Catholic And Anglican Communities Unite

The Anglican and Catholic communities come together on a Lenten mission entitled “His mercy endures forever”.

The brain child of Rev. Fr. Ronald Branche, the idea was for the coming together of Christian communities in Belmont to pray and to present a united front to the community; to pray for the conversion sinners, for the mercy of God and for deliverance from the scourge of crime.

Rev. Branche of St. Margaret’s Anglican Church in Belmont thought of the idea of having the Christian communities of Belmont come together in prayer, and reached out the Fr. Thomas Lawson OP of St. Francis Catholic church who loved the idea.

The first coming together of the two Christian communities was held on Thursday 11th February at the churchyard of St. Francis Catholic Church. It was very well attended with just over 100 patrons.

In his sharing, Fr. Lawson OP. described the crime situation in Trinidad as a focus on a 10% of the population with disruptive behavior. He suggested that rather than focusing on the 10% who are disrupting our society that we should rather focus on the 90% that is doing good. Fr. Lawson, who is from Ireland, recalled when he first came to Trinidad, it was initially for 2 months. However he loved it so much that he has made in Trinidad is home. He also said that the coming together of the two Christian communities was a foreshadow of the meeting of Pope Francis with the Russian Patriot in Cuba.

Rev. Branche shared a bit on the idea of the two Christian communities coming together to help pray crime and violence out of our community. He told the listening audience that one of the main events that the two communities will share will be the Stations of the Cross which is to be held on Friday 18th March, through the streets of Belmont. He said that at each of the fourteen Stations, one of the country’s ills will be lifted up in prayer to Almighty God.

The next coming together of the two Christian communities will take place on Thursday 25th February at 6:00pm, at the St. Margaret’s Anglican church yard. All are invited.