A MOUNTAIN TOP EXPERIENCE: CATHOLIC COMMUNITY CELEBRATES PENTECOST
By Lesroy W. Williams
Observer Reporter
(Sandy Point, St. Kitts)—The St. Kitts Catholic Community gathered together at Brimestone Hill for their annual Pentecost Mass and fellowship on Sunday May 11. Coming together were people from three parishes: The Co-Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Basseterre, Sacred Heart Parish in Sandy Point /Old Road and Holy Family Parish in Molineux. In attendance was about 350 parishioners. Presiding at the Pentecost Eucharistic Celebration was Fr. Bernard Latus, SVD, assisted by Fr. Xuan Ho, SVD, Fr. Jan Pastuszczak SVD, Fr. Walter Mendonca, SVD, Deacon James Matthew, Acolytes Jefferson Fraites and Pierre Berry. Fr. Romil Aperocho, Parish Priest of Sacred Heart, was the homilist.
The Feast of Holy Pentecost is celebrated each year on the fiftieth day after the Great and Holy Feast of Pascha (Easter) and ten days after the Feast of the Ascension of Christ. The Feast is always celebrated on a Sunday.
The Feast commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, a feast of the Jewish tradition. It also celebrates the establishment of the Church through the preaching of the Apostles and the baptism of the thousands who on that day believed in the Gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ. The Feast is also seen as the culmination of the revelation of the Holy Trinity. The story of Pentecost is found in the book of The Acts of the Apostles. In Chapter Two we are told that the Apostles of our Lord were gathered together in one place. Suddenly, a sound came from heaven like a rushing wind, filling the entire house where they were sitting. Then, tongues of fire appeared, and one sat upon each one of Apostles. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as directed by the Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).
This miraculous event occurred on the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, celebrated by the Jews on the fiftieth day after the Passover as the culmination of the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). The Feast of Weeks began on the third day after the Passover with the presentation of the first harvest sheaves to God, and it concluded on Pentecost with the offering of two loaves of unleavened bread, representing the first products of the harvest (Leviticus 23:17-20; Deuteronomy 16:9-10).
Since the Jewish Feast of Pentecost was a great pilgrimage feast, many people from throughout the Roman Empire were gathered in Jerusalem on this day. When the people in Jerusalem heard the sound, they came together and heard their own languages being spoken by the Apostles (Acts 2:5-6). The people were amazed, knowing that some of those speaking were Galileans, and not men who would normally speak many different languages. They wondered what this meant, and some even thought the Apostles were drunk (Acts 2:7-13).
Peter, hearing these remarks, stood up and addressed the crowd. He preached to the people regarding the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Holy Spirit. He spoke about Jesus Christ and His death and glorious Resurrection. Great conviction fell upon the people, and they asked the Apostles, "What shall we do?" Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38-39).
The Bible records that on that day about 3,000 were baptized. Following, the book of Acts states that the newly baptized continued daily to hear the teaching of the Apostles, as the early Christians met together for fellowship, the breaking of bread, and for prayer. Many wonderful signs and miracles were done through the Apostles, and the Lord added to the
Church daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47).
In his opening words at the Mass, Fr. Latus reminded the congregation that we are called to live and walk by the Spirit. The gathering in one place for the celebration of one Mass is symbolic of the Jews gathering in one place at Pentecost from different places within the Jewish diaspora and Jerusalem.
Fr. Romil in his homily said that Pentecost beckons us to be “instruments of unity.” The Spirit he said brings about unity among us. Those who are not of the Spirit are “instruments of division” he said.
He said that the mission of the Church is to unite people and to break down the barriers that divide us.
“All of us are one in the Spirit despite our culture, nationality, background, race and colour,” Fr. Romil said. “If we are one in the Spirit then we belong to the culture of Christ,” he continued.
“We must banish from among us the demons of hate, fear, division, indifference and prejudice and be united in our stand for justice, peace, equality and reconciliation,” he said.
The eucharistic service was punctuated with appropriate songs such as “One Bread, One Body” reminding us of our unity in Christ and “There’s A Sweet, Sweet Spirit” reminds us that like the Spirit we are called to have a sweet frangrance in our relationships with others. Mrs. Charmaine Donovan ably lead the combined choir.
