On Tuesday, October 31, the Vicar General, the Regional Episcopal Vicars and the Vicar for Priests met with me to review the responses from the first cycle of consultations in the archdiocese about pastoral care and to plan for the second series of consultations.

Everyone was acutely aware that at the end of January, the archdiocese will lose three more priests due to the three-year residence rule. It was clear that the pastoral plan for the archdiocese would have to be in place by February 1, 2007.

After reviewing all the responses from the consultation, the participants at the meeting agreed unanimously that to address the issues in the responses and to keep the pastoral planning process in the archdiocese moving forward, some significant sacrifices would have to be made.

We all understood that because each participant at the meeting already had multiple responsibilities for the life of the archdiocese, someone had to be freed from all other responsibilities to exercise an administrative/coordinating function on a full time basis.

In addition, it was recognised that it was somewhat difficult to gather the Council of Priests for meetings regularly due to travel and traffic. While the Council of Priests, which is chaired by Monsignor Esau Joseph, is still the principal body that is revising the Praxis Parochorum (Pastoral Directory), an evolution had occurred for consultation.

The Parish Priests/Parish Administrators are consulted regularly through their Vicariate meetings that are chaired by the Regional Episcopal Vicars who then report to me. The Religious Communities are consulted through their Episcopal Delegate who reports to me. The entire presbyterate meets with me at least twice each year. The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council is in dialogue with the Vicariate and Parish Councils.

Canon 473

The Vicars turned to the guidance of the Code of Canon Law for a structural answer to the administration/coordination challenge. Canon 473, 3 authorises the Bishop to appoint a Vicar for Administration or Moderator of the Curia (the Departments of the Archdiocese) for administrative oversight and for coordinating the ministries of the Archdiocesan departments. Canon 473, 4 authorises the Bishop to establish a council comprising the Vicar General and the Episcopal Vicars.

With the unanimous support of the Vicar General, the Regional Episcopal Vicars and Vicar for Priests, I have:
1) Established the office of Vicar for Administration for the Archdiocese of Port of Spain. The Vicar for Administration will serve under the authority of the Archbishop and Vicar General. He will have full authority over all departments in the archdiocese and will have the responsibility to coordinate the activities of the departments including major projects in the archdiocese.  
Fr Jason Gordon has been appointed the Vicar for Administration in the Archdiocese effective the First Sunday of Advent.
2) Established a Council of Vicars comprising the Vicar General, the Regional Episcopal Vicars and the Vicar for Priests effective immediately.

Adjustments/reappointments

1) The Vicar General and all Regional Episcopal Vicars except the Vicar for the Northern Vicariate have been reappointed to a second term.
2) Due to the appointment of Fr Gordon as Vicar for Administration, Monsignor Kenneth Spence has been appointed as the Regional Episcopal Vicar for the Northern Vicariate effective the first Sunday of Advent.
He has been relieved of his duties as Vicar for Priests and as the Catholic representative to the IRO.
3) Fr Reginald Hezekiah has been appointed Vicar for Priests effective the First Sunday of Advent.
4) Fr Steve Duncan has been appointed as the Catholic representative to the IRO effective the First Sunday of Advent.

Additional decisions

After consultation with the Vicars:
1) I have authorised the Judicial Vicar to move the Marriage Tribunal from the Catholic Centre to a parish setting to be specified in dialogue in the near future.
2) I have authorised the Archdiocesan Communications Commission to move into the former facilities of the Marriage Tribunal at the Catholic Centre and to add a secretary to the Commission’s staff.
3) The preparation of the Liturgical Ordo has been moved from the Chancery to the Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese in consultation with the Archdiocesan Communications Commission;
4) The Archbishop’s Office has assumed responsibility for directing the Permanent Deacon Programme and, in consultation with the Archdiocesan Communications Commission, for the coordination of the media component for Adult Education/Formation/Lifelong catechesis; 
5) The transition in the office of the Archdiocesan Financial Administration has been scheduled for June 30, 2007. 

Pastoral appointments

The Archdiocesan Personnel Board joined the meeting of Vicars in the afternoon. The following pastoral appointments were made. Unless noted otherwise, they will become effective on the First Sunday of Advent:
1) Fr Clyde Harvey has been appointed Parish Priest of Rosary/St Catherine of Siena-St Martin de Porres Parish (Gonzales);
2) Fr Joseph Harris CSSp has been appointed Parish Priest of St Ann’s Parish effective December 29, 2006; Fr Godfrey Stoute has been approved for a sabbatical for one year. 
3) Fr Alan Mohammed OP has been appointed Parish Priest of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Maraval;

Conclusion

Please pray for all those involved in these new initiatives and also for those beginning new pastoral appointments.