There is a special hunger in the nation, says Eternal Light Community leader Deborah de Rosia, and the Church can fill that need through the Eucharist.

De Rosia was the preacher at this month's Laventille Devotions, held under sunny but windy conditions last Sunday. Fr Gerard Farfan, CSSp, celebrated the Mass before the devotions while St Finbar's Girls RC School of Arouca parish led the recitation of the rosary, and the singing. Archbishop Gilbert presided.

“Sister Debbie”, chairperson of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal National Service Team, used the miracle of Jesus' feeding of five thousand with five loaves and two fish, as the background to her sermon.

Sr Deborah de Rosia

She said as Catholics we cannot “only come to receive” but we must also be willing to give. “A time must come in our lives when we must be concerned (like Jesus was) about the crowd, its needs, its composition and what we have to share”.

The Church, she continued, has a treasure - the Eucharist - and we have to work and participate in distributing “this food” to others. “Are we ready as Church to give Jesus Christ to others?

You and I must be ready to share with others Jesus Christ” in our streets, communities and across the nation, Sister Debbie urged.

“There is a hunger in the hearts of men and women” in this country and you and I have to continue the work of bringing people to life eternal through the Eucharist, she told to Catholic faithful. “People need the Lord,” de Rosia stated, after singing a verse from the well-known gospel song.

Sister Debbie said we must be willing to bring our “barley loaves and fish” to the table – our talents and skills. She added that we must not say we are too young or too old to give. “God is always giving…he gave us his Son, his Son gave himself…Mary gave her future.”

This year's devotions at the shrine end October 9, but will signal the start of weeklong events leading up to the Eucharist Congress on October 16.

Archbishop Gilbert is expected to preach the final sermon. - RS