The missionary zone entrusted to the Oratorian Fathers is the civil parish of Portland, in the northeastern part of the Country. It is the most beautiful and picturesque part of the Island. We have three Church communities: St. Anthony in Port Antonio, which is the Oratory Church; St. Agnes in Buff Bay; and St. George’s in Avocat. St. Agnes supports an infant school and St. George’s supports an elementary and junior high school. We sit on the school board of both schools entrusted to our care.
The early Jesuits evangelized the area in the mid-1800s. In fact, St. George’s Church and school were founded in 1832/1833. The Jesuits would later found the two missions which would become St. Anthony and St. Agnes.
The Oratorians took over the territory August 1, 2012. There is dire poverty in the area and the Fathers, with the help of Food for the Poor, have built two outreach centers where we distribute food and clothing. Once a year, we have a 10-day medical mission. We take seriously the mandate to feed the poor, clothe the naked, visit the sick in the footsteps of St. Philip Neri.
We have various programmes of Evangelisation, especially for the youth, having formed an Oratory focused especially on the youth in our care.
Every Wednesday during the Pastoral year, we have “Evenings at the Oratory” where we provide education and catechesis, following the method of St Philip Neri, and throughout the year we give young adult retreats to bolster the Catholic identity.