Justice, Peace and Community Week begins

Justice Peace and Community Week (JPCW) started Saturday November 14 and runs to Saturday 21. The theme this year is Stretch forth your hand to the poor (Sirach 7:32).
A week of activities has been planned (See page 14).  The opening event was aired yesterday on Trinity Television and was addressed by Archbishop Jason Gordon and President of the T&T Society of St Vincent de Paul, Angelique Taylor. Other featured speakers were: Catholic Youth Commission’s Angelo Kurbanali, and Leela Ramdeen, chair, Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) and Archdiocese Ministry for Migrants and Refugees.
All Archdiocesan departments, clergy, Catholic schools, ecclesial communities, religious congregations, and Catholic organisations are encouraged to plan activities (virtual where necessary) for the observance.
Today, Sunday, November 15 there will be a virtual session with readings from the Catholic Tradition on the Social Justice Principle: The Preferential Option for the Poor.
The week culminates November 21 with a virtual holy hour on the theme with the Zion RC Community.
JPCW will be held on the Zoom platform and livestreamed for the public via The Archdiocese of Port of Spain Facebook page. Link: www.facebook.com/catholictt. Contact CCSJ @ socialjustice@catholictt.org for Zoom Link. For further information contact Leela or Cheryl at CCJ: 299-8945 or 622-6680.
The Week evolved from Respect for Life Week in 2014, which was started out of a call from the faithful at the 2003 synod.  Moving the focus to more issues Justice Peace and Community Week began.
Normally held in October, the observance was shifted this year to encompass the 4th World Day of the Poor, this Sunday, November 15. Ramdeen said the Catholic Church has a preferential option for the poor and the theme for the week focuses on this.