CTI Directresses meet In Barbados
by Sr. Paula Andrew, sjc
The Catechist Training Institute (CTI) held its annual Planning Meeting at the Marian Retreat House, Verdun, St. John, Barbados from Tuesday 8th to Thursday 10th March, 2005. Present at the Opening Session was the Bishop of Bridgetown, Most Rev. Malcolm Galt, C.S.Sp. Seven diocesan catechetical directresses and co-ordinators, along with Sr. Paula Andrew, sjc, directress of the Institute, participated in the two-day meeting.
In his opening remarks, Bishop Galt expressed gratitude to CTI for its contribution to the training of catechists in the Diocese of Bridgetown. Recalling his years spent in Nigeria, he spoke of the key role catechists played in their communities. “They were the ones,” he said, “who kept villages together in the faith….”
Bishop Galt encouraged directresses to persevere in their ministry, despite difficulties. This advice was well heeded as we made plans for the Sixth Cycle of Basic Course to be held from Sunday 17th to Saturday 30th July 2005 at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre, Marisule, St. Lucia.
The Institute anticipates an intake of fifty catechists from the Province of Castries and the Diocese of Bridgetown in the Province of Port-of-Spain. Diocesan allocations are - Dioceses of Roseau (Dominica), St. John’s-Basseterre (Antigua, St. Kitts, Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, etc.) and Archdiocese of Castries - 10 each, Diocese of St. George’s-in-Grenada - 8, Diocese of Kingstown (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) - 8 and Diocese of Bridgetown - 4 participants.
Other issues discussed included the supportive role of parish priests in catechesis, the need for a Regional Association of Catechists, catechetical text books and resources, the catechetical formation of aspirants to the priesthood, the missionary dimension of catechesis and the training of young catechists.
On the closing day Fr. Harcourt Blackett, a Barbadian missionary to countries of East and Southern Africa, involved participants in an open sharing of catechetical undertaking in their dioceses. Commenting on his missionary experience in Africa, Fr. Blackett commented on the strong sense of community that existed in parishes. “In a parish the size of Barbados, one priest might have forty or fifty smaller communities, at times as many as seventy. Some parishes would see the priest one a month.” The community played an important role in the faith education of its members. “The Church in Africa is growing by ‘leaps and bounds’ ”, he said. Fr. Harcourt emphasized the need for us in the Caribbean to learn from others, to seek alternative ways of ministry, to reorganize and restructure, to seek “new models of being Church and diverse ways of communicating the faith.”
The challenge did not fall on deaf ears as the final day’s session found us shaping plans for the CTI REUNION 2005 in an effort to renew, revitalize and redirect the ministry of catechesis in the Province of Castries and the Region.
Holland America helps St. Lucy’s Home
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| l-r Mr. &Mrs. Henry Nathaniel, Matthew Beaubrun, Arthusa Semei, Mrs. Louise Vité, Sr. Teresita SJS |
Ms. Arthusa Semei was the proud recipient last week, of a gift voucher for a trip for two on Holland America Cruise Line. The seven days trip is the top door prize which she won at the St. Lucy’s Home 20th Anniversary Dinner. The gift certificate was presented by Mr. Matthew Beaubrun, chief executive officer for Cox and Co. Ltd., the agent for Holland America Cruise Line in St. Lucia. In attendance were Sr. Teresita SJS, directress of St. Lucy’s Home, chairman of the board, Msgr. Patrick Anthony and board member Mrs.Louise Vité, as well as Mr.& Mrs. Henry Nathaniel who won a similar cruise at the Home’s Annual Dinner the previous year.
Board members thanked Holland America Cruise Line, Cox & Company and all in the cruise industry who make it possible to get such support for work among the poor and marginalized in the society. An elated Ms. Semei was lavish in her expressions of gratitude to all.
Caribbean Church
BARBADOS -BRIDGETOWN
CHOIRS SING FOR SACRED HEART IN BARBADOS
Just about 300 persons rocked stomped sang and swayed at a January 8 benefit concert for the building of a parish church in the newest Catholic parish in Barbados, Sacred Heart in St. Phillip.
