MISSION TRIP THREE - 2-20-16

THE THEATER 

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College

In the center of the picture, between the Cardinal on the left and the Apostolic Nuncio on the right right, are the priest of the Diocese of Kingstown. 

Archbishop Nicola Girasoli, Apostolic Delegate to the Antilles, and myself. He gave a very spirited talk - almost charismatic. It was very powerful. 

An old friend, Archbishop Patrick Pindar of Nassau and also a graduate of St. Meinrad  Seminary, was among the several bishops attending. I led his priest and deacon retreat a few years ago.

Bishop Gerard County (pictured below) will take over the bishop's cathedra (chair) as third bishop of Kingstown today from Bishop Jason Gordon (second bishop - pictured here in red). The cathedral is the church that holds the bishop's cathedra. In the Diocese of Kingstown, it is called the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary. Because of the large crowd, the cathedra will be brought to the Community College where the ordination will take place. Bishop Gordon will continue being bishop of Bridgetown, Barbados. 

Bishop Gerard County newly seat on his bishop's chair (cathedra)

Video of Cardinal Kelvin Felix of St. Lucia, various Archbishops and Bishops in the entrance procession.

Video of the actual ordination of Bishop Gerard County as Third Bishop of Kingstown.



FOR SOME EVEN BETTER PHOTOS 
THAT CAME IN AFTER THIS POST WAS PUBLISHED, CLICK HERE:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/107601173@N05/sets/72157664209018289/

MISSION TRIP THREE - 2-19-16

FIRST OF ALL
Happy Birthday to my friend, Rea, back home! 
"You know you are getting old when the candles cost more than the cake!"
Bob Hope

FIRST FULL DAY BACK ON MY ISLAND "HOME" 

NAMED AFTER ST. VINCENT, THE DEACON

 "THE NEXT STEP"

THE SECOND PERMANENT DEACON DISCERNMENT RETREAT

Diocese of Kingstown

Rev. Ronald Knott

February 19, 2016

GATHERING

WELCOME BACK: How are things going?

CONFERENCE, PRIVATE REFLECTION AND GROUP SHARING

Three Responses to a Call in Scripture: “Yes!” “Maybe!” and “No!”

CONFERENCE, PRIVATE REFLECTION AND GROUP SHARING

The Inconvenience of Greatness and The Convenience of Playing Small

ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS WITH FATHER KNOTT

MASS

This year's retreat was at  Our Lady Queen of the Universe Parish in Layou, about an hours drive from Kingstown and the Pastoral Center.  We were able to sit outside under the trees except for Mass.  Colita, the cook at the Pastoral Center, fixed us some nice sandwiches and drinks. It was a good day - a great follow up retreat the the last one (see below). 

_________________________________________________________________________________

"CALLED"

FIRST PERMANENT DEACON DISCERNMENT RETREAT
Diocese of Kingston
Rev. Ronald Knott
December 10-11, 2015

Volton Hutchinson, Victor Hypolite, myself, Eustance Francis, Ancel Knights and Eardley Martin. Fergal Redmond took this photo

MISSION TRIP THREE - 2-18-16

FROM THE ISLAND OF BARBADOS TO THE ISLAND OF ST. VINCENT

LIAT AIRLINES

"Leeward Islands Air Transport"

It is only a half-hour flight, but it is one of the most stressful parts of the trip because this airline has a reputation for delays and cancellations. It has a nickname: LIAT - "Leaving Island Any Time." To be fair I haven't had any big problems myself and the planes are relatively new and clean. It's "what might happen" that stresses me. You don't get to pick your seats. They are assigned. You do a lot of waiting in a small waiting area and you also worry about your bags making it to your destination. All, in all, it is part of traveling by air these days - you never know for sure until it is over.

Judge Judy is impatient! 

I am just looking forward to getting there!

Well, the plane was delayed twice, but we finally left early on the second delay! 

When I arrive at customs is where my luck picked up. I was third in line and my suitcase came out fourth!

Bishop-Elect County and about four or five others from the diocese formed a small welcoming committee as I exited customs.  Bishop-Elect County will be ordained the new bishop here on Saturday.

MISSION TRIP THREE - 2-17-16

MY THIRD MISSION TRIP
Diocese of Kingstown in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, West Indies




Let the excitement begin!

    ON THIS TRIP, I WILL BE VERY BUSY...

• leading a second discernment retreat for six men considering whether they are being called to the permanent diaconate, 

• delivering the keys to the second van to the parish community of Corpus Christi and preaching at their Sunday Mass, 

• attending the episcopal ordination of the new bishop of the Diocese of Kingstown, Bishop Gerard County, and 

• meeting with the youth we are helping sponsor to go to WORLD YOUTH DAY in Krakow, Poland, in July.

LOVE BEING DOWN THERE - GETTING THERE NOT SO MUCH

FROM LOUISVILLE, TO MIAMI, TO BARBADOS

The first part of the trip may be the easiest part. Louisville has a direct flight to Miami. Since it is an early morning flight, the plane is already on the ground in Louisville. The flight from Louisville to Miami is about two hours.

The first hurdle is a seven hour layover in Miami. Rather than sit all day in the chaos of the Miami Airport, The Miami International Airport Hotel, located within the terminal itself, has a "day-room" program. Without leaving the airport, you can rent a room from about 9:00 am to 5:00 pm for $90.00. You can take a nap, use your computer, bring food up to your room and even take a shower. It's a bargain!

The flight from Miami to Bridgetown, Barbados, is about four hours.

When I arrive, I was picked up by Bishop Gordon and taken to the Bishop's House (behind the Cathedral) to stay overnight. Tomorrow morning, he will take me to the airport to board another plane for St. Vincent. 

Bishop Jason Gordon, Bishop of Bridgetown, Barbados

Bishop Gordon's Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Bridgetown, Barbados

Originally built in 1848 the cathedral was actually destroyed by fire in 1897. Protestant hands at the time were suspected for arson as the attitude from the plantocracy - which was mainly Protestant – towards the Roman Catholic Church was understandably less than warm. The new cathedral, however, was completed in 1899 and consecrated on August 23, 1903. Today it is home to the largest Roman Catholic congregation on the island and also plays host to the training centre and living quarters for many of the island’s catholic priests. Carved coral-stoned detail adds to its interest, and so does its collection of heraldic plaques honoring the West India Regiment, which is a story of its own.

The training center and living quarters for the seminarians and priests of the diocese, situated behind the Cathedral, is being renovated. This is a view from a window in the Bishop's House. I could be staying there overnight during future trips to St. Vincent. It looks like it is going to turn out to be a comfortable place to stay.  

THERE YOU GO AGAIN!

MY THIRD MISSION TRIP
February 17 - 25, 2017 






CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF KINGSTOWN

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

To learn about the country, click "About the Country of SVG" in the menu above.

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The Kingstown Airport 



The Port of Kingstown 



Downtown Kingstown 



The Bishop's Residence, Catholic Chancery and Retreat House



I'm packed and ready to go! 
This time I am going to leave the big suitcase and a set of clothes down there so I don't have to drag so much back and forth and have to wait forever at airport luggage carousels. 

If you think I am too old for this stuff, all I have to say is: "Nonsense! I would rather wear out than rust out!"

Besides, I need to get out of this cold Louisville weather!







"You can run with the big dogs or you can sit on the porch and bark."
Wallace Arnold


Follow me right here on this blog each day of the trip!
Posted @6:00 pm ET
February 17-25, 2016