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'Men of the cloth' shun VG Easter Festival invocation

- Criticised for missing an opportunity to reach souls
Ms Franka A. Pickering, left, has criticised priests and pastors for reportedly refusing to do the invocation at the opening of the Roy O’Neal Festiville in Virgin Gorda on April 20, 2019. Photo: VINO
A section of the crowd at the opening of the Roy O’Neal Festiville in Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda on April 20, 2019. Photo: VINO
A section of the crowd at the opening of the Roy O’Neal Festiville in Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda on April 20, 2019. Photo: VINO
The cutting of the ribbon to signify the official opening of the Roy O’Neal Festiville in Virgin Gorda on April 20, 2019. Photo: VINO
The cutting of the ribbon to signify the official opening of the Roy O’Neal Festiville in Virgin Gorda on April 20, 2019. Photo: VINO
SPANISH TOWN, Virgin Gorda, VI- Priests and pastors on the island of Virgin Gorda allegedly refused to appear on stage to deliver the invocation at the opening of the Roy L. O’Neal Festiville on April 20, 2019. This forced the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival Committee to resort to a non-preacher to bless the events.

The invocation was done by Ms Franka A. Pickering who before performing the act hit out at persons of the cloth. “With the many priests that we have on the island and pastors, I understand that some do not want to take part in doing the invocation at the Village.”

A missed opportunity

This Ms Pickering said could have been a missed opportunity at touching some souls “… which I think that they have the golden opportunity at that time to probably capture a couple of souls if they did the invocation. And I hope they would think about this long and hard.”

Attracting rounds of applause, Ms Pickering added, “I think they know they don’t have to be in a church to pray, you don’t have to be in the church to capture what we would have already captured. You have to go into the rum shops, in places like this, in order to capture other souls,” as she said there would not have a similar situation come the 2020 Virgin Gorda Easter Festival.

For many years there has been the back and forth debate among the Christian community both on Virgin Gorda and on Tortola as to hosting the fun and frolic festivities during the “holy” season, Easter.

In her prayer, Ms Pickering said, “We all know that we have had challenges over the years to change it to another date, to change the behaviour of troops et cetera, Heavenly Father, it’s an easy task, it’s not difficult if we all would stick together, work together for the betterment of all, that we would like.”

Noting that the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival has been existence for 52 years, Ms Pickering said “Government had thrown the doors open to us years ago for us to do what we wanted to do, about changing festival, Lord, and I guess it had not been changed.”

“So I guess the persons who have been making noise have probably changed their minds because they probably realised it’s not all that bad.”

Sub-Committees to get $$$ by December

Meanwhile, in a move to ease the stress of ‘last minute’ organising of festivals across the territory, Chairman of the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee Carnel D. Clyne announced that going forward, budgeted monies will be made available to committees by the December prior.

Giving remarks at the opening ceremony, Mr Clyne said, “In the past Virgin Gorda has been challenged with gracing themselves with monies at the last minute.”

“I was in Standing Finance Committee just two days ago and I am happy to mention that every year going forward, with this new administration, the Budget will be passed in December so we will have ample time. At least between now and January morning we will be able to know who the artists are and who are coming.”

This he said will give persons better time to plan their vacation and other activities, “To come to the Virgin Gorda festivities and the festivities on the main island.”

Also present at last night’s opening and giving remarks were Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, Fisheries and Culture Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), Junior Minister for Tourism, Honourable Shereen D. Flax-Charles (AL), and Director of Tourism Sharon P. Flax-Brutus.

Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1), Minister for Health Hon Carvin Malone, and Deputy Speaker of the HoA Hon Neville A. Smith (AL) aka "Sheep" were among the audience.

14 Responses to “'Men of the cloth' shun VG Easter Festival invocation”

  • wize up (21/04/2019, 11:41) Like (11) Dislike (5) Reply
    Man of the cloth ran in 2019 elections and what was that result!!!!! What the members of the cloth needs to speak up and speak out about they are very silent: I never thought I would have lived to see the day in our territory were a same sex legislation is pending: this territory was God fearing way back in the day....
  • ccc (21/04/2019, 11:50) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    It was packed people feel so free
  • man of the cloth (21/04/2019, 14:43) Like (43) Dislike (14) Reply
    'Men of the cloth' shun VG Easter Festival invocation"- To this we say, Thank God.

    If one showed up and asked for use of the microphone for prime time hour to pray to our God asking Him to save every Tom, Dick and Harry present and who are bringing dishonor to His sacred week I know you would refuse him/ her. How should a true man/ woman of God pray at an event like this? Don't kid yourself we are not coming to ask God to bless something that dishonors Him. Who have ears to hear let them hear.
  • Well Well (21/04/2019, 15:07) Like (36) Dislike (11) Reply
    Why is she bashing the men of the cloth?....I agree with men of the cloth 100%...this I wouldnt bless a festival no.one knowa what goes on there ...like they will be blessing sin. ..we just had a major hurricane in 2017 and there are more disasters to hit this BVI.....Wake up folks
    • wize up (21/04/2019, 16:27) Like (10) Dislike (13) Reply
      some of the same money and some of the same sinful folks put money in the offering plates: that money is then blessed and spent by the same church (to God be the glory).....simply my personal opinion
  • Interested (21/04/2019, 15:33) Like (31) Dislike (3) Reply
    Praise. The Lord. They stood up. This is Easter when the death , burial and resurrection of Christ is observed. How inappropriate to ask them to pray at the opening of a village of revelling
  • Hmm (21/04/2019, 15:40) Like (29) Dislike (2) Reply
    Not only that, if I was a man of the cloth I wasn’t coming either. Pray and then go wuk up the next night with Dexta Dapps and his xrated lyrics! Will children be allowed in the village tonight? To listen to that crap.
    • Huh? (22/04/2019, 08:37) Like (10) Dislike (3) Reply
      The same night them wukking up. Soon soon after prayers.
      • @huh? (22/04/2019, 09:49) Like (6) Dislike (8) Reply
        Pastors and priest does wuk up also. Some of them worse than who out in public.

        A set of damn hypocrites!!!

        Sum of them even in the closet in dark places but out in church with gown on and ting!
  • Time is ripe (21/04/2019, 20:07) Like (14) Dislike (4) Reply
    Funny man had the two main ones buy out, time for Vincent and flax Charles to break the spell
  • Damon (22/04/2019, 13:11) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
    I fully agree with the men of the cloth to NOT pray at this event.. would would the men of the cloth be associated with anything that dishonors Jesus’s death and resurrection .. shame on Franka for Franka well know that she meant nothing about this being an opportunity to win souls..yes there are Christian our there that do not always do God’s will but all of us will be held accountable for our actions and as Christians no one should knowingly engage in behaviors deemed sinful.. the Bible speaks about revelling and Easter activities such as dances n troops etc dishonors God .the word said who have ears let them hear.. I applaud the men of the cloth not to participate in their sinful revelling..Min Wheatley n Flax PLEASE Honor God By stopping this dishonoring of Jesus’s death with this Easter revelling.
  • Really (23/04/2019, 11:07) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    A man "of cloth" should have taken the opportunity to appear on stage and put down a good prayer meeting and see who would have stayed at the function. That was a good opportunity for some good gospel preaching - Uncouth expectations. LOL

    The right person blessed the events.
  • Curious (23/04/2019, 11:14) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    A man of cloth recently took a sabbatical, it would have been appropriate to invite him to do the blessings. He can pray - damn, he is good.

    Why does an event such as this need "men of cloth" to bless it anyway, and from whom blessings were being asked?


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