Fr Gerard Farfan, General Secretary of the Antilles Episcopal Conference, in a communiqué to the bishops of the AEC, dated January 3, announced that Archbishop Lawrence Burke SJ, President of the Conference will be unable to attend the meetings of the AEC carded for later this month at the secretariat in Port of Spain, due to ill health.

Archbishop Burke has been started on a course of chemotherapy for spots of cancer on his lungs. In his absence, Bishop Robert Kurtz, Vice President of the AEC will function in his stead.

Fr Farfan has given Archbishop Burke assurance of the prayers of the Conference of bishops for his complete recovery and resumption of duties as President of the AEC.