Fr Eliaza Mulemba Reflects on Serving Laventille and Morvant Communities

By Kaelanne Jordan
mediarelations.camsel@catholictt.org

Fr Eliaza Mulemba said he was “personally overjoyed” seeing the participation of youth at the Laventille Devotions, Sunday, September 10.

The parish priest of the Laventille Morvant Pastoral Area (LMPA) highlighted the significance of youth involvement. He sees this as a sign that Our Lady of Fatima is working miracles in their pastoral area and instilling hope for the future, particularly in the youth ministry.

Our Lady of Fatima, Laventille Shrine

Fr Mulemba, who assumed his role as parish priest August 2022, shared his experienced in serving the four communities of Our Lady of Laventille, St Jude, St Dominic’s RC and Corpus Christi RC Church acknowledging both challenges and moments of joy.

He discussed the Church’s positive relationship with the Laventille/Morvant communities, emphasising their commitment to addressing the crime situation through prayer and community support.

“Working in this area has been very fulfilling in the sense that I have encountered people who are so willing and very much alive in their expression of their faith and so their response to the crime situation for instance… we have prayers …special devotions towards eradicating the problems of the community,” Fr Mulemba said.

He noted changes in participation at the shrine over the years, and past involvement of schools in the music ministry during Laventille Devotions.

“Yes, last Sunday (September 10) you would have experienced was a massive participation and attendance, but it used to be more than that actually, when I hear stories of how it used to be …and certain things which were part of the Laventille Devotions which are no longer part of it,” Fr Mulemba said.

He mentioned involvement of different schools across the Archdiocese of Port of Spain especially from the Northern Vicariate, in the music ministry.

The importance of Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, not only in the Laventille/Morvant area but also as a national heritage site, was emphasised by Fr Mulemba. He expressed the need for restoration and renovations at the shrine, believing that a well-developed physical space would better serve the spiritual needs of the community. “It’s not an accident as far as I’m concerned that it’s placed on a hill, on a mountain, which tells me it’s a place that most people would look up to.

“We do have the spiritual needs, but I think once we have restoration and renovations in the Shrine area, then we would also at the same time respond to the spiritual needs because people would come to a place that is physically and visibly well developed…a space where people can find their spiritual quest and thirst being quenched,” Fr Mulemba said. He has heard significant testimonies of persons having experienced peace and holistic healing during their encounters at the Shrine.

Our Lady of Fatima Shrine has been a centre of ecumenical activities as well. Fr Mulemba mentioned outdoor Masses provide opportunities for persons, who may not be Catholics, and have no connection to the Shrine to come out from their shops, verandahs, and homes to “sit around or come closer to the gate to listen and participate.

“So that makes it special for me…. we are ministering not only to the Catholic participation, but also, we are witnessing to the community and that for me brings hope,” Fr Mulemba said.

He added apart from being an ecumenical centre, the Shrine serves as a space of true communion with the community. He spoke of persons finding shelter at the shrine during shootings in the area.

“…It may not be a spiritual or religious reason in the first place but the fact that Our Lady is there…no one will want to interfere with you in that space,” Fr Mulemba said.

He further told The Catholic News the LMPA is one of the very few parishes or clusters in the Archdiocese that is closely united and knitted together. All the four communities, he said, are actually considered one in a real sense.

He gave the example “….I as a priest can be alerted, the community can be alerted that it’s not safe to be in this area at this time, which shows that there is a good relationship with the community so that makes our ministry in the Laventille Morvant Pastoral Area a fruitful one and a growing experience for me.”