Clergy of Castries province meet youth during annual conference

The 42nd Annual Conference of the Diocesan Clergy of the Province of Castries, held January 12–16, concluded with a renewed sense of fraternity, mission, and commitment among the clergy of the Province of Castries, as they continue to serve God’s people and foster a culture of vocations within the Caribbean Church.

The annual conference brought together RC priests and deacons from all five dioceses of the province for prayer, reflection, dialogue, and collaboration on issues central to priestly life and ministry in the contemporary Caribbean.

All five dioceses of the Province of Castries were represented, including St John’s-Basseterre, Roseau, Castries, St George’s-in-Grenada and the host diocese of Kingstown, St Vincent and Grenadines.

Also in attendance, as an observer, was a member of the Redemptorist Community, whose presence further enriched the fraternal and ecclesial character of the meeting.

The meeting was held under the theme: Cultivating Priestly Life and Vocations in a Synodal Church in a Contemporary Caribbean.

Over the course of three working days, participants engaged in in-depth deliberations on the call to the priesthood and the diaconate, with a strong emphasis on personal and communal introspection and conversion. These discussions were framed by the urgent pastoral reality of the decline in vocations within the Caribbean region and sought to identify renewed and creative responses within a synodal Church context.

Facilitation for the sessions was provided by Msgr William John-Lewis of the Diocese of Roseau, Dominica, whose presentations guided participants in theological reflection, pastoral discernment, and synodal engagement.

Time was also dedicated to reviewing and reflecting on the Constitutions of the Association of Diocesan Clergy, ensuring that its guiding principles remain responsive to current pastoral and ecclesial needs.

The meeting officially commenced with the celebration of the Eucharist at the Cathedral of the Assumption, presided over by Bishop Gerard County CSSp of Kingstown. Additional Eucharistic celebrations were held in two parish communities (Corpus Christi and St John the Evangelist), fostering communion between the visiting clergy and the local faithful of the Diocese of Kingstown.

In keeping with the strong focus on vocations, a Youth Forum was organised, providing an opportunity for meaningful interaction between the clergy and students from various secondary schools within the Diocese.

The forum allowed young people and clergy to engage directly with each other, ask questions, and reflect on vocation, faith, and service within the Church. A fundraising concert featuring many members of the clergy closed the formal activities of the conference.