The concert which was held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Bridgetown, featured performances by parish choirs and soloist. St. Dominic’s Christ Church parish choir, St. Patrick’s Cathedral choir and Chantez a group also which ministers at the Cathedral‘s weekend liturgy, each lent their varied sounds to the evening .
Cavite Chorale, a group of past and present university students, under the direction of Stephen Braithwaite, so spell- bound their audience that at the end of the programme, in answer to the request from master of ceremonies Fr. Harcourt Blackett, they performed an impromptu piece from the back of the Cathedral.
Host choir, Sacred Heart, performed Garth Hewitt’s “Light a Candle in The Darkness” and the early eighties youth ministry favorite “Too Much Hurt and Frustration” by Paul Mulrain, more popularly known as “ youth quack”.
Sacred Heart parish located in St. Phillip in the east of Barbados, celebrated their second anniversary in June 2004. There is no church building, so Sunday Mass is held at Beulah Methodist Church, Six roads. A plot of land has been promised to the parish, so parishioners have embarked on various fund-raising activities towards building a church.
DOMINICA - ROSEAU
APPEAL FOR EATHQUAKE DAMAGED CHURCHES.
The unfortunate incident of the earth-quake of November 21, 2004 has left the diocese of Roseau with the task of rebuilding the churches of Portsmouth and Vielle Case, and making major repairs to schools and other parish building. This is in addition to the Cathedral Roof Project for which funds are already being raised.
The approximate cost of rebuilding the churches is $2.5 million and EC $ 1.3 million respectively. The damage to the St. John’s school is estimated to be at in excess of EC$600,000. The replacement of the Cathedral roof is still in need of an additional EC$2.5 million.
In light of these serious and pressing needs of the diocese, Most Rev. Gabriel Malzaire, bishop of Roseau, issued an urgent appeal to all Dominican Catholics, but in particular to the business community, to contribute to these rebuilding projects. The appeal was given front page coverage in the issue of the Dominica Catholic of January 2005. A special collection was taken in all parishes of the diocese on Sunday January 30, to go towards helping the two affected parishes in the north.
Bishop Malzaire‘s Statement concluded as follows: “ Helping ourselves get back on our feet is indeed the most mature way to self-development. May the Lord bless our every effort, small or large, towards helping the parishes of Portsmouth and Ville Case in their time of need.”
HAITI - PORT-AU- PRINCE.
ELECTIONS-YES, HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS-NO.
In response to the international community ‘s pledge of US $41 million to fund elections in Haiti later this year, The UK based Haiti Support Group expressed its concern about the timing of the announcement and the context in which it has been made.
There must of course be elections in 2005 to replace the current “ selected” government with one that has been democratically elected. Furthermore, international aid is necessary to fund these elections.
However, it is worrying that the announcement of election aid funding has been made while allegations that the interim government has been involved in serious human rights violation have yet to be addressed. The interim government has also been accused of political persecution of supporters of the former government and of the Lavalas Family political party.
The current absence of any conditionality linking the disbursement of election aid with progress on human rights and democratization is in sharp contrast to the suspension of nearly all multilateral development aid between 2001 and early 2004. This was done to protest against the Lavalas Family government’s failure to address charges of abuse of democratic norms and directions from the rule of law.
Haiti Support Group director Charles Arthur commented: “if it was right to withhold aid then, surely it would now be consistent to tie election aid to the human rights performance of the interim government”.
JAMICA - MONTE4GO BAY
JAMICANS ABROAD HELPING THOSE AT HOME
A group of Jamaicans based in south Florida representing Friends of Good Shepherd Mobay Inc., paid a special three day visit to the island in mid- December of last year to observe projects that benefit from the financial support of the organization.
Between January to December 2004 Friends of Good Shepherd Mobay Inc.. donated some US$ 37000,00 to charitable projects on the island. In welcoming the group to Montego Bay, Custos of St. James the Hon. Clarence Nelson lauded the Florida group for its support over the years. He urged them to stay focused on the needs of the less fortunate in the society. He noted too that the contribution of the South Florida group was a perfect example of what could be achieved when Jamaicans abroad unite for the benefit of the island.
