New Novitiate House - Georgetown, Guyana

Georgetown, Guyana - In a historic moment for the Province of the Immaculate Conception, the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) opened a new novitiate house for its members in the tiny, coastal Caribbean country of Guyana.

Bl. John Paul the Great Novitiate opened its doors on October 22nd, the first feast of its patron, and our late pontiff, Bl. Pope John Paul II. Six novices entered the novitiate this year, located in Guyana's capital city of Georgetown, while a possible seventh waits in the wings. Fr. John Persaud, vicar of the Diocese of Georgetown, presided at the Mass, assisted by Fr. Daniel Mentesana, IVE, who flew from Canada to preach the Mass, and Fr. Alex Pérez, IVE, the house's Master of Novices.

The IVE has had a presence in Guyana since 1995, taking over two missions formerly held by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Formerly the country was a British colony and gained its sovereignty in 1966. Very impoverished, many of its inhabitants gain a living by working in the ubiquitous rainforests which fill most of the country's interior. While one of the IVE missions is located in the small village of Charity, the second one is in Santa Rosa, hidden deep in the jungle and accessible only via boat, where each summer a contingent of religious and lay volunteers from the IVE travel for a mission. If you are interested in doing a mission with us in Guyana yourself, follow this link for more information or go here to see the article about this year's mission.