Proclaiming Christ crucified, that he is risen from the dead, mankind’s salvation, hope and life and service will be the core message of Diocese of Roseau Bishop-elect Reverend Father Kendrick Forbes in Dominica, he said upon his arrival in the Eastern Caribbean nation.
“I am among you as one who serves,” said Forbes during an informal welcome reception for him at Douglas-Charles Airport, Dominica.
The Bahamian and former Archdiocese of Nassau vicar general told Dominican faithful that as he gets to know them and they get to know him, that hopefully they would all strive to know the Lord more deeply as well.
“I look forward to service,” said Forbes who will be ordained today at Our Lady of Fair Haven Cathedral, Virgin Lane, Dominica. “I come with no agenda, except that of the gospel.”
The bishop-elect reminded them of his visit in May and the two things he asked the faithful to do – pray for him first of all and to be patient with him.
Forbes said prayer is essential to any ministry in the church, and patience as they get to know each other.
Forbes will be the 10th bishop of Roseau.
His ordination will take place at Roseau Cathedral which has been undergoing a renovation for more than a decade-and-a-half.
Simeon Joseph, organizing committee Chair in an interview with Multi-Solutions Inc., said cathedral renovations started in 2009 with an initial cost of $3 million to repair the roof.
Unforeseen problems that required repair saw the expenditure balloon to $17 million, with another $4.7 million needed for all repairs.
“What originally started as a roof restoration ended up being a complete cathedral restoration, because every step of the way, we met obstacles in terms of structure, in terms of the soundness of the structure, in terms of flooring, in terms of roofing,” said Jospeh.
The organizing committee Chair said when they went to remove the roof, they realized the roofing was asbestos and had to hire consultants to guide the asbestos removal. They found asbestos in the roof and had to spend close to three-quarters of a million dollars removing the asbestos which had not been budgeted for. They started to repair the roof and realized the walls of the cathedral had no reinforcements, and had to install reinforcements. When they were digging for reinforcements, they realized the flooring of the cathedral had no substructure, and had to do the flooring when they realized the internal pillars of the cathedral had no reinforcements.
“It was a disaster waiting to happen,” said Joseph of the cathedral that he said goes back to 1878.
“It was built with limestone and stone on stone – no steel. We practically, we had to rebuild a whole new cathedral,” he said.
The $4.7 million needed to complete the restoration takes into account tiling, ceiling, electricals, and the finishing touches that include restoration of the wind pipe organ, “one of the oldest and still usable in the Caribbean.”
Joseph said the Dominican Catholic community was excited for Forbes to be ordained bishop, so that they can continue to effect repairs.
“We’ve been trying to seek funds, and committees in the absence of a bishop, are suspended, so that’s why we’re excited about this new bishop, because we can now have all the committees be appointed by this new bishop, to now begin the process of continuing. But work has been ongoing to ensure that what can be done is done with the finances that are available.”
The cathedral in which Forbes will be ordained today is a Dominican “national monument.”
“Dominica’s cathedral is one of the cathedrals in the Caribbean that is the most historical, the one that has the most art, the one that has the description of the gospels…even the history of Dominica is in our stained-glass windows which you may not find in many other cathedrals in the Caribbean,” said Joseph. “When you look at the windows of the cathedral, you will see the history of Dominica, the gospel being foretold in many of those stained-glass windows. This was worth preserving, for generations to come.”
A lot of work went into preparing the cathedral for Forbes’ ordination, but a lot of work is still needed for completion of the cathedral.
Joseph said every Catholic and Dominican should be present to witness the ordination of the new bishop.
“For the young people … people who are doubtful about their faith, the ordination of a priest and a bishop is always a very solemn moment for catechists and church understanding and liturgy, symbolism of the authority of the church and how things come to be. The ordination of a bishop is always a key point for learning in that exercise,” he said.
Pope Francis appointed Forbes, bishop of the Diocese of Roseau, Dominica, on May 2.
Forbes was born in Nassau on August 20, 1975.
He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Nassau on June 11, 2002.
Forbes served as associate rector and then rector of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral from 2002 to 2006.
From 2006 to 2009, he was pastor of Holy Family Church. From 2009 to his appointment as bishop elect of the Diocese of Roseau, he was pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Church.
In 2011, he earned a Licentiate in Canon Law (JCL) from The Catholic University of America.
From 2015 to his appointment as bishop elect of the Diocese of Roseau, he held the position of vicar general of the Archdiocese of Nassau, succeeding the late Monsignor Preston A. Moss.
His responsibilities over the years have also included the Catholic Board of Education, Archdiocesan Judicial Vicar, Archdiocesan Review Board, Archdiocesan Presbyteral Council, Archdiocesan College of Consultors and Adjunct Judicial Vicar, Western Antilles Marriage Tribunal.
Forbes is the second Bahamian to be appointed bishop.
Archbishop of Nassau Patrick Pinder was appointed auxiliary bishop of Nassau on June 27, 2003; on August 15, 2003, was his Episcopal Ordination. He was appointed archbishop on February 17, 2004, and installed as Archbishop of Nassau on May 4, 2004 at St. Francis Cathedral.
