ANTILLESEPISCOPALCONFERENCE
9aGraySt,PortofSpainTrinidad&Tobago,WestIndies President:ArchbishopCharlesJasonGordon,ArchbishopofPortofSpain VicePresident:BishopJohnPersaud,DioceseofMandeville Treasurer:BishopRobertLlanos,DioceseofSt.John’s-Basseterre GeneralSecretary:Fr DonaldChambers Telephone:1868622-2932Email:aecgeneralsec@gmail.comWebsite:aecbishops.org
PressRelease:AdLiminaandAnnualPlenaryMeeting-Rome,Italy.
BishopsoftheAntillesEpiscopalConference
11thMay,2026
TheBishopsoftheAntillesEpiscopalConference(AEC)haveconcludedatwo-week pilgrimagetoRomemarkedbytheAdLiminaApostolorumVisitandtheAnnualPlenary MeetingoftheConference.
FromApril27toMay2,2026,theBishopsparticipatedintheAdLiminaApostolorumVisit, themandatorypastoralpilgrimageduringwhichbishopsmeetwiththeHolyFatherandthe DicasteriesandOfficesoftheHolySee.Duringthevisit,theBishopsengagedinfruitful dialoguewithnumerousVaticanoffices,includingtheDicasteriesforLaity,FamilyandLife; Clergy;DivineWorshipandtheDisciplineoftheSacraments;CultureandEducation;the DoctrineoftheFaith;PromotingIntegralHumanDevelopment;andthePromotionof ChristianUnity.MeetingswerealsoheldwiththePontificalCommissionfortheProtection ofMinors,theSecretariatofState,theGeneralSecretariatoftheSynodofBishops,andother keyofficesoftheHolySee.
ThehighlightofthevisitwastheaudiencewiththeHolyFather,whichtheBishopsdescribed asprofoundlyenriching,encouraging,anddeeplypastoral.Theencounterstrengthenedtheir communionwiththeSuccessorofSt.Peterandrenewedtheircommitmenttoevangelization throughouttheCaribbeanregion.
ThepilgrimagealsoincludedthecelebrationofHolyMassatthefourMajorBasilicasof Rome:theArchbasilicaofSt.JohnLateran,theBasilicaofSt.MaryMajor,andtheBasilicas ofSaintsPeterandPaul.AtSt.MaryMajor,theBishopsprayedatthetombofthelatePope Francis,whileatthetombsofSaintsPeterandPaultheyrenewedtheircommitmentto apostolicministry.
Thesecondweek,fromMay2toMay8,2026,focusedonongoingformation,spiritual renewal,pilgrimage,andtheAnnualPlenaryMeetingoftheAEC.Activitiesincludeda two-dayworkshoponsynodalleadershipfacilitatedbyFr.DavidMcCallum,SJ;aretreat directedbySr.JuliePeters,SSM;apilgrimagetoAssisi;andthebusinesssessionsofthe AnnualPlenaryMeeting.
Inobservanceofthe800thanniversaryofthedeathofSt.FrancisofAssisi,Sr.JuliePeters reflectedonthe“SpiritualityofSt.FrancisofAssisi,”culminatingintheBishops’pilgrimage toAssisi,wheretheyprayedatthetombsofSt.Francis,St.Clare,andSt.CarloAcutis.The pilgrimageconcludedattheBasilicaofSt.MaryoftheAngels,homeofthePorziuncola.
DuringthefinalbusinesssessionsoftheAnnualPlenaryMeeting,theBishopsdiscussed mattersaffectingthelifeandmissionoftheChurchintheCaribbeanandadoptedseveral pastoralresolutionstostrengthenevangelization,synodality,formation,socialoutreach,and ecclesialcollaborationthroughouttheAntilles.
AmongtheimportantresolutionsadoptedwasthedecisionthattheAECwillannually celebratethe“MassfortheCareofCreation”onSeptember1,orthenearestSunday, followingitsrecentpromulgationbytheHolySee.Bishopswillpromotethiscelebration withintheirdiocesesaspartoftheChurch’scommitmenttointegralecologyandcareforour commonhome.
TheBishopsinvitethefaithfulthroughouttheregiontocontinueprayingfortheChurchand torenewtheircommitmenttotheGospelmissionentrustedtoallthebaptized.Unitedwith theHolyFatherandtheUniversalChurch,theBishopsremainsteadfastinproclaimingJesus Christandfosteringcommunitiesoffaith,hope,peace,andcommunionthroughoutthe Caribbean.