Priests come priests go, but the sea breeze continues to blow. The people of Ss Peter and Paul Parish Mayaro are glad that the “breeze” blew our parish priest Fr Christian Chambers into our community.

February 1 marked a year since Fr Chambers' appointment to the parish, which comprises the communities of Ortoire Pierreville, Radix and Guayaguayare.

Who is Fr Christian Chambers? Well, he is a young jovial priest fresh out of the seminary and overflowing with the Holy Spirit. Fr Chambers who was born and raised in Diego Martin has fit in very well with the Mayaro community and is described as a priest for the young, the old, and the in- between. The one thing parishioners realised from the very beginning was that Father was a “work jumbie”.

Fr Christian Chambers

A Holy Spirit Novena was Fr Chambers' first project in the Mayaro community. This Holy Spirit Novena was just the starting point for many more spiritual projects to follow. The presence of the Holy Spirit was evident as parishioners from all the communities met every night for the duration of the novena.

After praise and worship and a sharing by a lay minister, participants broke into 10 groups and discussed two prepared questions while the intercessors went to the presbytery for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament for the success of the mission. The evening ended with the return of the intercessors and the novena prayers.

The novena came to an end on the Saturday night at the vigil Mass when the entire church was lit with red vigil candles. The parish was on fire, ready to welcome the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday.

The next big event took place on Corpus Christi with an open air Mass in the Edric Connor park, and a street procession and Benediction at an appointed stop in Plaisance, Mayaro.

As this was a first for the parish, we had some challenges to overcome to make it happen. For example, the stage, altar, tents and chairs.

The schools were invited to participate by making banners as part of a school project. The parishioners came out in their numbers and children from the three Roman Catholic schools in the area attended.

The logistics of the street procession need to be better managed next time around as the parishioners left the lay ministers with the Blessed Sacrament as they followed the scout band in songs of praise back to the park.

Parishioners will definitely remember the "Three-day Summit " held on Emancipation weekend when Fr Chambers was officially installed as parish priest.

The first day of this summit was entitled “Everything Turn Ole Mas”. Each of the four communities was asked to come up with an ole mas band that showcased the problems it was experiencing and possible solutions.

The event took place Emancipation Friday evening at the Guayaguayare RC School. While some people were rolling over with laughter at some of the ole mas' portrayals, a panel of three female parishioners was busily taking note of the issues raised and the solutions, to present at the next parish council meeting.

The second day of the three-day summit (July 31) began with a 10.00 a.m. Mass at Ss Peter and Paul Church, in Radix, at which Fr Peter de la Bastide, Episcopal Vicar of the Eastern Vicariate, installed Fr Chambers. Parishioners gathered in the parish hall at the end of the Mass to share a meal and mingle as they celebrated with Fr Christian.

On Monday, August 1, the final day of the three-day summit, entitled "A Day of Prayer and an Introduction to the Liturgy of the Hours", parishioners gathered at the church in the Ortoire community to fast, pray and praise before the Blessed Sacrament. The day began with Mass at 5:30 a.m. and ended with a candlelight procession in the village.

The Novena for the Healing of the Family Tree took place from October 25 and ended on All Souls Day, November 2. We also experienced an Advent programme with a difference with candlelight meetings—in a front yard or garage—in each of our four communities.

Our candlelight outreach theme was taken from Isaiah 40: 31, “ They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar as with eagles wings; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow tired .”

Many more events have taken place and are taking place in our community under the leadership and guidance of Fr Chambers but of course, they cannot all be listed.

These are definitely some of the main events that show how the community of Mayaro is growing spiritually. Fr Christian Chambers, the members of Ss Peter and Paul say thank you. God bless you.

Keep up your good works for God's glory. As that popular chorus goes, " Oh we love you, love you, love you, yes we do… Oh we love you, love you…. no matter what you do, for we behold the Living Christ in you !"