Some sixteen members of the group under the leadership of its president, Mrs. Marie Buteau spent three days as guests of the Good shepherd Foundaiton headed by Roman Catholic Bishop of Montego Bay the most Rev. Charles H. Dufour D.D.They visited the Hope Hospice for Aids sufferers, Charlotte’s Home for Children , the Brenda Strafford Medical Center, all located in St. James as well as the widows mite a home for mentally and physically challenged children in the parish of St. Ann.
According to bishop Dufour there was an urgent need to equip the Medical Center with eye-care and dental equipment. The Florida group recognizing these needs has promised to assist in obtaining the necessary recourses.
SURINAME - PARAMARIBO
NEW BISHOP FOR DIOCESE OF PARAMARIBO
On Sunday, January 30, the see of the diocese of Paramaribo ceased to be vacant. Msgr. Wilhelmus Adrianus Josephus Marid de Bekker was ordained bishop at the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul and thus became third bishop of Paramaribo.
Since no bishop of the Antilles Conference speaks Dutch , Msgr. Adrianus Van Luya bishop of Rotterdam was asked to be the chief consecrator at the ordination ceremony. However both Archbishop Edward Gilbert of Port – of – Spain and Archbishop Lawrence Burk of Kingstown were co- consecrators.
Other bishops present were: Archbishop Michel Meranville of St. Pierre and Fort-de- France , bishop Malcolm Galt of Bridgetown, bishop Emmanuel La Font of Cayenne, Bishop Francis Alleyne of Georgetown, Bishop Gabriel Malzaire of Roseau, Bishop Emeritus Paul Boyle, Bishop Robert Rivas of Kingstown and Bishop Donald J. Reece of St. John’s- Basseterre.
Also present was the president of the republic, several ministers and members of the diplomatic corps. The presence of the members of the Christian Council, Leaders of other denominations, representatives from the Jewish, Hindu and Muslims communities gave the ceremony a special ecumenical character.
Bishop de Bekker succeeds Bishop Aloysius Zichem who resigned as bishop of Paramaribo in 2003 after he suffered a stroke at the beginning of that year which impeded his speech and mobility. The whole congregation present at the ceremony broke out in spontaneous applause when Msgr. Zichem entered the Cathedral. At the end of the ordination rites Msgr Zichem handed over his crozier (bishop staff) to the newly ordained bishop, thereby symbolically handing over the care of the faithful of the diocese of Paramaribo into the hands of Msgr. De Bekker. This crozier dates back to 1825 when it was first used by Msgr Jacobus Grooff, the first Apostolic Vicar of Suriname.
World Church
ROME
Keeping Sunday Holy
Trying to ensure Christians celebrate Sunday as a special day is one of the aims of the Year of the Eucharist the Church is now observing. In his apostolic letter on the year.
“Mane Nobiscum Domine,” John Paul II wrote: “In a particular way I ask that every effort be made this year to experience Sunday as the day of the Lord and the day of the Church.”
The Pope also called upon priests during the special year, which continues through October 2005 to pay more attention to the celebration of Sunday Mass as an event that unites the entire parish.
During his homily last October 17 at the Mass held to mark the start of the special year, the Pontiff noted that particularly on a Sunday the Church lives the mystery of the Eucharist. Moreover, through the Eucharistic celebration the Christian community is called to greater brotherhood and service to others.
The Holy Father’s call to reinforce the importance of Sunday Mass has been followed up in a recent meeting of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, held January 18-21. The commission issued a series of pastoral recommendations on how to maintain the Sunday Mass as a central feature of Christian life.
When Sunday loses its special meaning, it becomes absorbed into the generic concept of “weekend,” the commission observed. Christians. instead, need to keep in mind that Sunday Mass should be at the heart of their religious life. Sunday Mass attendance is also an important means to ensure the Church maintains its missionary fervor, which is strengthened through a regular contact with Jesus in the Eucharist.
