AEC Makes Vocations a Priority

Archbishop Robert Rivas OP of Castries, St Lucia, will head a Vocations Commission being set up by the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) in an effort to increase vocations to the priesthood and religious life, in the face of dwindling numbers across the region.

Years ago, the AEC appointed then Bishop Charles Dufour of Montego Bay, Jamaica, as vocations director liaison. However, with the dire need for priests/religious in the region, Caribbean bishops decided at their recent annual plenary meeting in Guadeloupe to make vocations a priority.

Archbishop Robert Rivas OP

The terms of agreement for the Vocations Commission are being prepared to be sent to the relevant Vatican department for approval.

Some of the ideas to promote vocations include: an annual vocations camp in each diocese; a Vocations Day; a Vocations Week; a study day for clergy on vocations promotion; meetings with parents of those interested in learning more about the priesthood/religious life; and monthly votive Masses for vocations, daily family prayer for vocations and prayer during the weekend liturgies. Dioceses will also be encouraged to allocate resources in their annual budget for fostering vocations.

The April 13-20 Guadeloupe meeting also approved a strategic plan of the AEC’s Education Commission, headed by Bishop Gabriel Malzaire of Roseau, Dominica.

The mission of the Commission is “To provide the framework for our Catholic education institutions to form Disciples of Christ and leaders in society.” The core business of Catholic education was defined as “Christian formation” and the Commission’s key areas of responsibility were identified as Governance, Values, Formation and Curriculum.

Meanwhile, the AEC is currently gearing up for two meetings later this month in Guyana. Representatives of diocesan Justice and Peace Commissions will meet to discuss domestic violence in the region from May 22-23. The second meeting, scheduled for May 24, will be for diocesan representatives of the VIRTUS programmes to address the prevention of sexual abuse of minors.

Participants who were scheduled to attend one or the other have been invited to arrive earlier or stay longer in order to attend both meetings.





– compiled from a report by AEC General Secretary Rev Mike James





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
Name: Fr Leo Donovan OP Order: Dominican (Order of Preachers) Date of Ordination: July 9, 1967 Portfolio: Parish Priest, Petit Valley “I am grateful to Trinidad and to the Church in Trinidad.” A sentiment shared by many priests who come into our archdiocese to serve. These same sentiments were shared by Irish-born, Fr Leo Donovan. As a young boy, Leo loved the members of his very Catholic family. Two members whom he particularly admired were two of his uncles, both of whom were priests serving in Trinidad, one in the 1930s, Fr Aengus Byrnes and one in the 1960s, Fr Anthony Roche. He also had three cousins who were priests and one cousin who is a nun. It was therefore relatively natural that he would, at a young age, decide to join the Order of Preachers. After seven years of study for the priesthood, he was ordained in 1967 and went to Rome to study for a license in theology. In 1968, he followed in the footsteps of his uncles and came to Trinidad to serve as a priest. He arrived a few...
Read more

The contemplative life in Rosary Monastery

Image
    Supplements - 50th Anniversary of T&T Independence Saturday, 01 September 2012 21:21 Interview with Sr Ann Bradshaw Sr Ann Bradshaw Rosary Monastery Sr Ann Bradshaw, Dominican contemplative nun and present Prioress of Holy Rosary Monastery, St Ann’s entered Holy Rosary Monastery on May 5, 1962, at a pivotal moment in history, about four months before Trinidad and Tobago gained its Independence from Great Britain on August 31, 1962 and about five months before Vatican Council II began on October 11, 1962. In this jubilee year of her entrance, she shares with us the readers of Catholic News some of the significant experiences of the past 50 years in the history of our nation and local Church and in addition what Rosary Monastery contributes to our local Catholic Culture and Identity. It is helpful to remember where we have come from as a people so that armed with some historical context we can engage more fully in...
Read more