By Vernon Khelawan

This country’s golden jubilee, continues into the month of September. But Roman Catholics of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain can walk with their heads held high and with great pride for the role they played in the events sponsored or supported, not only at the level of the archdiocese, but at the vicariate and parish levels as well.

What was significant however, was that every celebration or observance to mark this major milestone in our nation’s history, had some kind of linkage with the Second Pastoral Priority – Revitalising Catholic Culture and Identity – now the focus of the Church.

Led by Archbishop Joseph Harris, the Church took the lead in organising several events leading up to last Friday’s national celebrations, with three major activities geared to displaying our Catholic culture. The Make a Joyful Noise series of six concerts all over the archdiocese, with its grand finale at the Queen’s Park Savannah, is something that will always be remembered.

The special celebrations at the AtoBoldon Stadium in Couva on August 19, which included both spiritual and cultural components, was a mix never before attempted in the recent history of the local Church, and which came off successfully.

The crowning glory was to be the Midnight Mass ushering in that important birthday August 31. Unlike years ago, when Midnight Mass was a regular event to mark important feast days in the Catholic calendar, that aspect of our religious culture has sadly, almost disappeared.

But on this occasion the joy was to be experienced with the pealing of the bells at the recently proclaimed Pro-Cathedral (Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help) in San Fernando – reminding the faithful that the Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago was still very much alive.

And now that the Jubilee Year has begun, it is hoped that Roman Catholics in this country, and we form quite a large percentage of the population, would continue to work towards developing a more loving and kind society, of which all can be proud.

It would not be boastful, therefore, if it is said that Roman Catholics in Trinidad and Tobago truly played their roles in observing this auspicious occasion and let it be known with and adequate measure of pomp and ceremony.