The commission insisted on the need for a dignified celebration of the Eucharist. This covers everything from the ornaments used by the priest, to the music used in the ceremony, to the way the liturgy is organised. This dignity must be safeguarded even in circumstances that present special difficulties, such as prisons, hospitals and nursing homes.
TAIPEI - TAIWAN
Address on the Eucharist by Father Louis Aldrich
During a recent worldwide video conference of the theologians, Father Louis Aldrich of Taipei, delivered the following address, on the Year of the Eucharist:
“The Church Militant and each Christian lives within the eschatological reality of an “already” and “not yet” achieved salvation. The Kingdom of God is already among us, we already share in the heavenly banquet but this sharing of God’s Kingdom and this banquet has not yet been achieved in its final, definitive fullness.
The Church., theref6re, lives in hope of attaining this final fullness, a hope strengthened by already participating in the eschatological promises.
The promise of final salvation through the grace of Jesus Christ is experienced as “already” present in a pre-eminent way in the Eucharist. For in the Eucharist not only are the saving .graces of Jesus made available, but Jesus himself is really present among us, body and blood, soul and divinity.
In “Ecclesia de Eucharistia” John Paul II explains how the Eucharist is the pledge of our eschatological hopes:
“The Eucharist is a straining towards the goal, a foretaste of the fullness of joy promised by Christ, it is in some way the anticipation of heaven. The ‘pledge of future glory’.
In the Eucharist, everything speaks of confident waiting ‘in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ.’ Those who feed on Christ in the Eucharist need not wait until the hereafter to receive eternal life: they already possess it on earth, as the first-fruits of a future fullness which will embrace man in his totality. For in the Eucharist we also receive the pledge of our bodily resurrection at the end of the world: ‘He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.’ This pledge of the future resurrection comes from the fact that the flesh of the Son of Man, given as food, is his body in its glorious state after the resurrection.”
Those who participate in the Eucharist and “share in the first-fruits of a future fullness” are strengthened to work for bringing the Kingdom of God among us now.
Cardinal Arinze has emphasized the following points in this regard. Participating in the Eucharist calls us to effective action for the sake of the poor, the sick and all those in need. “Christ washed the feet of his disciples to teach them that the Eucharist sends us to actively love our neighbour.” This active love includes “initiatives to promise development, justice and peace.”
One positive example of the relationship between the Eucharist and the Kingdom of God is seen in the work for the-poorest of the-poor done by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. Negatively, we see the vicious cycle of declining participation in the Eucharist with the increasing dominance of the culture of death in formerly Catholic nations.
In conclusion, let us follow the advice of Cardinal Arinze and implore the Father the the Eucharistic sacrifice “becomes for each of us the center of our day and our work”.
VATICAN CITY
Use of Media Urged For Evaneelization
Using the media to spread the Gospel message isn’t an option for believers a missionary told a Vatican-organized symposium.
“To evangelize through the media is not something merely optional but imperative,” said Father Gerardo Pastor, when addressing a congress on “The Church and the Media. An Unlimited Future.”
The former rector of the Pontifical University of Salamanca highlighted the differences that exist between a widely held theory and reality, when responding to the question “Is it possible to evangelize through the media?”
The congress, an initiative of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, brought together communicators, bishops, priests, religious and laity for two days at the end of February.
Claretian Missionary Father Pastor described John Paul II as “an excellent communicator, who has not limited himself to appear on television, radio and newspapers but has succeeded in conditioning the very agenda setting of those very media.
“On the theoretical plane, the Church admits and proclaims the enormous importance of the modem media to evangelize.; however on the plane of action, things are not so forceful,” he lamented.
“The press services of many dioceses are poorly organised, if they exist at all, compared to those of important enterprises..” the priest continued.
The professor and missionary suggested that one regards the evangelizing act as persuasive communication... understanding by this not seduction or indoctrination, but the ability to convince with arguments.
“The language of the media is formally different from that used in sacred or homiletic oratory,” he said.
Such language calls for much synthesis, slogans and thought-provoking phrases. “It is a way of speaking without theorical distinction, more intuitive than analytical, more narrative-than discursive, less ordinary and repetitive than academic,” Father Pastor said. “In a world which has already assimilated the new media culture, the Church must not be lethargic, acting at the wrong time or some doctrinal arrogance, as if it was speaking only to idots own faithful,” he said.
