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Know how to celebrate—Talk yuh talk

Trinbagonians love to lime. And every event is cause for celebration: birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings and even in the death of a loved one.

But often, persons get “carried away with celebrating”.

Vicar for Communications Fr Robert Christo and Vicar for Vocations and Priestly Formation Fr Matthew d’Hereaux sought to address this reality by engaging “people on the ground” during a Talk Yuh Talk live series Tuesday, February 18.

The pilot was aired 8.30 p.m. on Trinity Television. The topic discussed was ‘Celebration’, a timely subject as the country prepares to celebrate the festival of Carnival on February 24 and 25.

In every festivity, persons ought to celebrate in moderation. Celebration, the hosts said, should be grounded in relationship and temperance: moderation in action, thought or feeling.

“We need to know when to stop. All Ash Wednesday people feteing,” Fr Matthew observed.

“And beyond that,” Fr Christo interjected adding that persons need to know when to “cool down”.

Commenting on how persons should celebrate, Joseph Grannum from Brooklyn, New York said that we should celebrate like King David, who danced and gave praise and thanks, according to the Psalms of 118 and 33. Sr Monica Tywang, live via Skype saw purpose in celebrating: a means to eliminate or reduce the day-to-day stresses of life. “It’s like a free-up…” she said, but

also there are the other “extremes” of being persons feeling free to fete “in no clothes”.

“And I mean it’s not far from that now,” she said.

Erica Williams from Scarborough, Tobago shared her perspective on the ways and occasions Tobagonians celebrate. She said the sister isle celebrates church harvests every first Sunday at different villages beginning with Pembroke. Williams explained that this involves persons going to church for blessings followed by visiting friends and family in that particular host village to eat, drink and socialise. Other occasions for celebration in Tobago are the Fisherman fete and at Christmas—a “main event for us in Tobago”. “We love Christmas in Tobago,” she said.

Cedros resident Dexter Mitchell said that all celebrations must be purpose-driven. There must be no excessiveness, he said.

“When we celebrate, persons must never degrade the value system. Remember we are children of God. We are always ambassadors for Christ. In our celebration, discipline is important. Yes, we must celebrate but we must celebrate within boundaries…” he said.

Tune in to, Talk Yuh Talk—watch, listen and learn—every Tuesday. The next episode ‘Dynamic Catholics’ is topical as the Archdiocese engages Catholics using Matthew Kelly’s book Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic. ‘Greed’ will be the third instalment.

By Kaelanne Jordan
Email: mediarelations.camsel@catholictt.org
Twitter: @kaelane1