CONFERENCE SPEAKER
BROTHER WINSTON GARCIA
Speaking with wit, passion, and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we will once again be enriched by the contributions of Brother Winston Garcia – one of the Caribbean’s finest Catholic Lay Evangelists. Brother Winston continues to serve as Moderator of the People of Praise (POP) Community of Arima, Trinidad and is responsible for the visioning, leadership, pastoral care, and music ministry of the community.
He has fervently ministered the gospel of Jesus Christ through the Word and song, in North America and throughout the Caribbean. His greatest aspiration is to guide people to the heart of God through praise, worship, and Scripture.
Winston holds an undergraduate degree in Musical Arts from the University of the West Indies and an MBA in Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation from the Anglia Ruskin University of Cambridge.
A devoted husband and father, Winston and his beautiful wife Debbie are parents to two girls and three boys. He is skilled in the kitchen and loves his dogs and West Indies cricket. We anticipate another infusion of energetic and Spirit-filled preaching by Brother Winston in this year’s Sound the Trumpet 19: Trust & Surrender. Believe & Receive, as he shares on the miracle he experienced on Praise Mountain and much more.
MASS CELEBRANT
FR MAURICE WHITE
Fr Maurice White is one of the newest diocesan priests in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain. Born in 1984, he felt called to priesthood in 2014. He entered the Dominican Order as a religious brother in 2015 after a period of discernment and a renewal of his life in the Spirit. Fr Maurice later entered the Seminary of St John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs, where he completed his theological studies and pastoral work.
Ordained on March 19th, 2024, Fr Maurice hopes to use his calling to renew the perspectives that young people have of God and themselves. He hopes to do this by speaking new life into them as he directs them to God. During his ordination, he encouraged persons to do Eucharistic Adoration, proclaiming it as an opportunity to receive the mercy and healing of God directly.
He is the older of two boys, a competent classical pianist, and loves to be rejuvenated by nature.
Fr Maurice remains active in his birth parishes of Malabar and Santa Rosa and will be celebrating Mass on Saturday at Sound the Trumpet 19.
CONFERENCE SPEAKER
FR. RAYMOND FRANCIS
Father Raymond Francis is the parish priest at Toco/Matelot. He is steeped in pastoral ministry and enjoys caring for the souls who are sick, elderly, and shut in. Fr. Raymond has a passion for mentoring youth, working with families, and celebrating the Eucharist.
Fr. Raymond’s spiritual growth and development were profoundly influenced by COR (Christ in Others Retreat) and Life in the Spirit seminars. At the age of 20, he entered Eternal Light Community, a lay charismatic community. He also worked for two years on mission in Grenada as a retreat director for youth and young adults.
In 2014 he graduated from the University of the West Indies and the Seminary of St. John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs with a degree in Theological and Ministerial Studies. On July 20th, 2016, Fr. Raymond realized a lifelong dream and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Port of Spain by Archbishop Joseph Harris.
Fr. Raymond is the founder of the Trinitarian Presence Missionaries – a lay community of men and women seeking God’s presence to live and grow in holiness and grace, so they can become God’s presence to all people. At STT19 Fr. Raymond will lead our healing session on Saturday evening.
FR. IAN TAYLOR
CONFERENCE PREACHER
Currently in his 36th year of priesthood, Fr Ian Taylor was ordained in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain in June 1988. He has pastored many parishes and is currently the parish priest of New Grant RC in Princes Town.
He is known for his missionary work throughout the Caribbean and across many continents, including Jamaica, Haiti, the Dutch Caribbean, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, the US, Slovakia, Romania, India, and many African nations. In 2002, Fr Ian and a few parishioners launched the well-known Jesus Explosion conference, for which he now serves as Spiritual Director. He is even more well known for his vibrant and humorous preaching style which we will experience at this year’s conference.
We look forward to Fr Ian’s dynamism and zeal for ministering during the Surrender segment of this year’s STT19 conference. He will preach on the theme: Withholding Nothing.
BR. DAN ALMETER
CONFERENCE PREACHER
Almeter is a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Augusta, Georgia. He received his master’s in counseling from Augusta State University and is a Licensed Professional Counselor with extensive experience in counseling and spiritual direction.
Dan has been active in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal since 1970. He is an elder in the Alleluia Christian Community where he currently oversees Pastoral Care and Formation. Dan served for many years on the Executive of the International Catholic Fraternity of Covenant Communities and Fellowships— A Pontifical Association, as well as the Council for the North American Network of Charismatic Covenant Communities.
Dan is very active in the work of reconciliation and unity both nationally and internationally. His book, Unity: On Earth as in Heaven, is a witness to what is possible when Christians work against the sin of division. He also works as a formator in Encounter Ministries and the Alleluia Community School of Spiritual Direction. He is married to Marie for 44 years. They have 6 children and 23 grandchildren – the last one being born just a few days ago on October 9th.
We look forward to having Dan minister during the Surrender segment of this year’s STT19 conference as Fr. Ian Taylor is unwell. He will preach on the theme: Withholding Nothing.
FR. ROBERT CHRISTO
CELEBRANT – CLOSING MASS
Father Robert Christo was ordained in December of 2007 and serves as the Vicar for Communications for the Archdiocese of Port-of-Spain. He is newly appointed as the moderator and parish priest within the cluster of Arima/Malabar.
Fr. Christo has his own unique style of expression. He is sold out for Jesus, 100% passionate about his faith and 100% unconventional in his preaching style. He describes himself as “born and bred in the ‘ghetto’. His life can be described as a journey divided into three distinct phases: one-third of his early childhood was spent deeply immersed in the life of the church, one-third was dedicated to the corporate world, and another third devoted to ordained ministry in the priesthood.
Father Christo is passionate about restoring harmony to all of humanity (which he describes as gone crazy) especially where it matters most — at the peripheries and with GenZ (digital generation). He believes that true missionary discipleship happens from the pews to the pavement, reaching out to those on the margins and bringing the love and compassion of Christ to messiest corners of the world.
We are delighted to have Fr Christo celebrate the closing mass on Sunday at STT19, Trust & Surrender. Believe & Receive.
FR. JESSE MAINGOT, O.P.
SPEAKER AT YOUTH CONFERENCE
Fr. Jesse Maingot, O.P.is a Dominican priest of the Irish Province, currently stationed in Trinidad and Tobago. He was ordained in 2019. He was first assigned as chaplain to the Dominican College at Newbridge, Ireland.
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