The Feast of Pentecost this year coincided with Mother’s Day and mothers were recognized and appreciated. Rosemary Jordan Powell was awarded Mother of the Year by the Catholic Community for her outstanding life of faith and service.
After the Eucharist service, there was a Mother’s Day service that saw displays of African fashion wear,masquerade, songs and poems.
At the end of the day, it was truly a mountaintop experience
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Saturday, December 1, 2007
YouthQuake - a Big success
Youthquake a big success - over 300 young people registered and participated in a weekend retreat with Tim and Raquel from Hard As Nails Ministires from New York and Omar and Lease from the Movement in Barbados. MTV stile retreat with DJ and pure Gospel music rocked the Basseterre High School Auditorium on Friday night, November 9 and that lead to quiet reflection testimonies and Adoration of the Blessed sacrament with the private meeting with the Eucharistic Jesus. Saturday Morning after rousing Morning devotion to the Gospul Music the young people like there was a time to let out our hurts and the powerful witness from Raquel led to many puring out their hearts before others. Some too the opportunity to go to confession. The leeting out the hurts and opening the woulnds led many to tears and healing. After Lunch on Saturday there was a lot of group work and then writing and pinning to a big wooden cross our promises and self-offering to Jesus. The highlight of the day was the GrandRally through the streets of Basseterre, to the musing and rap of Omar and lyrics of Hard as Nails Ministry team. The youth were indeed "on Fire for Christ" in their white T-shirts with the Youthquake emblem in front and "Youth on Fire for Christ" at the back. Sunday mass was the official ending of the Retreat. The Co-cathedral church was full to the brim with young people. many of them stayed with the Retreat team throughout the morning and went for a beach nick in the afternoon. All are looking foraward to the next Youthquake and meanwhile to the Aftershocks which were promised. The first one coming soon.
Friday, September 21, 2007
The Neo-Catechumenal Way
In the months of October & Novemebr our parish will be embarking on new effort of new evangelization through the Neo-Catechumenal Way. A priest from the Diocese of Rome Fr. Charels Bell will be conductiong a series of sessions with testimonies and Kerygmatic preaching on Sundays and Tuesdays (6.00-700 pm) of October and November. All the initial sessions will be held in the Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral. It is hoped that after those initial sessions a community will be established embarking on a journey of a systematic Catholic Formation.
All intersted persons are cordially invited!!!
Bleow there is some history of the Neocatechumenal Way:
1. The beginning: a theological –– catechetical synthesis
At the beginning of the Sixties, Kiko Argüello, a Spanish painter, after experiencing an existential crisis, discovered in the suffering of the innocent people the awesome mystery of the crucified Christ which is present in the ‘‘least’’ of the earth. Such a discovery made him abandon all things and following the footsteps of Charles de Foucauld, he went to live among the poor people of the slums of ‘‘ Palomeras Altas’’ in the outskirts of Madrid. It was there that another Spanish woman, Carmen Hernààndez, a graduate in Chemistry, came to know Kiko Argüüello. She had come in touch with the renewal of the Second Vatican Council thanks to Monsignor Farnéés Scherer ( a liturgist) and had been called by her bishop while trying to gather together a group of people with a view to evangelise the miners of Oruro ( Bolivia).
The environment of the slums was one of the most degraded in society, mainly made up of gypsies and ‘‘quinquis’’ (white nomads) as well as illiterate people, tramps, thieves, prostitutes, young delinquents, etc……
Kiko’’s artistic temperament, his existential experience, his previous formation as a catechist of the ‘‘Cursillos de Christianidad’’, Carmen’’s thrust for evangelisation –– formed in the Institute of the ‘‘Misioneras de Cristo Jesùùs’’- her theological preparation ( she has a licence in theology), her knowledge of the Paschal Mystery and the Liturgical renewal of the Vatican Council, together with the environment of ‘‘these poorest of the poor’’ of the earth were the elements that created the ‘‘humus’’, ‘‘the lab’’ in which a kerygmatic, theological –– catechetical synthesis came into being. Such synthesis would then become the back bone for the process of evangelisation of adult people later known as the Neocatechumenal Way.
