Roman Catholic Diocese to host Synod 2015 this weekend

The Catholic community of St Vincent and the Grenadines is taking the necessary steps to provide a more enriching and fulfilling spiritual experience for the people that they serve.

This weekend, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kingstown will host Synod 2015, under the theme:{{more}} “Building Community through Word, Eucharist and Service.”

The gathering, which will take place at the Villa campus of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC), will see approximately 250 delegates from across the country, discussing and voting on several resolutions, which are expected to influence the way the church functions in the future.

During a press briefing yesterday, Bishop Jason Gordon stated that Synod 2015 is not a one-off event, but rather one that will be implemented over a five-year period.

“Its objective is to bring about formation and renewal within our church, to make it more relevant and responsive to the needs of a changing Vincentian society,” the bishop explained.

“By the end of the process in 2020, our aim is to have a Catholic Church in St Vincent and the Grenadines which is stronger, more united, more dynamic, more caring and compassionate in the true likeness of Christ; more vocal on the issues of justice and development that face our country, more engaging as we seek to give practical expression to the Kingdom of God among us and more committed to serving the society in meaningful ways and making a greater difference in people’s lives.”

Gordon noted that there are several important matters that will be addressed, which include the development needs of youths within society.

“An interesting feature of contemporary St Vincent and the Grenadines is the growing number of persons who say they have no religious affiliation, reflecting the increasing secularization of society. ‘Spiritual, but not religious, is how many describe themselves,” he said.

“Our society is no longer as Christ-centred as it used to be. A lot of people today are living only for themselves, whereas before, people lived for each other; there was a strong commitment to community. A lot of people today are not interested in the eternal things of the spirit, but are busy chasing after material things, which are here today and gone tomorrow.”

The official opening of the Synod will take place on Thursday, with members of the Diocese gathering at Little Tokyo at 5 p.m. and processing to the Cathedral of the Assumption, where mass will be held at 6 p.m.

The formal Synod sessions will take place at the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College on Friday and Saturday, beginning at 7:30 a.m daily.

While media and other persons are invited to witness the event, only delegates of Synod are allowed to vote on the decisions taken at the event. The closing mass will take place at the College as well, beginning at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

Monsignor Michael Stewart made an appeal for the faith community to pray for the success of Synod 2015.

“I would like to ask you to pray for us; pray especially to the Holy Spirit so that the Holy Spirit may guide us in the direction that God would like us to go at this time, especially for the transformation of ourselves, the transformation of our church and the society in which we live,” Stewart said.(BK)