Setting the working world on fire for Christ

The Evangelization Commission will be hosting a lunchtime Lenten Retreat from Monday, April 1 to Friday 5, from noon–1 p.m. at the Holy Rosary Church, Park Street, Port of Spain. The theme is You shall be my witnesses in the workplace.

Various facilitators will present on different aspects of being a witness for Jesus in the workplace. Archbishop Jason Gordon will celebrate the Eucharist on Friday, April 5 and deliver the closing homily. This retreat is also intended to encourage workers to join the organisation Catholics in the Workplace, Trinidad & Tobago (CiWTT).

CiWTT was founded in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain in January 2012 in response to the Synod Resolution #2 under the New Evangelisation. The goal under the New Evangelisation is that all Catholics come to know Jesus and live their lives animated by His love, example and values resulting in the evangelization of culture and integral human development.

CiWTT functions under the umbrella of the Evangelization Commission and it brings together a network of working people, committed to the Catholic faith, the service of humanity, evangelisation and engagement in the social mission of the Church.

The Mission of CiW is “Connecting what we believe with how we live” and all members are encouraged to make a commitment to: (1) keep holy the Lord’s Day; (2) to engage in one or more of the following spiritual practices—daily Examen, daily Angelus, weekly Lectio Divina, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the rosary, Christian Meditation, attendance at First Friday Mass; and (3) to engage in one charitable act for the year. CiWTT’s vision is to set the working world on fire with Christian spirituality.

CiWTT draws its philosophy of work from St John Paul II’s Encyclical Laborem Exercens which he wrote in 1981, on the occasion of the 90^th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s Encyclical Rerum Novarum on the question of labour.

CiWTT members also facilitate a series of conversations called ‘God at Work’. This series of 12 video conversations encourages participants to integrate their faith and their work and in so doing, become agents of the Kingdom of God while at work.

The video conversations include topics such as God’s purpose for work, transforming work culture, money matters, making smart and right decisions, ambition, failure and tackling stress.

Workshops have been held with the staff at several primary schools including Rose Hill RC, St Patrick’s Newtown Boys’ RC, St Patrick’s Newtown Girls’ RC, La Fillette Government, St Peter’s RC Pt Cumana, and Laventille Boys’ RC where they were well-received. A session was also recently held for students at the Catholic Religious Education Development Institute (CREDI).

For further information on CiWTT or the ‘God at Work’ video series contact the Evangelization Commission: 671-0133/671-4177.

Email: evangelizationcommission@yahoo.com

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