into the highest university of love, which is life after death. We will dwell with the source of love, our almighty Heavenly Parent. And so, Philippe, we say goodbye to you and we will see you again. Thank you. I’d just like to mention one last thing, at the request of Sun Jin Nim, the president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification International: She also has given an offering for his family, which I will present later to Yoko. She is particularly thinking about Philippe and Yoko very much, with great love and fondness. She must have met him somewhere; he made a deep impression on her. So we want to thank you again, Philippe. You are much loved and happily remembered.

Writtings by Philippe Jacques I feel Him concerned about our meeting, impatient, asking Himself if he asked too much from me during my lifetime, and if I will repproach Him for this ? But deep inside me, I try to comfort Him. In what way is He waiting for me at the end of this last kilometer ? Could it be with the same anxiety as that of a father who is waiting for his child at the culmination of their life ? How will the heart of the Father be at the end of my last kilometer ? This is something I like to reflect upon. The love of our Heavenly Father fascinates me, I want to discover it, to experience it. This helps me to do the same back towards Him and towards my family. »

My Last Kilometer To You, My body In which I live and « Having the habbit to pray or meditate in the forest almost that God gave to me, everyday, it often happened that I would start imagining How may I ever express my gratitude to have been able to myself in the spititual world, walking my last kilometer live in you ? You allowed me to be who I am and together before my meeting with Heavenly Parent. we thrived. I didn’t always understand you. I didn’t always It is a precious and deep experience that I like repeating go easy on you, but believe me, I respect you a lot. everytime I find myself alone in the forest, and specially, but Today, more than ever, I realize that I owe so much to you. not only, when the weather is nice and the forest is full of You assisted me at each moment, and it took me time to light piercing through the leafs of the trees. The path I use understand that I live in you, and that one day, you wouldn’t finishes in the fields where lies a neverending horizon and a be here anymore, and that even after giving everything, you very strong light. would still finally give yourself back to the earth becoming During this kilometer, I clear myself, knowing that every one with it. I will not forget you in my memory. You will step I walk draws me closer to my meeting with Heavenly always be in my thoughts too. You will forever be the Parent. It is impossible for me to make one step back or to historical trace of my soul. stop, Every step is printed, sometimes happy, sometimes You and I, we lived every moment together. Often, you sad, grateful or full of tears, but each step seems to me as limited me, but you also taught me patience. precious as my life. You allowed me to touch, taste, smell, see , hear, enjoy… to Every step draws me to humility, sincerity and, with an work and love …and to be loved in return. extremely moved attitude, I look back at my life, I feel Let my eyes forgive me for what I’ve looked at that I completely naked, I cannot hide anything. The Father knows shouldn’t have looked at. Let my mouth forgive me for the everything about me. words I spoke that should never have been spoken. Let my While walking, I feel extremely good, happy to walk this last stomach forgive me for sometimes absorbing what wasn’t kilometer to prepare myself. My eyes are often filled with good for my body. Let my ears forgive me for listening to tears, I ask myself how must the Father be waiting for me. things they didn’t necessarily want to listen to. Let my nose I feel confident of leaving something positive behind me, but forgive me for not smelling the perfume of each flower God I also carry some doubts about some decisons I had to take created for his children. You, my heart that worked without during my lifetime, that could cause suffering to Him and ever complaining and without me even being aware of it, others around me. thank you. To you, my lungs that inhaled and exhaled a million times without me thinking about it, Thank you. I don’t want to disappoint Him and I feel Him waiting for me at the end of the way with a big heart, carrying no And especially to my parents, who are at the origin of the judgment, forgetting all of my mistakes, my impurities, and body I live in, and who conceived it with great love and full only wondering how our first meeting will be, like a parent consciousness, I shed tears of gratitude. meeting his child for the first time, and wondering how the child is going to react.

Philippe Jacques 1951 – 2016

P hilippe Jacques, the national leader of FFWPU in Belgium, ascended to the spirit world on While he was living in the U.S., he learned English and also went fishing for 40 days. Take me to the Moon, which was broadcast to an audience of 4 million viewers right before the Blessing in July 26, 2016, after a fight with For many years in Belgium he was in February 2016. leukemia. He was 65. charge of a ginseng business, which he In 1992 Philippe was blessed with Philippe was born on February 21, built into a great success. He became Yoko Tanabe from Japan in the 30,000 1951, in the Belgian town of the national leader in 2005. Two years Couple Blessing in Korea. A few years Boutersem into a very Catholic family ago he donated his own house to the later they adopted a daughter, Mishio, with five children. His father was a church to be the Belgian national who was born on June 23, 1997. well-known journalist for La Libre headquarters. In early 2015 Philippe began feeling ill Belgique, one of the main daily As part of his tribal messiahship work, and discovered he had leukemia. At newspapers in the nation. He has a Philippe had a vast network of first he underwent chemotherapy, but brother who is a Catholic priest. Ambassadors for Peace, a discussion then discontinued it. Using natural He joined Unification Church in 1979 group in his hometown, and was active therapies, he made a remarkable together with his wife and their young with Korean War veterans. Philippe recovery. However, at the end of June daughter. However, after some time his also did a lot of work in taking care of 2016 he again fell ill. After several wife left the church, taking their child. people in his neighborhood. He went to weeks at home he was taken to the Philippe was a very dedicated and Israel three times with the Middle East hospital, where he went into a coma. devoted brother who went pioneering Peace Initiative (MEPI). He remained in a coma until his in France and participated in several In 2015 Philippe worked with a TV passing on July 26 at 5:30 p.m. His international projects, including the documentary maker on the creation of Seonghwa ceremony took place 12 mobilization to the United States. a film about our church Blessing called a.m. on Saturday, July 30.