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SPEAKERS

· Meet Our Speakers ·

GUEST SPEAKER 
MR. MICHAEL FIRMIN

Michael Firmin grew up in Louisiana and studied philosophy and theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He married his best friend and soulmate, Beverly in 1974. They experienced the Baptism in the Holy Spirit while in New Orleans and dedicated themselves to following Jesus as Lord of their lives.

Michael and Beverly moved from Louisiana to Augusta, Georgia in 1981 to join The Alleluia Community – a charismatic, interdenominational covenant community. Moving with no job and only faith, Michael and his young family found support in Alleluia, and by March of 1982, was recruited to begin the Golden Harvest Food Bank.  He remained the Executive Director of Golden Harvest Food Bank from 1982 until his retirement in 2013. 

Michael serves on the Board of Advisors of Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University in the Republic of Georgia, where he has been active in assisting with the re-establishment of the Catholic Church in the old Soviet Union since 1993.

Michael is a Spiritual Director and is often called upon for talks and retreats. He is currently involved in establishing schools of Spiritual Direction in India and in the Trinidad with People of Praise Community.  He and Beverly remain busy as the parents of 7 and grandparents to 12 beautiful grandchildren. 

CONFERENCE SPEAKER
BROTHER WINSTON GARCIA 

Speaking with wit, passion, and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we are always eager to hear from Brother Winston Garcia – one of the Caribbean’s finest Catholic Lay Evangelists. Brother Winston serves as Moderator of the People of Praise (POP) Community of Arima, Trinidad. He assumes the overall responsibility for the visioning, leadership, pastoral care, and music ministry of POP. 

Brother Winston 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 conference. 

CONFERENCE SPEAKER
FR. TREVOR NATHASINGH

Fr. Trevor Nathasingh is a is one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most energetic, and compelling Roman Catholic priests. His conviction carries over into his preaching, often encouraging listeners to evangelize and witness to the Catholic faith, himself being a convert from Hinduism.

Fr. Trevor’s first meaningful encounter with the Catholic Church took place in 1975, at a Charismatic Prayer Meeting hosted by the Eternal Light Community in Tunapuna. 

Within three years he was fully initiated into the life of the Catholic Church and was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on Sunday June 18, 1989.  Now in his 34th year of priesthood, Fr. Trevor has preached worldwide and is the founder of Franciscan House of Prayer – a Catholic Charismatic community based in Sangre Grande. He is currently the parish priest of St Paul’s RC Church in Couva.

We are blessed to have Fr Trevor use his ministry of the priesthood to help us on Saturday to Come Alive with the Word of God at the 18th  Sound the Trumpet Conference. We look forward to his authenticity, wit, and vigor that we know will be used by God to bless all who listen. 

CONFERENCE SPEAKER
FR. RAYMOND FRANCIS

Fr. Raymond Francis is the parish priest at Sangre Grande/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 STT18 Fr. Raymond will lead our healing session.  We anticipate we will Come Alive with Healing & Miracles in the Name of Jesus.

                                        

FR. PETER ST HILLAIRE
CELEBRANT – OPENING MASS

We are truly blessed to have Fr. Peter St Hillaire as the Mass celebrant for Sound the Trumpet 18. Fr. Peter was ordained to priesthood on 11th  December in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.  He first considered a vocation to holy priesthood at the age of 13.

Fr Peter’s upbringing in a Catholic home where he attended weekend Mass regularly, led to his active involvement in church ministries and the Catholic Charismatic Renewal at Assumption Church in Maraval.

In early 2014, a conversation with Fr Dwight Merrick led to prayer, during which he “felt fire coming down” and subsequently wept for an hour and a half. A few months later, at the age of 44, Fr Peter entered the pre-seminary in Carapichaima. Here, he involved himself in Street Ministry feeding the homeless in Chaguanas with the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother. He also undertook Hospital Ministry and attended the Catholic Bible Institute.

Fr. St Hillaire entered major seminary in August 2016 and was ordained five years later. He has expressed joy at doing what he feels God has called him to do.  We thank God for favouring us to be led by Fr St Hillaire as Christ comes alive in the Eucharist during Mass.

FR. JASON BOATSWAIN
CELEBRANT – CLOSING MASS

Fr. Jason Boatswain is a priest in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain who hails from the parish of St. Francis of Assisi in Sangre Grande.  He is also a member of the lay Charismatic Community – Franciscan House of Prayer – since the year 2000.  Born in 1976, Fr. Jason was ordained a priest on 30th May 2009. 

Immediately after his ordination, Fr. Jason was sent to Rome to pursue further studies, where in 2011 he completed his Licentiate of Sacred Theology and in 2016 his Doctorate in Sacred Theology in the field of Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. 

Father Jason currently serves as the Rector at the Seminary of St. John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs in Trinidad where he teaches Systematic Theology, Trinity and the History of Creation.  Passionate about praising and worshiping God, Fr. Jason is an avid learner, patient teacher, very prayerful soul who is full of joy and enjoys a good game of volleyball. 

Above all he is a humble servant of the Lord who is very generous with his time and very supportive of the People of Praise Community. He will celebrate the closing mass at this year’s Sound the Trumpet 18 – Come Alive. Thank You Lord for the gift of your son Fr. Jason, bless him and keep him.

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