Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, Vicar General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome has accepted the presentation of the Master of the Dominican Order, Fr Gerard Francisco Timoner III and has appointed Trinidadian Fr Carlyle Fortune OP as the new rector of the Basilica of Santa Sabina.
According to a news item on the Order’s website, Fr Fortune replaces Fr Philipp Johannes Wagner OP who had been serving in that office since June 2018. The decree of appointment was issued on November 22, 2023.
Fr Fortune joined the Dominicans of the Irish Province in 1985 and studied Humanities, Theology, Clinical Pastoral Education and Canon Law in Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Ireland, and Rome.
He’s served as a parish priest in several parishes and was Superior of the community for initial formation in Trinidad and Tobago, and then Sub Prior and finally bursar of St Clement’s College and Basilica in Rome, where he lived for 11 years.
On his return to Trinidad, he served as chairman of the Board of Management of Holy Cross College, Arima, the Dominican Pastoral Centre and the Dominican Book Centre, while parish priest of St Finbar’s. He was also appointed to the Eastern Caribbean Ecclesiastical Tribunal as Promoter of Justice and much later as lecturer of Canon Law at the Dominican Study Centre, Dublin.
In 2023 he was appointed Vicar of the Master of the Order for the Economic Administration of the Vice-Province of Southern Africa.