Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2010 / Archbishop visits parish in Cayman Islands for confirmations
Archbishop visits parish in Cayman Islands for confirmations
by Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published February 12, 2010
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Archbishop Allen Vigneron delivers the homily at Mass in St. Ignatius Church, Grand Cayman during his Jan. 22-29 pastoral visit to the Cayman Islands. |
DETROIT – Archbishop Allen Vigneron paid his first pastoral visit to the southernmost outpost of the Archdiocese of Detroit Jan. 22-29.
The archbishop confirmed 15 teenagers during his visit to St. Ignatius Parish in the Cayman Islands. The Archdiocese of Detroit took on the pastoral oversight of the three-island group in the western Caribbean Sea at the request of the late Pope John Paul II.
Archbishop Vigneron celebrated his first anniversary as archbishop of Detroit at a Jan. 27 dinner with parish staff.
"Archbishop Vigneron was quite busy on the islands, and for the people, they were honored that he came to see them. They know how lucky they are to have priests, and they were very happy to hear that the archbishop expressed his support for the parish and school, because these things are very important to them," said Fr. Paul Ballien, pastor of the parish.
Fr. Ballien was a seminarian during Archbishop Vigneron's time as rector of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit.
Besides celebrating several Masses at St. Ignatius Church in George Town, Grand Cayman, the parish's principal worship site, he also celebrated Mass at Christ the Redeemer Church in West Bay, Grand Cayman, which is also part of the parish.
He and Fr. Ballien flew on a 15-seat Twin Otter plane to the island of Cayman Brac, where the archbishop celebrated Mass for the Catholic community there at St. Mary Chapel, and viewed the site where Stella Maris Church will be built.
While on Grand Cayman, he met with the St. Ignatius/Christ the Redeemer parish council, the confirmandi, RCIA candidates, parish staff and the principals of the parish elementary and high schools.
He also visited the schools, and celebrated the weekday Masses for the students. In addition, he met with the governor of the Cayman Islands, Duncan Taylor. The islands are a British overseas territory.
"He did have a little time to relax as well. He visited the Turtle Farm and got to pick up live turtles — he loved it. He visited Pedro St. James, which is the birthplace of democracy in the Cayman Islands. He also visited the Botanical Park, and he was also able to visit a couple of my parishioners as well," Fr. Ballien said.
"He also enjoyed immensely the roosters that are everywhere on the island, especially the ones that wander around by the church apartments where he stayed. I guess it brought back memories of his youth (on a farm)," the transplanted Detroit pastor added.
O'Neil Miller, director of religious education and youth minister for the parish, said, "It was a great blessing to have our chief shepherd for a whole week in the parish. Parishioners really appreciated that the archbishop took the time to come and learn more about the people who live and work in the Cayman Islands who are under his pastoral care."
About 5,700 belong to St. Ignatius Parish, just more than 10 percent of the Caymans' population.
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