The various training programmes for adult members of the Church, now offered in the Archdiocese, are to be assessed and brought under the governance of the Catholic Religious Education Development Institute (CREDI), which is to be inaugurated shortly.

Among its goals CREDI aims to provide a seamless stream of learning for adult Catholics and to foster proficiency in discipleship, ministry and professional formation.

These plans were outlined by Selwyn Bhajan, management consultant and member of the Institute’s planning team at last Tuesday’s meeting of priests and parish administrators, at the Curepe Pastoral Facility.

Mr Bhajan revealed that the planning team would meet shortly with the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago to seek Government accreditation for the Institute’s programmes.

The report on the Institute was one item in a packed agenda that included a presentation of the Pastoral Letter “Deepening the Spirit of Solidarity in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain” and Phase I of the Solidarity Policy; an analysis of the recent report on the census which was conducted in Lent this year; an introduction and explanation of a new pre-marital enquiry form and a report by members of the Archdiocesan team of vocations directors.

Archbishop Edward Gilbert who chaired the proceedings stressed that all the items on the agenda, except for one – the presentation on the pre-nuptial form – have been the fruit of the work carried out in the past six months through various consultations and planning sessions.

CREDI, the result of pioneering work of former Archdiocesan Financial Administrator Fr Garfield Rochard, was envisaged as a way of transforming the Church and its institutions in the Archdiocese. It is established by an Act of Parliament (No 41 of 1997).

The Institute will offer courses within the existing universities for Catholic teachers in the Bachelor of Education programme so that all Catholics desiring to teach or exercise leadership in a Catholic School will be formed in the philosophy, spirituality, theology, mission and vision of the Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain. One of its first goals is to create criteria for Catholic accreditation for the Archdiocese so that all Catholics desiring to teach the faith may adhere to agreed standards.

Initially, the Institute will utilise properties owned by the Church for delivering its programmes.

The Solidarity Policy (Phase 1) was also unveiled at last week’s meeting. It will accompany the Pastoral Letter in its printed form and will be published in the Catholic News next week.

The Policy is a how-to about deepening the solidarity that is the subject of the Pastoral Letter. It considers a number of areas, including Pastoral Planning, Liturgy, Sacramental Ministry and Parish Administration.

The Policy places great responsibility upon the Regional Episcopal Vicars, each of whom – under the guidance of the Archbishop and the Council of Vicars – must develop, implement and monitor a detailed Pastoral Plan.

The document states that “all Catholics deserve the opportunity to participate in the celebration of the Eucharist as often as possible but at least on Sundays”.

But, there are not enough priests, active in ministry, to allow this to happen in all parishes. Phase I of the Policy seeks to address this situation and other aspects of parish life affected by the shortage of priests.