As our nation’s schools close their doors at the start of the July–August holiday period, our archdiocese opens its doors to a number of “schools” that have become important events on our Church calendar.

Tomorrow, July 9, the Catholic Bible Institute in Caroni begins its July programme, and at the Regional Seminary at Mount St Benedict the month-long School of Continuing Studies gets underway.

Liturgy School

Over the years Liturgy School has provided the necessary training and education in the faith of many who serve in our parishes as lay ministers or are involved in different parish ministries.

A major change in this year’s school will be a change of venue – the school will be held at St Joseph’s Convent, St Joseph, instead of Mt St Benedict. Live-in participants however will still be housed partly on the Mount – at the Regional Seminary and the Retreat House – and at the Catholic Bible Institute, Caroni.  This year Liturgy School has as its theme Celebrating the Word.

Lecturers include Msgr Michael de Verteuil, rector of the seminary and chairman of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission; Dr Everard Johnston, lecturer in Bible at the Regional Seminary; Dr Jennifer Rahim of the Faculty of Humanities, UWI and Linda Wyke, former director of catechetics. They will focus on different aspects of the Word in the life of the Christian.

Given the theme of this year’s School, a new workshop on Lectio Divina has been introduced and participants in the workshop Formation of Lay Ministers/Lectors will get a deeper insight into proclaiming the Word.

The daily sessions are expected to end earlier than in the past, with each day’s evening liturgy beginning at 5.00 p.m.

Liturgy School 2007 will take place from Monday, August 6 – Saturday 11. Registration has been extended to Tuesday, July 31. For further information you may telephone: 663-2806 or email: liturgyschool@yahoo.com.

CSCC ‘07

One week after Liturgy School, from Sunday, August 12, the annual week-long Caribbean School for Catholic Communication begins at Emmaus Centre, Arima. The school aims at preparing mainly Catholics, between the ages of 17-30 years, to enter the world of media in all its forms.

Under the aegis of the Archdiocesan Communications Commission (ACC), Living Water Community is responsible for this annual school. The school, which began in 1995, begins a new 3-year cycle this year (2007-2009) with the theme: Communications – New Pathways to God.

It aims at creating a culture of dialogue through:
• audio and interpersonal communications
• film and related media
• print and new technologies.

This 3-year offering is intended to:
1. Train communicators in the art of dialogue for the promotion of justice and peace.
2. Form professional communicators able to engage the new communications technologies as pathways to God.
3. Empower the participants to be agents of transformation, re-visioning the Caribbean Church for the emerging technological culture.

Various workshops are offered under the headings of audio (radio); video; journalism; media education; and web design for the parish or community.

The school boasts many dynamic facilitators both local and foreign including – Sr Angela Ann Zukowski (USA), Msgr Patrick Anthony (St Lucia) and Fr Jason Gordon (Trinidad) and many others. This year Sherry Brown-Rigg (USA) returns to facilitate the audio workshop.

Over the last 11 years the school has evolved in many ways in response to the particular needs of the Catholic community as a whole, and in response to the school participants. 

Last year the school introduced special “grounding” sessions, which this year will include:
1. Introduction to a Theology of Communications
2. Spirituality of Communications
(i) the Ministry of the Word
(ii) the Catholic communicator
3. Communication and evangelisation
4. The Caribbean context – strengths and challenges

The week consists of not only formal education but a week of living together, forming lasting friendships, planning daily liturgies and even a cultural evening where everyone can show off their talents.

Late registrations are still being accepted. For information call Suzanne Dowdy at 657-3321 or Living Water, POS at 625-5168.