MISSION TRIP FOUR 4-9-16

MY VISIT TO

I have met the girls twice before at St. John Church in Mesopotamia - once last Easter and once before Christmas - when I presided and preached at Mass.



The girls greeted me and served me finger sandwiches and a chocolate cupcake and some diet Coke.
Several told me about their lives and what their dreams were. Several sang songs and the whole group sang the theme song of the Home. I let them ask me questions.
I gave them each a wooden cross with the words of Jesus, "I will be with you always!"
I gave them each enough money to take a group trip to Kentucky Fried Chicken. I told them they had to raise the glasses and toast me when they made the trip.
I was given a tour of the Home: kitchen, living room, dorm room (open room with many bunk beds), the downstairs recreation room and little chapel.
One was assigned to escort me to the car and open the door for me. We all said goodbye and I told them I would see them on the next trip.
This place is saving many lives, but there are so many obstacles to overcome. I left impressed by the what the staff was trying to do, but a little overwhelmed by the problems they are trying to overcome.



The home was started by a Sister of St. Joseph of Cluny who was tragically killed in a car wreck in Barbados at an organizational meeting.Sister Clare, a Sister of her community, drove me for the visit. She is on the committee that oversees this ministry. 

MISSION TRIP FOUR 4-8-16

PRIEST RETREAT

Diocese of Kingstown

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

(continued)



Before the priests and deacons wake up, I get up, fix a cup of coffee and take in his view from the deck of the Pastoral Centre. This might be the best view on the island. It looks out toward the island of Bequia, one of the twenty-three islands that make up this country. 




Another view from the deck, looking right toward one of the schools and some of the better homes of the area.  A few have obviously not been rebuilt from the last hurricane.  A narrow, barely accessible, beach opens up at low tide. 


INTERNATIONAL PRIESTS

After all the years of running the World Priest Program at St. Meinrad Seminary for international priests, I find it quite interesting that I am now finding myself as the only international priest from the United States working in  this country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I am working along with the other international priests shown below. 

Bishop County himself is a native of Trinidad.



Father Peter (on the left) and Father Boniface (on the right) are from Nigeria.



Father Edmundo (on the left) and Father Rex (on the right) are from the Philippines.



Father Ronald George Bardowell is from Jamaica



Father Alando Williams, right, is the latest native born priest to be ordained (three years ago). Altogether, including the international priests, me and the bishop, there are twelve of us serving this whole country of twenty-three islands. 

MISSION TRIP 4-7-16

PRIEST RETREAT

Diocese of Kingstown

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

(continued)

BISHOP, PRIESTS AND DEACONS PRAYING TOGETHER

The presbyterate is one arm of the bishop and the diaconate is the other.
Together, they help the bishop carry out his pastoral ministry.




Bishop Gerard County, C.S.Sp. , Bishop of Kingstown
St. Vincent and the Grenadines



Bishop County presided at Mass each day.




Preparing for Evening Prayer




As the Retreat Master,  I preached every day at Mass.



I concelebrated Mass each day beside the bishop and Msgr. Mike ( Pastor of the Cathedral of the Assumption and Vicar General) on the right and one of the Permanent deacons on the left. 




Each day of the retreat began with a Holy Hour, within which the Blessed Sacrament was exposed and we prayed Morning Prayer, ending with Benediction. 




Bishop County in some of the new vestments that were bought by a friend of RJ MISSION PROJECTS. 

MISSION TRIP FOUR 4-6-16

PRIEST RETREAT

Diocese of Kingstown

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

(continued)

SHARED MEALS

One end of the lunch table, headed by Bishop County.

The other end of the lunch table.



Father George and Deacon John enjoying a laugh.



Pickled pigs feet, smoked herring, salt fish, salad, ground provisions (root vegetables: potatoes, dasheer and eddoes) and bakes (fried yeast dough balls).  



The Pastoral Center cook, Collitta, worked very hard to keep us fed three times a day.



