Historic Installation, Immediate Action: Archbishop Wright Calls Key Meetings

Following Sunday’s historic service of recognition, newly installed Archbishop Philip Wright has wasted no time getting to work, convening key meetings with regional church leaders to begin charting the way forward. As head of the Anglican Church in the Province of the West Indies, Wright now carries responsibility not just for Belize, but for dioceses across the Caribbean. We spoke with His Grace who explains the role of the Provincial Standing Committee and the priorities already taking shape, while former Archbishop Most Reverend Howard Gregory offers insight into the weight of the office and what lies ahead.

 

His Grace Philip S. Wright, ArchBishop

“We are meeting here as the provincial standing committee. One of the things to bear in mind is that the standing committee is the executive branch of Synod, and Synod is the highest covenant body of the church at which. Major decisions are made and so at this meeting, what we are doing is we’re taking the instructions, if you will, that we received from our syn glass here, and we’re looking at ways in which we can implement this for the next three years until we have our next center. Along with that, of course, we. Are paying some attention to some of the issues facing our people in our region. And we seek to, if you will, implement how we are going to help respond to those needs as well. It’s been going very well and it has, we have had robust conversations and we’ve made some significant decisions so far.”

 

Most Rev Howard Gregory, Retired Archbishop

“By virtue of being a bishop and having been diocesan bishop, Bishop Philip already has an understanding of the role of the bishop as one who is the primary teacher within the dioceses, one who holds – maintains order. One who is the pastor to the pastors, so has a primary responsiveness for the care of the pastors. But now as Archbishop, he now has a wider portfolio, which involves first of all the Caribbean region, our province. Which means that he has responsibilities for certain aspects of the administration, the provincial office. He has to relate to the provincial office. He has – there are certain administrative things relating to all the dioceses in the province. But the dioceses in the province, as well as the congregations will also be calling upon him.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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