By Vernon Khelawan

The “joyful noise” concerts are finished, including the one in Tobago last Sunday, and the reports, as far as I am aware, agree that the shows provided superior entertainment and were all well received by the hundreds of patrons who attended.

This dream of Archbishop Joseph Harris of exposing the latent talent in our Church was the genesis of these special concerts and they were in keeping with the Synod mandate and its Second Pastoral Priority – Revitalising Catholic Culture and Identity. The series was also the Church’s cultural contribution to mark the nation’s 50th anniversary of Independence.

If nothing else, the five concerts were able to unearth talent of all ages and of all genres – singers, pannists, actors, musicians, choirs and more – who asserted they can all do their thing for the greater glory of God, while at the same time encouraging churchgoers to see Church in another dimension.

The success of the concerts cannot truly be quantified in any particular way, except to say that it has provided a platform for parishes to take the initiative and organise similar productions for the benefit of their parishioners, thus demonstrating the cultural richness of our communities and helping to deepen solidarity. Parish groups and ministries, as well as our school children, can all become involved in such events.

Many of our Archdiocesan schools, both primary and secondary, participate in competitions at Carnival time and Christmas time, some even have annual concerts of their own, featuring the talent available within their walls. Whether they are competitive or not, does not matter, they simply confirm the role of our Church in building community and assist the people of God in their responsibility to keep the Church alive.

But there is more! Coming to assist in revitalising our culture and identity, just days after the “Joyful Noise” in Tobago, is the musical ISAIAH from Jamaica, which is dubbed a Reggae Opera and is being brought here by Fr Richard Ho Lung, who is no stranger to the entertainment stages in Trinidad and Tobago.

Fr Ho Lung and his Missionaries of the Poor (MOP) will today stage two matinee shows, the last of four concerts at Queen’s Hall. Proceeds of these concerts will go towards care for orphaned children in Kenya and the Mothers and Babies Centre in Jamaica.

God is working hard in this vineyard to revitalise our Catholic culture and identity.