By Vernon Khelawan

By the time you read this column, our Archbishop, His Grace Joseph Everard Harris, would have received his pallium – the instrument which conferred on him the full authority to run the affairs of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Port of Spain.

Archbishop Harris received his pallium last Friday (Feast of the Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul) during a ceremony in Rome. Included in the large crowd witnessing the event was a near three dozen-person contingent of Catholics from Trinidad and Tobago, led by Vicar General Monsignor Robert Llanos.

The modern pallium is a circular band about two inches wide made of white lamb’s wool, worn about the neck, breast and shoulders with two pendants, one hanging down on the chest and the other resting on the back. The ornamentation of the pallium consists of six small black crosses – one each on the breast and back, one on each shoulder and one on each pendant. Its use is reserved to the Pope and Archbishops, however, archbishops may not use it until – on petition – they have received permission from the Holy See.

Although this ceremony was celebrated in the Vatican, in faraway Rome, it must be recognised as another example of the richness of our Catholic culture and identity.

Another public expression of our Catholic culture is today’s “March for Jesus” which, apart from establishing the fact that the Church is alive and well, will give focus to the theme of Catholic Culture and Identity.

The “March for Jesus” calls on Catholics everywhere in the Archdiocese to profess their faith in a public manner. It comes right after the series of cultural concerts Make a Joyful Noise and its curtain dropper Family Day celebrations, and the fantastic Corpus Christi Mass at the Queen’s Park Savannah and procession through the streets of Port of Spain. Clearly, there is no lack of enthusiasm as we strive to “revitalise Catholic culture and identity” in the Archdiocese.