2. For the Church and with the Church.
Faced with this kerygmatic synthesis the poor people of the slums did not defend themselves against it. On the contrary, they responded with immense gratitude and thus constituted a first Christian community. It is this community that gave birth to the first seed, the first ‘‘mustard seed’’ of something that today we can see has become a great tree full of fruits. That ‘‘seed’’ came to the notice of the Archbishop of Madrid, Monsignor Casimiro Morcillo, on the occasion of his visit to the slums. There he could personally witness the action of the Holy Spirit and consequently defended it, blessed it and identified it as a true realisation of the Council –– he had been, in fact, one of the General Secretaries of the Second Vatican Council. He then sent this seed to the parishes of Madrid with the recommendation that the parish priest should always be at its centre. At the same time he approved ‘‘ad experimentum’’ some necessary liturgical adaptations for a Christian initiation: the Word, the Liturgy and the Community.
3. From the slums to the parishes.
The Way which was born in the midst of so much suffering and among the poorest was brought to the parishes thanks to Don Casimiro Morcillo. The first parish to receive it was of an upper ––middle class type. It was there that Kiko, Carmen and some poor brothers from the slums were invited to speak about the Eucharist. In fact the parish priest of that parish had been greatly impressed by the power of the liturgy he had experienced in the slums. Later on, they were invited to Zamorra, a rural parish made up mostly of farmers and very religious people. Returning to Madrid, they had two more experiences: one in the parish of Pius XII among upper class people and the second at Canillejas, a dormitory like neighbourhood in the outskirts of the city and later in many other parishes
4. An itinerary appears.
The challenge faced by this catechetical synthesis brought by the group from the slums of Madrid soon revealed a particular tendency when coming in touch with parishes: the catecheses tended to be ‘‘dressed up’’ and transformed into conferences. Such conferences would enlighten the mind, enrich the culture but ultimately could not be understood as a way of self –– emptying, a kenosis whereby the old man is slowly brought to die in order to be filled by a new creation in the Holy Spirit. The social situation was already so serious that the necessity of an adult Christian became clearer and clearer: a Christian capable to respond to the signs of the time. In this way the renewal of Baptism appeared as an itinerary, a Way which fundamentally would lead to an adult faith capable of giving an answer to the epochal change that was taking place.
In the parishes many people who received the sacraments were insufficiently catechised and mostly ignorant of the contents of Baptism. By opening a way of Christian initiation such people would find, in a Post-Baptismal itinerary of a catechumenal type, the possibility to recovering the stages of Baptism already received as infants.
With respect to the neocatechumenal process, its fundamental stages, its permanent formation, a catechumenate for the non-baptised and service for catechetical activity, refer to the respective headings as found in he Statutes.
To Know more check: http://www.camminoneocatecumenale.it/en/index.asp
All intersted persons are cordially invited!!!
Bleow there is some history of the Neocatechumenal Way:
1. The beginning: a theological –– catechetical synthesis
At the beginning of the Sixties, Kiko Argüello, a Spanish painter, after experiencing an existential crisis, discovered in the suffering of the innocent people the awesome mystery of the crucified Christ which is present in the ‘‘least’’ of the earth. Such a discovery made him abandon all things and following the footsteps of Charles de Foucauld, he went to live among the poor people of the slums of ‘‘ Palomeras Altas’’ in the outskirts of Madrid. It was there that another Spanish woman, Carmen Hernààndez, a graduate in Chemistry, came to know Kiko Argüüello. She had come in touch with the renewal of the Second Vatican Council thanks to Monsignor Farnéés Scherer ( a liturgist) and had been called by her bishop while trying to gather together a group of people with a view to evangelise the miners of Oruro ( Bolivia).
The environment of the slums was one of the most degraded in society, mainly made up of gypsies and ‘‘quinquis’’ (white nomads) as well as illiterate people, tramps, thieves, prostitutes, young delinquents, etc……
Kiko’’s artistic temperament, his existential experience, his previous formation as a catechist of the ‘‘Cursillos de Christianidad’’, Carmen’’s thrust for evangelisation –– formed in the Institute of the ‘‘Misioneras de Cristo Jesùùs’’- her theological preparation ( she has a licence in theology), her knowledge of the Paschal Mystery and the Liturgical renewal of the Vatican Council, together with the environment of ‘‘these poorest of the poor’’ of the earth were the elements that created the ‘‘humus’’, ‘‘the lab’’ in which a kerygmatic, theological –– catechetical synthesis came into being. Such synthesis would then become the back bone for the process of evangelisation of adult people later known as the Neocatechumenal Way.
