Aruba hosts bishops’ annual meeting

Archbishop Jason Gordon is currently overseas. He joined his brother bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) for their Annual Plenary Meeting (APM) – the first in-person APM since the pandemic – in Aruba, April 23–28.

The APM commenced Sunday, April 23 with a day of retreat followed by a “beautiful celebration” of the Eucharist at the Pro-Cathedral of San Francisco, Willemstad at 6 p.m.

Bishop Luis Antonio Secco of Willemstad, Curacao revealed it was decided the bishops’ conference would take place in Aruba because another diocese had to cancel as host due to the bishop’s poor health.

The Diocese of Willemstad comprises the ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, part of St Maarten, St Eustatius and Saba.

Bishop Secco shared that the Willemstad diocese felt that participating and taking the lead of the conference in Aruba will be a “challenge”.

He, however, expressed thanks to the cooperation of the media, particularly those who provided material and places to stay and the representatives of the diocese of the conference for making the meeting become “a reality”.

While he acknowledged there were “significant expenses” for the hotel, food and drinks, travel and activities, Bishop Secco assured, “everything is going very well.”