“We need to know and believe that we can trust in God, that we can find our rest in Him,” with this invitation, Archbishop Santiago Ignacio De Wit Guzmán, Apostolic Nuncio to the Netherlands and delegate to the Episcopal Conference of the Antilles, encouraged the participants of the Regional Meeting of the Caribbean countries of CELAM to renew their trust in the action of God amidst the challenges facing the evangelizing mission in the region.
The inaugural Eucharistic celebration took place at the St. John Vianney and Ugandan Martyrs Seminary, located in Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, where bishops, priests, religious men and women and lay people from the Churches of the Caribbean gathered to begin several days of reflection, discernment and communion.
The challenges of proclaiming the Gospel in the Caribbean
Taking as a starting point the story of the prophet Elijah in the Book of Kings, the pontifical representative compared the prophet’s experience with the pastoral reality lived by many ecclesial communities in the region.
He recalled that, after announcing a time of drought, Elijah was sent by God to hide by the Jordan River, where he would receive food and sustenance. Drawing on this biblical image, he reflected on the difficulties faced by those who serve the Church in the Caribbean. “After four years in this region, I realized that the ministry of bishops and the ministry of the Church in this region is not easy at all ,” he said.
Although he acknowledged the hospitality of the Caribbean people, the richness of their communities, and the beauty of their landscapes, he noted that the mission unfolds in a context of multiple challenges. Among these, he mentioned small communities, social, political, and economic decline, a lack of understanding of the Church’s position at certain times, and the difficulties in transmitting the faith to new generations. “I know how difficult the mission can become ,” he said.
Learning to recognize the presence of God
Faced with these realities, the Nuncio stressed the need to trust in the Lord even when He seems to remain silent: “We need a word of comfort ,” he noted, recalling God’s promise to Elijah: “Do not worry, ravens will come and feed you, and you will quench your thirst by the river . ”
The Nuncio acknowledged that those who hold pastoral responsibilities often expect visible signs of support, words of encouragement, or confirmation that they are acting in accordance with God’s will. However, he invited them to discover the divine presence in the midst of everyday circumstances: “Sometimes it is not so easy to accept the Lord’s silence, his presence in our lives . ”
Therefore, he urged people to open their minds and hearts to learn to interpret reality from the perspective of faith and to recognize how God’s grace acts in the lives of individuals and communities.
Let God transform your heart
During his reflection, the pontifical delegate presented the Beatitudes as a spiritual space where disciples can rest and allow themselves to be transformed by God: “We can rest in the Lord hoping that he will help us to be poor in spirit, merciful people, people of pure heart . ”
According to him, true strength for the mission comes from a relationship with Christ, which allows believers to commit to justice, work for peace, and constantly respond to the call to conversion. “We have to commit ourselves by fighting for justice, trying to do what is right, and working for peace ,” he said.
Archbishop Santiago also recalled recent teachings of the Holy Father to remind us that God’s transformative action continues to work in the lives of believers: “The Holy Father insists very clearly that the Lord and the grace of the Lord can transform our hearts .” He explained that Christians are called to become fertile ground for divine action , allowing the Lord to shape their lives and make them signs of hope for others. If believers open themselves to this transformative action, he said, they will be able to bring joy, fraternity, solidarity, and hope to those around them: “We will be able to bring all this hope, all this joy . ”
Born again for the mission
The Nuncio also recalled a recent address by the Pope during a visit to Algeria, where he invited the faithful to understand the call to be “born again” not as a mere suggestion, but as a genuine divine invitation. He acknowledged that this call can generate fear because it surpasses human capabilities, but insisted that it is precisely there that God’s power is manifested: “It is an opportunity for God to show us his power and his grace . ”
The Church authority warned against forgetting that God is the true protagonist of all evangelization. “We run the risk of forgetting that we are in God’s hands, that He supports us, that we are not alone,” he said, and invited everyone to refocus their gaze on the Lord and allow themselves to be captivated by His love and mercy.
Archbishop Santiago shared a message recently addressed by the Pope to young people in Spain, which he considered equally valid for priests, bishops, religious, and lay people committed to pastoral service. “I want to entrust to all of you the mission of being truly human ,” he quoted.
He explained that being truly human means living authentically, seeking justice, acting honestly, and treating others with the same dignity with which one wishes to be treated. “Be human like Christ, the perfect man,” he urged. The papal representative noted that this call constitutes an ongoing task for all missionary disciples and recalled the witness of the first Christians who proclaimed the Gospel in complex contexts.
Change history with love
Towards the end of the homily, he encouraged the participants of the Caribbean Regional Meeting to embrace their missionary vocation with renewed enthusiasm , especially in the face of the material and spiritual poverty that affects many people today.
He reminded them that the Christian faith is a path lived through charity and that love continues to be the most transformative force in history. “Look at the apostles and the first Christians. Following their example, be missionaries of the Gospel ,” he urged.
And he concluded with an invitation that summarized the message of his homily: “You can change history. Do it with love.”
June 9, 2026 by
