The Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) Leadership Conference for Diocesan Youth Leaders 2025 marks a transformative milestone in the mission of the Catholic Church across the Caribbean. Rooted in the Church’s Jubilee Year and inspired by the theme “Pilgrims of Hope, Discipling the Now of God,” this gathering is far more than a single event — it is a strategic investment in forming the next generation of leaders.
Held under the guidance of Most Rev. Charles Jason Gordon, President of the AEC, Archbishop Kenneth Richards, Archbishop of Kingston and Most Rev. John Persaud, Bishop of Montego Bay, with facilitation by Mr. Robert Feduccia of EQSAINTS, the conference brought together youth leaders from 19 dioceses. Supported by the dedicated AEC Secretariat team — Mr. Ellis Southwell, Mrs. Taresa Best-Downes, Mrs. Julie Ritchie-Bingham, Miss Lesley-Ann Walker, and Fr. Rohan Tulloch, SJ — the initiative aims to build human capacity for sustainable youth ministry.
Delegates, composed of laity, religious, and clergy, were equipped with practical tools to strengthen parish structures, foster collaboration, and form young leaders rooted in faith and sacramental life. In contrast to secular models that often drift from Gospel values, this formation places Christ at the center, echoing the hope of the Collect for the Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time: “Show favor, O Lord, to your servants and mercifully increase the gifts of your grace…”
The conference also drew inspiration from young Biblical figures and saints such as David, Joseph, Mary of Nazareth, Saint Dominic Savio, and Blessed Carlo Acutis — reminders that youth have always played pivotal roles in salvation history.
Importantly, the event plants seeds for a strategic ripple effect. Each participant is expected to return home as a multiplying agent — training youth ministers, mentoring peers, and launching new initiatives that could reach thousands. If each delegate impacts just 25 young people within a year, the immediate reach would be over 2,000, with the potential to grow exponentially.
Bringing together leaders from the English, French, and Dutch-speaking Caribbean for the first time in this format, the conference also promotes unity and shared best practices.
With an estimated 400,000 Catholic youth in the region, this leadership conference lays the groundwork for a Church where young people are not just served, but serve alongside their leaders — shaping a vibrant, faith-filled future for generations to come.
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