NEW PRIESTS FOR THE ANGLICANS
The Bishop Laish Boyd of the Anglican Diocese (center) presents the new Deacons Howard Bethel Jr. (far left) and Rondeno Rolle (far right)
There is a shortage of priests in The Bahamas, both Anglican and Catholic clergy. There is also a general shortage of people who have the care of other people as a profession. No one wants to do it.
So it was refreshing to watch the ordination of two men in their thirties, Rondeno Rolle and Howard Bethell Jr. who left their first occupations and now are priests in the making. They were ordained to the Anglican deaconate on Thursday 31st September 2023.
We congratulate them for taking that leap. The community in Georgetown, Exuma, their home parish, came out in numbers to express their support. We wish them well.
The church in its catholic sense has to take stock of why there is this shortage and take measures to attract people to the vocation. It is a good vocation and perhaps we ought to seek ways to assist in making sure that men and women join the band of brothers and sisters whose work is the Lord’s.
The Anglican Church faces a similar problem with musicians. The music of the church and the chants are quite complex, and there is a shortage of people who want to take the time to learn how to read music and play the organ for these complicated melodies and rhythms.
The Bishops have a lot of work to do. The Romans for example have just ordained one priest this year. He is probably the last to be ordained by this Bishop Patrick Pinder who will retire in three years, and there is reportedly no one in the pipeline for a profession in the Roman Church which takes nine years to produce a priest.
Lots of work to do. The gospel says that there is a lot of work, but the labourers are few.
In the meantime, best to these two young men.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday 2 September 2023 up to midnight: 464,221;
Number of hits for the month of August up to Thursday 31st August 2023 up to midnight: 141,509;
Number of hits for the year 2023 up to Saturday 31st August 2023 up to midnight: 15,139,403;