Catholic hierarchy meets in Guyana

Apr 24, 2012 News

The sixteen Roman Catholic Bishops and Archbishops who head Roman Catholic Churches in the English, French and Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries from Bermuda and Bahamas to Cayenne and Curacao, made their way into a packed to capacity Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Brickdam on Sunday for the inaugural Mass.

The Bishops and Archbishops making their way into the Cathedral

This group known as the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) was joined by the Papal Representative to the Antilles region, based in Port of Spain, Italian Archbishop Nicola Girasoli.
Several diplomats and government officials were present for the Mass, among them Prime Minister Sam Hinds, U.S. Charge’ d Affaires, D Brent Hardt and his wife; Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green and Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman.
About 2.2 million people or one-quarter of the total population of the countries that make up the AEC are Catholic. This will be the third time in its 64-year history that the AEC will meet in Guyana. The Church in Guyana first hosted a meeting of the group in 1974 and a much shorter one in 1977.
Decisions are taken at these gatherings to give the Catholic Churches in this region an orientation which will make them better able to respond to the realities and expectations of Caribbean peoples.