Guyana celebrated 60 years as an independent nation on May 26th 2026. Below is the message by His Lordship Bishop Francis Alleyne OSB:
INDEPENDENCE — 60TH ANNIVERSARY
To all the members of the faithful and all peoples of good will,
Our nation has celebrated sixty years of Independence. With formality, prayer, and some expressions of hype and even frivolity, we have marked the moment. Hopefully, within the celebrations there has also been significant reflection on the meaning of Guyana’s status as an independent nation.
Most of those who, sixty years ago, were responsible for guiding the process from colony to nationhood have moved on, and with them much of the dreaming, hope, determination, and excitement that made such transitions possible. Those architects of Independence, though no longer with us, put in place and captured for those who follow the designs and aspirations they envisioned for the nation. These take the form of our national songs, flag and anthem, pledge, coat of arms, and motto: “One People, One Nation, One Destiny.”
Much thought and attention would have gone into the formulation of a Constitution, and around all of this there would also have been commentary and discussion on the importance and significance of becoming — and being — an independent nation.
In our faith traditions, we have testimony and written records of the founders and followers of the faith throughout time. In our Christian tradition, we have the Gospels and writings of the early Church, the lives of the Saints, alongside doctrine and catechesis. What we seek to achieve is not merely information and knowledge about the faith, but also an understanding of the spirit with which those who have gone before us lived the faith. We seek to capture their zeal and passion, their witness, and the ways in which they brought the core of the faith into every aspect of their lives.
In a similar way, a nation has its history and a compendium of documents, events, and actors, all of which have impacted the formation and present status of the nation. Our dear land of Guyana has its own unique history and present reality, from which a distinctive way forward can be shaped — a way especially influenced by the unique makeup of our place and people, and grounded in patriotism, dedication, commitment, and a shared belief in what is possible and what is most deserving of our attention.
I have valued memories of the late Anthony Pantin, former Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain. When questioned about some religious practices and innovations that had become popular, even if they possessed some merit, he would comment: “These are not the things on which the Church was founded.” I think too of the response of Gamaliel in the Acts of the Apostles when the early Church, in its beginnings, was questioned about its soundness and authenticity. He said: “If this enterprise … does in fact come from God, you will be unable to destroy it.” (Acts 5:34–39)
While we take this moment to celebrate the anniversary of Independence, it is even more important that, on a daily basis, we together live out the soundness, authenticity, and spirit of its origins, with a focus on the desire to bring the nation to its fullness — as a people and as a nation standing shoulder to shoulder with other nations.
“God guard you Great Mother and make us to be
More worthy our heritage, land of the free”.