Pam, the housekeeper, assisted her during this busy retreat week. 



Pam lives in this house over-looking the Pastoral Centre. She gets to walk to work and keep an eye out for all that is happening at the Centre. 

MISSION TRIP 4-5-16

PRIEST RETREAT
Diocese of Kingstown
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
(continued)

Bishop Gerard County with his priests and deacons. Two priests and one deacons could not attend.

Another view of some of the ones not so clear in first photo.



I use Power Point presentations because I use a lot of church documents in my presentations.
 I usually make the slide texts available to those who want them. It's a very attentive and appreciative group even in the heat of the day.

MISSION TRIP FOUR - 4-4-16

ANNUAL PRIEST RETREAT 
DIOCESE OF KINGSTOWN
St. Vincent and the Grenadines

April 4-8, 2016

Bishop Gerard County's Coat of Arms

The National Flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Most of the Priests of the Diocese of Kingstown

The retreat will be held at the diocesan R. C. Pastoral Center in Kingstown.

From the porch of the R. C. Pastoral Centre

THE RETREAT OUTLINE

INTENTIONAL PRESBYTERATES

Claiming Our Common Sense of Purpose as a Body of Priests

Ordained ministry has a radical communitarian form and can 

only be carried out as collective work. 

Pastores Dabo Vobis, no. 17

Retreat Conferences

• The Spiritual Leadership of Priests in the Universal Call to Holiness

• Stages in Spiritual Growth: Where You Are and Where Are the People You Lead?

• Influencing People to Move From Where They Are to Deeper and Deeper Discipleship

• A Spirituality for Diocesan Priests and Those Who Work with Them

• The Radical Communitarian Dimension of Ordained Ministry

• The Great Scandal of Presbyteral Polarization

• What is Required of Individual Priests and Others for Building Presbyteral Unity?

Movie Night and Discussion

"The Thirteen Day"
(Moral dilemma of a priest in Nazi Germany.)
"Of Gods and Men" 
(Moral dilemma of a community of monks in Algeria.)
"Into Great Silence" 
 (Silence as prayer.)

THIS RETREAT IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY 

MISSION TRIP FOUR 4-3-16

 TRAVELING OUTSIDE THE CITY OF KINGSTOWN



CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI
meets in one of the classrooms, because they don't have a church, at the

ST.  VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES COMMUNITY COLLEGE

This is the van donated through  R. J. MISSION PROJECTS and delivered during my third mission trip in February.

Today,  I was invited to preside and preach at the Corpus Christi Parish 8:00 AM Mass held at the college. This pavilion at the college is the site where Bishop County was ordained in February.

Father Peter Okonkwa and Father Boniface Oganna, volunteer missionaries from Nigeria, serve three communities, Corpus Christi in Villa. St. Martin de Porres in Stubbs and Our Lady of Lourdes in Argyle. Today, I visited th second of the three churches. I hope to visit Our Lady of Lourdes on a future trip to complete the three parishes. 




Arriving for the 8:00 am Mass held in one of the college classrooms, I was met by a good friend, Ansel. The people of Corpus Christi hope to have their own church someday. 



Mass with Father Peter, the pastor of the three parishes. Notice the blackboards on the walls and the student desks instead of pews.  They have to bring everything in each Sunday, including the pulpit. There were about 50 people there for Mass, It was down a bit because of a special Mass at the Cathedral this afternoon, celebrated by the Bishop,  in observance of Mercy Sunday. 



Preaching at Mass with Father Peter looking on.



Some of the parishioners. The woman in blue is a student at the Medical School.



A few of the musicians. The music and singing were fantastic. The people sing and pray with great enthusiasm!

A couple of the faithful women parishioners.

Some of the men of the parish.

Some young parishioners in their new R J MISSION PROJECTS sunglasses.
Notice our logo on the yellow sides. 

Mass at Stubbs last December with Father Peter on the left and Father Boniface on the right.



Mass in Stubbs in December