Article in Dutch Catholic Weekly

Unity Among Christians: The Heart of Jacques Grubben's Mission

Jacques Grubben deeply values Christian unity. Together with his colleague Stefan Schevers, he established the House of Unity in Riga, Latvia’s capital. This initiative fosters religious and cultural exchange between Dutch and Latvian youth, with a notable focus on Mary. Their journey began in 2009, when Grubben and Schevers, both newly ordained priests, visited Riga and immedia­tely felt at home. Noticing the lack of a Catholic youth center, they decided to create one, ultima­tely fin­ding a location on a street named after Mary -a significant detail, consi­dering Latvia's long-stan­ding devotion to her.

Their mission is inherently ecumenical. The Lutheran real estate agent who helped them secure their location even participated in the 2010 Taizé gathe­ring in Rotter­dam with fifteen Latvian youths. This event marked the first exchange between Latvian and Dutch youth, laying the foundation for las­ting relationships. The House of Unity hosts joint prayers, work­shops, and youth groups, and supports events like the Latvian church night and pilgrimages to Aglona, Latvia’s major Marian pilgrimage site. Through these efforts, Grubben and Schevers continue to nurture a clandestine ecumenism that thrived even during Soviet times, emphasi­zing prayer and mutual understan­ding to bring Christians closer together.