Father Pastor, who has a doctorate in educational and psychological sciences from the Pontifical Salesian University, lamented that “the best communications professionals usually lack theological formation, while the best ecclesiastical speakers and writers usually lack sensibility and experience in media communication.”
VATICAN CITY
Be Not Afraid of Media, Unges Editor The Church has nothing to hide, says a French editor at a recent Vatican symposium on the media.
“Although the sacred must be preserved, in all else the Church has nothing to hide,” explained Franz-Oliver Giesbert, editor of the French weekly Le Point.
“It must be very present in the media, but without ingenuousness or lack of professionalism always choosing its field of intervention well,” he advised.
Giesbert was responding to the question: “What Do the Media Expect from the Church?” in the symposium on “The Church and the Media: An Unlimited Future,” organised by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.
Giesbert, born in the U.S. state of Delaware” arrived in France when he was 3. After an intense literary and journalistic life, he became editor of Le Point.
“Despite the Pope’s appeals for evangelization, it seems to me that the clergy too often lives shut in on itself,” he said.
“I feel like saying: ‘Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid of the media which deform everything; don’t be afraid to cry out your truths to the world,” he exhorted.
Giesbert admitted his personal lack of interest in television, but he reminded his audience that the whole world watches it, so he encouraged the Church to “make noise”, in the best sense of the word, namely, to make itself heard.
“The Church must accept being an objective of the press. I would dare say that it is often a good sign,” he added.. “To communicate, it is necessary to choose the moment well and to explain oneself well”.
LONDON
Sparing Children From Dangerous Work
A stunning 180 million children are in-particular danger due to their hazardous working conditions, says a report by the British committee of UNICEF. Published on February 18, the study, “End Child Exploitation: Child Labor Today,” affirms that worldwide one in
12 young young people under 18 years of age is involved in dangerous work; slavery, forced labour, sexual exploitation or participation in the military. Of these, 97% are located in developing countries.
UNICEF proposes improving the economic conditions of these countries as the solution.. In the Press release accompanying the report, UNICEF’s executive director in the United Kingdom, David Bull, explained: “:One way to put an end to the exploitation of children highlighted in this report is by taking action to make poverty history and ensuring a commitment to more and better international aid.” The report estimates that there are more than 350 million children, ages 5 to 17, at work. Of those old enough to work, under international standards, about 60 million are in danger of harm because they are involved in the ‘worst form’ of child labor. UNICEF further calculates that out of approximately 211 million working children under age 15, a little more than half are involved in the ‘worst forms’ of work.
The problem is particularly notable in Afica. There, 41% of the 5 to 14 -year-olds are known to work compared with 21 % in Asia and 17% in Latin America and the Caribbean. Yet, due to its higher population, Asia has the largest total number of working children, 60% of the world’s total.
While the vast majority of problems occur in developing nations, the report noted that children are also at risk in Western countries albiet in-small numbers. In the United States, the children of Spanish-speaking immigrants are sometimes put to work on farms. The legal age for most farm workers is only 12, if they are accompanied by their parents. In some European countries, minority groups, such as Romany, or Gypsies, and recently arrived immigrants send their children to work while still below the minimum legal age for employment. The UNICEF report observed that in European Union countries children are now being brought in from Eastern Europe and Afica with a view to their economic and sexual exploitation.
The report also criticized the situation in Britain, where a pletora of laws and norms on child employment leads to a confusing legal situation. As well, the government has shown insufficient interest in enforcing the laws protecting children.
Children's Interpretation
of Easter
What is EASTER?
Easter is Joy!
Jesus
Is Risen
Easter is a time for New Life.
Easter is a time of Hope
Easter is a time for Loving
and Sharing
Easter is a time when we celebrate
the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Easter is a time of happiness
Easter is a time when Christ
rose from the dead and brought
Joy to Everyone
Easter is a Glorious time, Jesus rose
from the dead and brought
New Life to all
Easter is a time of Peace
Easter is a time of Joy where
people share time together
Easter is a time of Loving, Sharing and Caring
Easter is the time for Forgiveness, a time to Forgive one another.