2. For the Church and with the Church.
Faced with this kerygmatic synthesis the poor people of the slums did not defend themselves against it. On the contrary, they responded with immense gratitude and thus constituted a first Christian community. It is this community that gave birth to the first seed, the first ‘‘mustard seed’’ of something that today we can see has become a great tree full of fruits. That ‘‘seed’’ came to the notice of the Archbishop of Madrid, Monsignor Casimiro Morcillo, on the occasion of his visit to the slums. There he could personally witness the action of the Holy Spirit and consequently defended it, blessed it and identified it as a true realisation of the Council –– he had been, in fact, one of the General Secretaries of the Second Vatican Council. He then sent this seed to the parishes of Madrid with the recommendation that the parish priest should always be at its centre. At the same time he approved ‘‘ad experimentum’’ some necessary liturgical adaptations for a Christian initiation: the Word, the Liturgy and the Community.
3. From the slums to the parishes.
The Way which was born in the midst of so much suffering and among the poorest was brought to the parishes thanks to Don Casimiro Morcillo. The first parish to receive it was of an upper ––middle class type. It was there that Kiko, Carmen and some poor brothers from the slums were invited to speak about the Eucharist. In fact the parish priest of that parish had been greatly impressed by the power of the liturgy he had experienced in the slums. Later on, they were invited to Zamorra, a rural parish made up mostly of farmers and very religious people. Returning to Madrid, they had two more experiences: one in the parish of Pius XII among upper class people and the second at Canillejas, a dormitory like neighbourhood in the outskirts of the city and later in many other parishes
4. An itinerary appears.
The challenge faced by this catechetical synthesis brought by the group from the slums of Madrid soon revealed a particular tendency when coming in touch with parishes: the catecheses tended to be ‘‘dressed up’’ and transformed into conferences. Such conferences would enlighten the mind, enrich the culture but ultimately could not be understood as a way of self –– emptying, a kenosis whereby the old man is slowly brought to die in order to be filled by a new creation in the Holy Spirit. The social situation was already so serious that the necessity of an adult Christian became clearer and clearer: a Christian capable to respond to the signs of the time. In this way the renewal of Baptism appeared as an itinerary, a Way which fundamentally would lead to an adult faith capable of giving an answer to the epochal change that was taking place.
In the parishes many people who received the sacraments were insufficiently catechised and mostly ignorant of the contents of Baptism. By opening a way of Christian initiation such people would find, in a Post-Baptismal itinerary of a catechumenal type, the possibility to recovering the stages of Baptism already received as infants.
With respect to the neocatechumenal process, its fundamental stages, its permanent formation, a catechumenate for the non-baptised and service for catechetical activity, refer to the respective headings as found in he Statutes.
To Know more check: http://www.camminoneocatecumenale.it/en/index.asp
Friday, September 14, 2007
September is Catechetical Month
Happy feast day to all Catechists - This Sunday is celebrated in our Diocese as Catechetical Sunday. All the catechists will be re-commissioned during Sunday Mss for the New Catechetical year 2007-2008. Let us support our catechists and especially parents - remember you are the first catechists to your children at home!
PARENTS NOTE: Sunday School sessions start Next Sunday !!!
PARENTS NOTE: Sunday School sessions start Next Sunday !!!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Farewell to the Martha Sisters
Since 1986 at the invitation of Bishop Donald Reece, Sisters of St. Martha from Nova Scotia in canada has established a mission outside of canada in St. Kitts and for the last 21 years have worked tirelessly in St. Kitts. Due to lack of younger personel they will not be able to work any more in St. Kitts and are closing the Convent. OnMonday, August 13th at 6.00p.m there will be a special Thanksgiving Mass for their many years of service.
THANK YOU SISTERS !!!!
Motto of the Sisters of St. Martha: Deo Soli – For God Alone
Mission Statement: We, Sisters of St. Martha, inspired by God’s graciousness,
hear, embrace and respond to the cry for Gospel hospitality.
