By Vernon Khelawan

In what must be identified as the greatest public display of Roman Catholic culture in Trinidad and Tobago in many years, thousands of Catholics joined by members of other faiths, completed close to 20 miles during their “March for Jesus” two Sundays ago.

Standing under a broiling hot sun, the marchers from east and central listened to a recorded homily from Archbishop Joseph Harris, before setting off from the Croisée in San Juan with an intermediate stop at the Morvant Junction on the Eastern Main Road. Persons from the west and the city environs, listening to the same homily at the same time, in their turn set off from the Jean Pierre Complex, both groups converging on the Queen’s Park Savannah for prayers and other forms of worship.

That thousands of Catholics could be moved to come out on a hot Sunday and show the country the People of God are not averse to wearing the badges of their religious culture and identity on their polos, tee shirts, on their placards as well as with their prayers, show that the Roman Catholic Church in this archdiocese is certainly not asleep or even dozing: it is truly alive.

In this year when the emphasis is on the second Archdiocesan pastoral priority Revitalising Catholic Culture and Identity, there has been no lack of display. In the first half of the year there have been endless public displays of culture and identity, and indications are there are lots more events to come.

In a more subdued mood, perhaps, there is the “United Intercession for 50 days” organised by the Zion RC Community, which began last Friday and ends on August 24. This activity is in celebration of the nation’s 50th anniversary of Independence.

The community has invited all to join it in a series of prayers and worship programmes focusing on the salvation and healing of our citizens and social structures. Theme of the programme is “…Only this, to act justly, to love tenderly (mercy) and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8.

Somehow, it would seem that Roman Catholics in this society have silently vowed to ensure that their Catholic faith would not suffer for lack of participation in all these public expressions of their culture and that the country recognises the Church’s role in helping to create a better and more peaceful society.