Every effort must be made to preserve the sanctity of human life, say Caribbean Catholic bishops.

That is the key message of a new pastoral letter On the Gift of Life, which aims to reaffirm the Church’s teaching on the dignity of human life.

Noting the rise in crime and violence across the region and the response of governments to put forward the death penalty as a method to reduce violence, the bishops counter saying “The Church’s teaching does not provide the basis for the re-introduction or the renewed use of the death penalty which is presently under discussion in the region. The bishops further express their firm desire that the leaders and people of the Caribbean society move toward the total abolition of the death penalty.

"Therefore, we should place emphasis on the rehabilitation of the offender rather than on his elimination. Non-lethal forms of punishment are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity with the dignity of the human person.”

The AEC comprises the bishops and archbishops of the English, French and Dutch-speaking dioceses and archdiocese of the Caribbean (excluding Haiti).

The soon to be publicly released pastoral letter was presented to the bishops for approval by Archbishop Patrick Pinder of Nassau, Bahamas, at the bishops’ 52nd annual plenary meeting held in Rome, Italy, March 27-30.

The meeting preceded the bishops’ ad limina visit to the Vatican, held every five years. The general audience with Pope Benedict XVI took place on April 7; individual bishops and archbishops met with the Holy Father during the week March 31 – April 6, as well as visit Vatican congregations and offices.

The plenary meeting began with a short retreat based on Pope Benedict’s encyclical Spe Salvi (In hope we are saved). Bishop Francis Alleyne, OSB, of the diocese of Georgetown, Guyana, guided the prayer and reflection.

Caribbean bishops in Rome: From left: Bishop Secco, Diocese of Willemstad, Curacao Bishop de Bekker, Diocese of Paramaribo, Suriname Bishop Malzaire, Diocese of Roseau, Dominica Bishop Lafont, Diocese of Cayenne, French Guiana Bishop Kurtz, Diocese of Hamilton, Bermuda Archbishop Reece, Archdiocese of Kingston, Jamaica Archbishop Rivas, Archdiocese of Castries, St. Lucia Archbishop Burke, Archdiocese of Kingston, Jamaica Pope Benedict XVI Archbishop Gilbert, Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad Archbishop Pinder, Archdiocese of Nassau, Bahamas Bishop Dufour, Diocese of Montego Bay, Jamaica Archbishop Meranville, Diocese of Fort-de-France, Martinique Bishop Alleyne, Diocese of Georgetown, Guyana Bishop Darius, Diocese of St. George’s, Grenada Bishop Wright, Diocese of Belize City and Belmopan, Belize

Among concerns identified when deliberations got underway were: vacancies of four Episcopal sees; the need for more academic and formation staff at the Regional Seminary at Mt St Benedict, Trinidad; the need for a Regional Tribunal to deal with canonical cases across the region.

Beside the pastoral letter, issues of AEC funding, education and the Regional Seminary were discussed.

On the issue of funding, the AEC submitted a proposal to the Latin America Office of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops for a three-year programme of catechetical formation.

The programme will reflect the vision of the AEC Catechetical Commission and respond to the continental mission set out by the fifth general conference of bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Aparecida, Brazil, last year. Word of acceptance of the proposal came during the course of the meeting.

AEC Youth Commission chair Archbishop Robert Rivas of the Archdiocese of Castries, St Lucia, presented a report on activities and plans.

He said a Caribbean delegation will travel to World Youth Day 2008 celebrations in Sydney, Australia and a Youth Assembly is being planned for July 2009 to be held in Kingston, Jamaica under the theme “If you only knew what God is offering you” (Jn 4:10): Evangelising Youth for a fuller life in Christ.

The Trinidad-born archbishop, who recently assumed office from Dominica-born Archbishop Kelvin Felix, also mentioned the work of the AEC Missionary Training Institute and plans for a Regional Youth Secretariat to be headquarted in Castries.

Bishop Gabriel Malzaire of the diocese of Roseau, Dominica, presented a draft document on the Philosophy of Education for Catholic Schools prepared by the AEC Education Commission. The document is to assist dioceses and archdioceses by providing guidelines to ensure schools maintain a Catholic identity.

Much discussion focussed on the Regional Seminary. Rector of the Regional Seminary Msgr Michael de Verteuil’s is due to step down at the end of the current academic year and the AEC is seeking a successor.

The bishops also discussed the need to increase staff at the Seminary: a resident spiritual director, a Philosophy professor and staff to teach Systematic Theology.

Archbishop Donald Reece, who takes up office as Archbishop of Kingston, Jamaica on April 12, was elected the new president of the AEC following the resignation of Archbishop Lawrence Burke, who stepped down for health reasons.

The 53rd Annual Plenary Meeting of the AEC will be hosted by the diocese of Fort-de-France, Martinique from April 26 – May 1, 2009. - RS