The Tribune

CATHOLIC Archbishop Patrick Pinder called for a ‘renewal’ of the sacrament of reconciliation in the local archdiocese and urged parishioners of St Joseph to pray for the ‘restoration’ of family life at a Mass which marked the beginning of a year of celebration in observance of the church’s 80th anniversary.

“Let us pray for good families, families where mothers are mothers and not both mother and father; where fathers are fathers and not absentee fathers,” Archbishop Pinder said during his homily on Tuesday night.

The theme for the church’s year of celebration is “St Joseph celebrates 80 Years of Catholic Witness through Word, Sacrament and Charity”. The Archbishop told parishioners that building stronger families would not only improve the quality of life in the wider community but also cause vocations within the church to ‘flourish’. “When they do, a community will be here to celebrate another 80, 100 or 180 years from now,” said Archbishop Pinder.

St Joseph Roman Catholic Church was established on January 28, 1934 in the heart of the historic Bain Town and Chippingham communities and has been the spiritual home to generations of families from within not only the local community but throughout Nassau. The church’s outreach ministries support the building up of its members and the less fortunate in the wider community. The adult day care centre, youth ministries, Saturday soup kitchen and home visitation ministries are just some of the areas in which the church continues to give support to the community and its members.

Referring to the Gospel text for the Mass, Matthew 16 vs 13-19, Archbishop Pinder told parishioners that the text was the foundation for the power of the sacrament of penance and urged them to take time to read Matthew’s Gospel in its entirety.

“I say to you you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth shall be loose in heaven.”

Calling the church “the home of reconciliation” Archbishop Pinder said: “This text is the foundation of the power of the sacrament of penance. This text is the foundation upon which that sacrament stands. Nowadays it’s being called the sacrament of the new evangelisation.”

Archbishop Pinder added: “As you celebrate 80 years I suggest that you pray for a renewal of the sacrament of reconciliation in our entire archdiocese but also and most especially may St Joseph be our model for the restoration of family life among us. He is the patron of families, your patron of this parish.”

Also present at the celebratory Mass was the parish’s rector Monsignor Alfred Culmer and other priests from the diocese of Nassau as well as Deacon Gregory Taylor who recently took up a new assignment on San Salvador along with his wife Ivy Taylor. The couple were presented with parting gifts from the congregation and the Legion of Mary.