AEC Stewardship Conference
South Oropouche celebrates Humanae Vitae
August 17, 2018
Shepherd to his people
August 17, 2018AEC Stewardship Conference
Back row (from left): Michele Roofe, Kingston, Jamaica; Deacon Carlyle Glean, St George’s, Grenada; Yvonne Alexander, Roseau, Dominica; Michael Murphy, Executive Director, ICSC; Noleen Azille, St John’s Basseterre, Antigua and Barbuda; Fr Noel Leslie, Belize City, Belize; Deacon John Douglas, Castries, St Lucia; Fr Francis Arumainathan, Kingston; Bro Chris Meyer, Montego Bay, Jamaica and Najette Abraham, Port of Spain. Front row (from left): Corrol Fagan, Kingston; Crystal Lewis, Georgetown, Guyana; Lynda Johnson, Bridgetown, Barbados; Jennifer Lee, Port of Spain; Fr John Persaud, AEC General Secretary; Rock Beharry, AEC/ICSC Representative/Georgetown; Guillaume Woei A Jin, Paramaribo, Suriname; Dr Diana Davis-Smith, Mandeville, Jamaica; Catherine Lewis, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines; and Michelle Mitchell-Lloyd, Nassau, Bahamas.
Members from 14 arch/dioceses of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) gathered at the Seminary of St John Vianney and the Ugandan Martyrs, Mt St Benedict between August 7–9 to explore three subject areas under the umbrella of Stewardship and Development.
This event, a follow up to two others held in 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia and Castries, St Lucia are all part of an initiative to explore ways of involving Catholics in supporting the mission of their local Church.
The meeting was facilitated by Executive Director of the International Catholic Stewardship Council (ICSC) Michael Murphy, which has provided leadership in Christian stewardship formation and institutional Catholic philanthropy for more than 25 years.
Over the days of the Conference, members learnt the importance of articulating, especially to the faithful, the ways in which the local Church provides for the spiritual well-being of its people and its involvement in the transformation of society.
The attendees were reminded that when the people are aware of and are invited into the mission of the Church, they are eager to offer support in whatever way they can by sharing their expertise or through financial support.
The group voiced many aspirations for networking among the AEC dioceses for greater communication, collaboration, and formation. They also hoped for the partnership between the AEC and ICSC to be strengthened. – Rock Beharry, Diocese of Georgetown, Guyana.