The following sisters served in St. Kitts:
Sister Joan Fultz, 1986-1989, Coordinator of Religious Education
Sister Anita Driscoll, 1986-1995, Nursing to the elderly. Weekly health clinics at Basseterre and Conaree
Sister Antoinette Chiasson, 1986-1992, Home Visiting, Prison prayer services, Sessions on Scripture, etc.
Sister Genevieve MacDonald, 1986-1993, Taught Grade VI at St. Theresa’s Convent School
Sister Brendalee Boisvert, 1990-1994, Coordinator of Religious Education for the parishes
on the Island of St. Kitts, assisted with Religious Education on other Islands in the Diocese
Sister Theresa Parker, 1992-1998, Coordinator of Christian Living at St. Theresa’s and St. Joseph’s Schools, Peacemakers Youth Group with Patrice Mills, facilitated the teaching of English to the Spanish speaking people from Dominican Republic.
Sister Veronica MacNeil, 1993-1994, Grade II teacher at St. Theresa’s Convent School
Sister Clotilda McIntyre, 1994-2000, 2006-2007, Pastoral Ministry with a social
thrust: advocacy for the needy, Cardin home, Society of St. Vincent DePaul, prison ministry
Sister Mary McMahon, 1996-2002, Nursing to the elderly in their homes. Health clinics
weekly at Basseterre and Conaree
Sister Donna Brady, 1996-2001, Adult Faith Development: Ministry Formation Institute
Helped develop CAWA.
Sister Joan Walker, 2001-2005, Pastoral Ministry: Prison, Cardin Home, Hospital, elderly
Sister Loretta Gillis, 2002-2006, Spiritual Development: spiritual direction, sessions on prayer,
prayer with the elderly in their homes.
Sister Agnes Beaton, 2004-2007, Volunteer at St. Theresa’s and St. Joseph’s Schools, Parish Ministry: RCIA, parish council, youth
Many of the sisters assisted with Communion to the sick and shut-ins at the hospital and in the home.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
NORTHERN DEANERY MEETING
A meeting of the clergy and pastoral administrators of the Northen Deanery took place in the Basseterre Presbytery on Tuesday, May 22. In attendance were Fr. Larry Finnegan from Virgin Gorda, Fr. Nihal Abeyasingha from Tortola, Fr. Antonio Ritaccio from Nevis. Fr. Digno Jore send his apologies from Anguilla as his working visa is not yet sorted out. Fr. Ramil who is assigned to Sandy Point has not 
arrived yet in the Caribbean. Sr. Margaret Hansen SSpS, pastoral administrator from Molineux parish in St. Kitts was only woman among men. Fr. George Agger, former dean was also invited to share and participate in the meeting. Br. Ivano, a seminarian in Nevis also took part as an observer. Of course the local clergy: Fr. Bernard Latus, the new dean and Fr. Xuan Ho also participated. The meeting was a time of sharing our joys, experiences and concerns and it was good to be together especially for those who are alone on an island.
arrived yet in the Caribbean. Sr. Margaret Hansen SSpS, pastoral administrator from Molineux parish in St. Kitts was only woman among men. Fr. George Agger, former dean was also invited to share and participate in the meeting. Br. Ivano, a seminarian in Nevis also took part as an observer. Of course the local clergy: Fr. Bernard Latus, the new dean and Fr. Xuan Ho also participated. The meeting was a time of sharing our joys, experiences and concerns and it was good to be together especially for those who are alone on an island.Thursday, May 10, 2007
BRIMSTONE HILL CATHOLIC PENTECOST EVENT
Our usual PENTECOST BRIMSTONE HILL CELEBRATION is going to be on Sunday, May 27 starting with the FESTIVE CATHOLIC ALL-ISLAND EUCHARIST at 10.00 a.m.
There will be lunch on sale at 12.30p.m. Tickets only $15 and drinks will also be on sale (please support the Sandy Point Fund-raising).
There will be many other attractions for children youth and adults: Bouncing castle for children (bring some change and support out catechetical program), cricket and domino competition, and many other games with prises to win.
CAR PASSES & LUNCH TICKETS are on sale in the Parish Office
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