We Celebrate Jesus Rising to New Life by sharing the Eucharist.
We remember that Jesus is always with us.
A Gros Piton Adventure
How do you get exercise, have fun with friends, enjoy a spectacular view, and pray to God all at the same time? You climb a mountain, of course.
Just last week, Sr. Antonia, Fr. Mike from Brooklyn, New York, and me, Fr. Kevin, climbed Gros Piton. It would be the first time for Sister Antonia and Fr. Mike. If I could make it, it would be my fourth time to the top, but there was no guarantee. Gros Piton is a steep and demanding mountain climb. Its scenic views and well maintained trails have made Gros Piton a newly named World Heritage Site. Even if we only reached half way, it would still be an adventure to remember.
We began our journey from Vieux Fort. The newly paved road from Vieux Fort to Soufriere is now a pleasure to drive. After the village of Choisel, however, we had to turn off the main road and head toward the base of the mountain. The now bumpy road slowed us down, but it also gave us an opportunity to look at the awesome sight of Gros Piton before us. Our conversation grew quiet. I can’t speak for Fr. Mike or Sister Antonia, but my thoughts were running something like: “Would we all make it? Did we bring enough water? What if someone gets hurt?” And then, as we pulled into the small parking lot, there was the expected moment of panic, but there was no turning back.
After paying our fees ($20 EC for residents, $25 US for tourists) and being assigned our guide, Merle, we began to climb. At first, the climb is deceivingly simple. It is a gradual ascent. The river is making comforting noises below, the breeze is cool, and the shade of the trees is welcome. It is not long, however, before reality sets in. This is no easy climb. The soft ascent quickly turns difficult. The breath becomes short, the sweat begins to drip, and maybe a few dark spots glide across your vision. Then, to top it off, you step out of the shelter of the trees and see the massive mountain that still towers above you. I’m sure many a person has turned back at this point and called it a day. Our little group was made of sterner stuff. We simply looked up at the daunting face of the mountain, put our heads down, and continued to climb.
Fr. Mike was suffering with a cold. He was having difficulty catching his breath. At about the half way mark he decided to call it quits. Our competent guide simply called her sister, Margaret, another Forestry Service guide who was higher up with another group, and told her to pick up Fr. Mike on the way down. Fr. Mike could now enjoy the rugged beauty of the mountain and wait to walk back down.
The climb got steeper near the top. But having passed beyond the half way mark, we knew that the end was in sight. And what a sight it was. On one side of Gros Piton is a spectacular view of Petit Piton and the deep blue waters that surround it. On the other, the countryside spreads out all the way to Vieux Fort. A climber can visit both sides of the mountain or be content with one. We simply sat down on the Vieux Fort side and let the gusting winds cool us off. It is amazing how comfortable a rock can feel to sit upon after having climbed steadily for two hours.
What does such a trip teach us about God? Well, for one thing, climbing a mountain helps us to get to know ourselves. We find out how well we deal with difficult situations. We learn about our limits and how to cope with them. Fr. Mike was not upset he did not make it to the top. He said he might get there next time, but he was grateful for what he did experience. Sister Antonia learned that growing up in Monchy and having climbed many hills as a youth gave her the experience and confidence that she could make this climb as well. I learned that I should check my equipment before I leave, as I forgot my running shoes and had to climb the peak in flip flops.
Most importantly, we learned another way that God tries to tell us how much He loves us. We experienced his love in the grandeur of the view and the song of the birds. God was glorified by the trees that spread out their branches like worshippers at Mass. We learned that God often works through others. Merle, our guide, was with us every step of the way and gave us the security of her eight years of experience.
Do I recommend that you put Gros Piton on your list of things to do? Yes. Anyone with average conditioning can make the climb. Start training today. Maybe Gros Piton will inspire you to climb more mountains. Reaching the top may or may not happen. The journey itself; sharing good times with friends and recognizing God’s presence in nature and in others is the real reward.
God Bless,
Fr. Kevin
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