The Roosendaal Group, founded in 2006, in the Netherlands, is a small group of enthusiastic people - Catholic as well as Protestant - who decided to explore the need to give the ecumenic diacony a more international profile, and this in close cooperation with the IDC (International Diaconate Centre).

The IDC is generating regional networks in the world for exchange of literature, studies and experiences. These networks are also intended to give support to deacons and diaconal workers in their dioceses. Each network makes its own organisation and organogram, and can work very independently from or, on the contrary, very close to the IDC.

For a presentation on the IDC, its aims and activities please click here.

The Roosendaal Group is facilitating this IDC policy, and this on an ecumenical level. Catholic, protestant as well as Greek and Russian orthodox deacons and diaconal workers are most welcome to interact on this website.

Evidence proofs that many deacons and caritas workers - who are real field workers, i.e. have close contact with people in need - often work isolated, in "diaspora", missing support, advice, experience of colleagues, sometimes depending on the administrative hierarchy of their country. The Roosendaal Group took the initiative to build this website explicitly for these people, thus offering them the opportunity to (virtually) meet others working in similar conditions, to create useful contacts, to exchange experiences, to feel no longer "alone" in problematic situations that, unfortunately, exist everywhere.

The reason for building the website is three-fold: communication, information and education on diacony and diaconate, for as many people as possible, worldwide; and a platform for (exchange of) studies.

Communication is offered by a virtual Forum .