Chief Minister the Honourable Victor F Banks, met recently with Bishop Robert Llanos, Auxiliary Bishop of Port of Spain. Bishop Llanos was recently appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of St Johns Basseterre, in an official announcement made in Rome in June 2016.
The Bishop visited Anguilla as part of an orientation visit to the member states of the Archdiocese. During the visit, Bishop Llanos also conducted mass at the
St Gerards Roman Catholic Church.
According to Chief Minister, Victor F Banks, “the government had been collaborating with the former Bishop of St Johns Basseterre, the Most Reverend Kenneth Richards, for several years leading up to the signing of an Agreement to use Wallblake House for a heritage tourism project. This was an ideal opportunity”, he added “to brief Bishop Llanos on the partnership between the Roman Catholic Church and the Government of Anguilla”.
Bishop Llanos indicated that he was happy to return to Anguilla, having spent one month here about 7 years ago while still a priest. “I am pleased to learn of this cooperation and the role that the church can play in the development of heritage tourism in Anguilla, particularly since this industry is vitally important to the economy of the island . I look forward to the realization of this interesting project”, he added.
Fr Pawel Czoch SVD, who accompanied Bishop Llanos on the courtesy call to the Chief Minister, took the opportunity to say goodbye before beginning a 6 month sabbatical on November 1st 2016.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
