On Monday, May 19th, St. Michael's Parish, Maracas Valley will host the Suburban Vicariate R.C.I.A. Confirmation ceremony at 6PM. St. Joseph has seven (7) candidates representing the parish. They are:
Miriam Jaisarie
Mark Job
Dominique Reid
Alicia Rampaul-Seelal
Trevor Seelal
Mark Mahadeo
Clint Alexander
We pray that God's Holy Spirit will bless and guide them as they make this commitment during their spiritual walk.
Monday, 19 May 2014
Sunday, 18 May 2014
Celebrating Bishop Emeritus Sydney Charles
Born on April 17th, 1962 to Mary & Albert Charles in the St. Joseph town, he was the eleventh out of twelve siblings. He has always been a parishioner of the St. Joseph R.C. Church and he attended the St. Joseph Boys' R.C. School, the very same school that our present Archbishop attended, and Nelson Street Boy's R.C. School where he later continued his secondary education at Osmond High School and St. Mary's College. Following his secondary education, he entered the public service where he worked for three (3) years (1945-1948) and during that time, he knew that the Lord was calling him to religious life. On May 1st, 1948, he joined the Seminary of St. John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs where he did his theological studies for six (6) years. On March 7th, 1954, he was ordained as a priest. He served as parish priest at a number of parish communities such as Arima, San Juan, Carapichaima, Chaguanas and even the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
On November 18th, 1974, it was announced that he would now become the Bishop of Grenada and on January 26th, 1975, he was then ordained Bishop. He served as the leader of the local church in Grenada for over 25 years and on July 10th, 2002, he retired as Bishop but continued to live in Grenada and serve as the Lord. It is no doubt that Bishop Charles did alot for the Diocese in Grenada during his time and he definitely paved the way for not only his successor but for many priests in both Grenada and the wider Caribbean region.
According to many St. Joseph parishioners, they often refer to him as "a man of God with a cheerful sense of humour". Many times Bishop Charles would celebrate mass at the parish and fill the atmosphere with joy as he would recite his jokes and stories all recorded in his personal diary which he carries around. He worked with the late Archbishop Anthony Pantin (whom he calls his "good friend"), the present Archbishop Joseph Harris and even had a personal encounter with our newly canonized saint, St. John Paul II when he made his visit to Trinidad back in the 1970s.
On May 18th, 2014, Bishop Emeritus Sydney Charles celebrated a milestone in his religious and personal life, his 60th Anniversary of priestly ordination. Many members of the clergy all came to support this man of faith. Frs. Michael Mackhan, Benedict Hilare (his nephew), Alan Ventour, Harold Imamshah and Donnie McMahon to name a few concelebrated with fellow Bishop, Bishop Emeritus Gault, the current Bishop of Grenada, Vincent Darius, the Papal Nuncio Nicola Girasoli, His Eminence Cardinal Kelvin Felix and our very own Archbishop Joseph Harris serving as the Homilist where he paid tribute to his friend. In his homily, His grace pointed out that Bishop Charles lived 'a holy life' and the only way to accomplish that kind of life to 'accept the crosses in our own lives'. He even said to the faithful that we ought not be surprised to hear that Bishop Charles wiill be canonized as a Catholic Saint. Members of the Charles family and faithful members of the parish were all present to celebrate this special moment. As we, the parishioners of St. Joseph/Mt. D'or were honoured in being part of such a grand occassion, we thank the Charles family for their support which they have shown towards the parish and we also thank the many priest and Bishops that took the time out of their busy schedules to come and celebrate a friend.
On behalf of parish community, we say Congratulations to Bishop Emeritus Sydney Charles. May God continue to bless him. God be Praised! Here are some highlights from today's mass:
--B. Durham, 2014
Saturday, 17 May 2014
Marian Devotion - Week 3
Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love,
Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose
hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the
divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your
compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
You know very well how desperate I am, my pain and how
I am bound by these knots.
Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the
knots in the lives of his children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my
life.
No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away
from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone.
Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power
with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot
(Mention your request here) I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for
all, You are my hope.
O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me,
the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution and
with Christ the freedom from my chains.
Hear my plea.
Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Parish Notices for the 5th Sunday in Easter
- We would like to congratulate our beloved bishop Sydney Charles on the occasion of his 60th Anniversary of the Ordination. We are very proud and happy for him.
- Members of our parish community are all invited to Bishop Sydney Charles’ Diamond Jubilee Mass next Sunday @ 10am. For parishioners who attend the 8.30am Mass, this Mass will be short, so that it will gives us enough time to prepare Altar for the Bishop’s Mass at 10am. (Tomorrow masses will be at 6, 8.30 and 10 AM).
- St. Joseph/Mt.D'or Social Justice team is organizing a lecture to mark Mother’s Day and Fathers' Day on Sunday 8th June, after the 8.30am mass in the parish hall. The topic is, "Parenting Skills," especially in relation to crime, child abuse, and parental abuse that are plaguing society today. The presenter is Ms. Marina Torres, a psychologist and member of the parish community.
- Mark your calendars. Our next synod event is on Sunday 1st June @ 4pm. As we seek to regenerate the Moral and Spiritual Values of our Society we have invited the Preysal Prayer Group to present on the topic: Reverence in Church. It promises to be a very interesting, informative and entertaining presentation.
Wednesday, 14 May 2014
Indications for Diamond Jubilee
INDICATIONS
Sunday, May 18, 2014
5TH Sunday of Easter, 60th ANNIVERSARY
MASS OF PRIESTLY ORDINATION IN THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH
On May 18, 2014, Fifth Sunday of Easter, at
10:00 am, His Lordship Bishop Emeritus Sydney Charles,Order of the British
Empire, will celebrate Holy Mass in the Parochial Church in thanksgiving to God
for 60th Anniversary
of his Priestly Ordination in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain.
For this occasion, Liturgical Masters of
Ceremonies to the Parish Priest announces the following:
- His Lordship with the assisting Deacons will be 9:00 for the Chapter Room of the House of Studies in the Parochial Church, to wear the sacred vestments.
- There will be con-celebration with His Lordship
- His Eminence Cardinal Felix, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishops, Bishops and Auxiliary Bishop, Their Excellencies, the superiors of Religious Orders and pastors interested in His Lordship, are requested to meet in the Chapel of Saint Dominic, in the House of Studies 9:00 where wearing the sacred vestments for the celebration.
- Other priests con-celebrants, also equipped with a special note of this office, they will want to be 9:00 in the Presbytery Garden, bringing amice, alb, and cincture and stole white.
Saint Joseph RC Church, May13, 2014.
B. Matthew D.
Robinson,
B.Sean Crepin
Liturgical Master of Ceremonies
B.Sean Crepin
Liturgical Master of Ceremonies
Friar Karol Wielgosz OP
Chaplain to His Lordship
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