{"id":256,"date":"2025-05-11T15:33:07","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T15:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/?p=256"},"modified":"2025-09-11T00:26:45","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T00:26:45","slug":"theres-no-place-like-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/?p=256","title":{"rendered":"There\u2019s No Place Like Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”1023.9px” custom_margin=”-31px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

From June 26<\/span>th<\/span>-30<\/span>th<\/span>, 2023 was the week where all participants in the Conference on Theology in the Caribbean Today (CTCT) biennial conference took a step back from the routines of our busy lives to come together and express ourselves in ways that we only get to do in a place where we feel at home. This \u201cplace\u201d isn\u2019t necessarily a geographical space, because we hail from all over the Caribbean, but I\u2019ll share more on that in a bit. Last time, 2021, we had to settle for a virtual coming together, because of the pandemic. That was my first CTCT conference. This time we were able to enjoy Grenada and all it had to offer in all its richness. This was my first in person CTCT conference.<\/span><\/p>\n

As much as Grenadian hospitality is second to none, especially thanks to the magnanimity of Bishop Clyde Harvey, the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, and the Local Organisation Committee, it wasn\u2019t just physically being in Grenada that made me feel like I was at home. More so, it was because of the deep love, care, and compassion of every individual who participated in the week in some way, shape, or form. It was my first time meeting many of the CTCT members in person, people whom I\u2019ve known for at least 3 years virtually. I got to see how tall they are in person. I got to share hugs with them. I got to hear their stories directly from their own lips instead of through computer speakers.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the week flew by too fast, and there were many competing ideas in a presentation-and-action packed few days, everything and everyone is still very fresh in my mind. While I can\u2019t highlight everything, a few things stand out to me in particular. Things like: the fruitfulness of Grenada; the genuine love for friends both alive and deceased; the grace of Sister Annette Chow, the passion of Msgr Patrick \u2018PABA\u2019 Anthony; the trustingness of Dr Adanna James; the brilliance of Dr Gerry Boodoo; the wisdom of Gloria Bertrand; the depth of Dr Rose-Ann Walker; the talent of Bernadette Gopaul-Ramkhalawan, the fearlessness of Stephanie Baldeosingh; the creativity of Mark Howell-Paul; the love of Dr Everard & June Johnston; the imagination of Fr Martin Sirju; the care of Pastor Ingrid Ryan Ruben; the thoughtfulness of Dr Alison Mc Letchie; the steadfastness of the secretariat; etc., I could go on and on honestly. These highlights are by no means exhaustive. Really, it\u2019s just a fraction of the life-giving gifts of the CTCT. This group helps me to appreciate what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God.<\/span><\/p>\n

This was also my first time presenting at an academic conference in person. I didn\u2019t realise until I was about to present, but it\u2019ll now be a lasting joy to remember that my first presentation was to this group who are my friends and my role models. For me, the CTCT embodies a concept deeply rooted in my heart: Ubuntu, often translated as \u201cI am because we are\u201d. To experience this total coming together of all these people helped me to remember that Church is more than what seems to be just pews enclosed by the 4 walls.<\/span><\/p>\n

This family-like gathering made me feel that I was right where I belong. Of course, as all families, we don\u2019t always have everything perfect. We have our fair share of issues to work through as well. However, as a theologian, and as a young person, I had been seriously questioning where I truly belong in the Church. I haven\u2019t felt a proper sense of home and belonging within the Church for a while, but the CTCT embraces those pains of mine and creates a space for me to be free to be who I believe God calls me to be. The CTCT is home for me and all of its members. I thank God for this room among the many in God\u2019s house. I\u2019m looking forward with hope to be able to witness and experience the future of CTCT.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Angelo Kurbanali<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From June 26th-30th, 2023 was the week where all participants in the Conference on Theology in the Caribbean Today (CTCT) biennial conference took a step back from the routines of our busy lives to come together and express ourselves in ways that we only get to do in a place where we feel at home. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":421,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=256"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":446,"href":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256\/revisions\/446"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=256"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=256"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctctoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=256"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}