REGENERATING THE MORAL AND SPIRITUAL VALUES OF OUR SOCIETY

By Vernon Khelawan

Everybody you meet and speak to these days laments about the poor state of our society – the lawlessness, the killings, the corruption, the lack of respect for one another and everything else, including the environment, and most importantly the lack of love for our fellow man.

One hears the leaders talk about a better tomorrow, but they never articulate the means by which the society will achieve this. Oh! The politicians boast about the number of drains they have built, the number of roads and bridges they have repaired and the many modern structures that have been erected, all aimed at massaging those extra-large egos, while holding fast to the little bit of power they wield.

Have they ever been heard encouraging the people to regenerate spiritual and moral values? Have they ever been heard urging their constituents and supporters to begin again loving their brothers and sisters and observing standards and ethics in their workplaces? Such things are never within the ambit of their speeches and pronouncements.

This is what the Third Pastoral Priority is up against and what it means is that as Roman Catholics we have to take the lead in re-establishing that sense of respect and honesty and truth in our daily lives and, through the example we set, a great nation will be rebuilt, albeit slowly. It is a tough job, but someone has to do it. Our teaching and our faith put us up front and centre to take the lead role in such an exercise.

Archbishop Harris, preaching at the Holy Mass to celebrate the diamond jubilee of Bishop Sydney Charles in St Joseph two Sundays ago, said, “If Trinidad and Tobago is to become the kinder and gentler land that people yearn for, then they have to reflect the love and mercy of God. If all in the Church, families and schools did this, then Trinidad and Tobago will be a tremendous nation.” Then he added, “Sadly this is not the case.”

Will we as Catholics seriously consider what the Archbishop has said? Can there be a total resolve that if there is any small way in which we can help to achieve this goal, we grab it with both hands and dive headlong into the task of regenerating moral and spiritual values in our society and save ourselves from the “failed state” status that hangs ominously overhead?