Religion

DEPICTION OF THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS ON GOOD FRIDAY

At sunrise yesterday, members of the Catholic Community of St. PatricK’s Cathedral gathered to start the annual Good Friday procession through the streets of Bridgetown to depict the 14 Stations of the Cross, a reenactment of Jesus Christ final moments before his crucifixion.

*Jesus falls carrying the cross on Nelson Street*

The procession started on Jemmots Lane and spotted at various points through Wellington Street, Nelson Street, Fairchild Street and Bay Street.

*Confirmation students portraying Jesus at one of the stations at Fairchild street market*

Religion

NEW POPE ELECTED

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, an American born in the state of Chicago, is the new Pope. He is the 267th Pope and the first American pontiff in the 2000 year history of the Catholic Church. The new leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics was elected after two days of secret deliberations.

Prevost is a missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and led the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops.

Prevost, 69 has taken the name Leo X1V.

Religion

REQUIEM MASS FOR POPE FRANCIS

A Requiem Mass for Pope Francis was held yesterday evening at the St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral. Catholics turned out in large numbers at the Jemmotts Lane location for the Mass celebrating the life of Pope Francis.

The Pope died on Easter Monday at the age of 88.

*Bishop Neil Scantlebuy as he incensed the photo of Pope Francis*

The Roman Catholic Bishop, Neil Scantlebury during the mass incensed a photo of Pope Francis. He was joined by clergy from other churches, Anglican Bishop of Barbados The Rt. Rev. Michael Maxwell, Moravian Rev Cicely-Athill Horsford and Anglican Priest Rev Dr. Michael Lashley

*From left, Fr. Clement Paul Anglican Bishop of Barbados The Rt. Rev. Michael Maxwell, Moravian Rev Cicely Athill Horsford and Anglican Priest Rev Dr. Michael Lashley*

Religion

BISHOP NEIL SCANTLEBURY REFLECTS ON THE PASSING OF POPE FRANCIS 1

Catholics to pray daily for the repose of his soul

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgetown joins Catholics and people worldwide in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis I, who died today at the age of 88. He had been ill for some time.

Bishop of Bridgetown, The Most Reverend Neil Scantlebury, said today: “He was the first Pope I ever met face-to-face and I remember his firm handshake, his warm smile, his simplicity. He was so humble, so real, so jovial, so holy.”

Bishop Neil added: “One of my enduring memories of Pope Francis is when he came out onto the balcony of the papal apartment after he was elected in 2013 and he stood before a packed St Peter’s Square and asked the people to pray for him—and a profound silence fell over the entire space as the people prayed for him. Fast forward to March 27, 2020, when he who stood alone, in silence, in that same Square and prayed for all of us during the height of the COVID pandemic—when he made his statio orbis. And then, just yesterday, Easter Sunday, he is wheeled out onto the same balcony where he began his pontificate, and gives us—the Church and the world—his final blessing. He was a true shepherd. May he rest in peace.”

Bishop Neil also hailed the depth of the insights shared by Pope Francis in documents like Laudato Si’, Amoris Laetitia and Evangelii Gaudium. He said: “Pope Francis was so full of mercy in his perspective, from the very start when he likened the Church to a ‘field hospital’, to his championing the care of the Earth, to the hailstorm of criticism he received for saying ‘Who am I to judge?’. He was big-hearted, he was courageous, and his call for us to unflinchingly minister to the ‘fringes of humanity’ still resounds.”

The Diocese of Bridgetown will have a Requiem Mass for Pope Francis, details of which are still being finalised. Prayers for the repose of his soul will be offered daily, and special prayers for the election of a new Pope will also begin soon.