The third discipleship consultation was in Dominican Republic. So what is the consultation about? It is about PR, learning and accountability, community, ethics and spirituality, and being shaped by Jesus.
So, discussing all this and more with all the diocesan clergy, and many others was a wonderful experience. The island was a complete unknown, and I learnt a huge amount from everybody there.
The island would have been under British rule except that the navy led by Penn and Venables was repelled by a handful of Spanish soldiers near Santo Domingo. Having failed to capture Spanish territory they took Jamaica instead (and were put in the Tower when they returned to Britain!)
It was the first place that Columbus landed at, and very soon the indigenous population was replaced by African slaves and consequently waves of black (ex)-slaves from Haiti, US and the West Indies. Together with the descendants of the original Spanish settlers, that racial mix is still reflected today, and the church is no exception.
Strangely, one of the main concerns expressed was noise pollution. The island is crowded with cars, no traffic is very slow until you get away from the capital. Environmental concerns are also a priority, as are trafficking.
It was a delight to get a glimpse of life on this Caribbean island which is also part of Latin America.
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