Children encouraged to help preserve Caribbean beauty

By Lara Pickford-Gordon
snrwriter.camsel@catholictt.org

Head of the Ecology and Creation Office, Vatican Dicastery for Promoting, Integral Human Development, Rome, has praised children of the region for responding to Pope Francis’ invitation to care for their common home.
Rev Dr Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam was one of the speakers at the St Francis Canticle Creation online award ceremony hosted by the Franciscan Institute for Personal and Family Development on October 23.
The fourth annual Season of Creation Challenge was open to Catholic primary and secondary schools, youth groups and parishes in Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, and St Lucia.  The theme was A home for all? Renewing the Oikos of God.

Fr. Andrew Emenike, Parish Priest, Santa Rosa and Malabar Cluster RC Parish. Their parish won the Challenge Plaque for the “Most Outstanding Parish” this year.

Participants were invited to submit videos, Spoken Word poetry or any other type of poem (performance or written), art, essays, articles, photos, or PowerPoint presentations. There were five categories: Pollinators, Marine Life, Family Tree, Building a Home, and Vegetation. A total of 248 entries was received from the three island nations.
“Young children, as young as five years, wrote poems, took part in crafts and took part in all the activities. Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ tells us we have received a garden from our Creator, we cannot afford to leave a desert for our children.” Rev Kureethadam said the beauty of the Caribbean islands told of the glory and beauty of God. “Please preserve your beautiful island”.
He urged the children to continue their journey in the Laudato Si’ action plan with their families, parishes/dioceses, schools and universities, hospitals and health centres, organisations, world of economy and business and religious organisations.
The judges were impressed with the varied submissions from the participants.
In the ‘Pollinators’ category St Patrick’s Newtown Girls’ RC created a video showing why ‘Pollinators are Important’.
Kaira Tuitt, seven years from Hardbargain St Paul’s RC, Infants 1 and 2 built a birdhouse, feeder and water receptacle for the ‘Building a Home’ category. In the same category, from Vieux Fort, St Lucia, winner Meghan Claud’s submission in the Parish 18+ group was a letter to immigrants welcoming them to the island.
In the ‘Vegetation’ category, Standard 1 winner was St Thomas Mayaro RC pupil, seven-year-old Nejaean Toppin who created a video of medicinal plants found around his home, and with help from his grandmother told what ailments they were used to treat.

Dianne Santana, Principal of Hardbargain (St. Paul’s) RC Primary School. Her school won the Challenge Plaque for the “Most Outstanding Primary School” this year.

Under Parish/Youth Group, St Joseph’s Convent, St Lucia’s Anjali Anderson in the Forms 1-2 group, won with ‘Vetiver-The Miracle Herb’. Another winner in the secondary school Vegetation category, Dimitri Sieunarine, used plastic cookie containers, plastic bottles, and bags to grow food for the household. Giovanni Alexander, Standard 4, Holy Spirit Chantimelle RC, Grenada was a winner of the ‘Marine Life’ category with a poem. He was among the winners whose presentations were shown at the online ceremony.
Archbishop Jason Gordon told the winners they are the generation that will live through climate change and the impact the older generation has made on the planet.
“I think it is important you start to think, reflect, act and be creative and innovate in working with all that we have to bring harmony and restoration to our planet.”
He told them every little bit counts in the work of restoration and what they have done counts. “You have to lead us to where we need to go as a people, as a nation…What you are doing is engaging you mind, your heart, your creativity in bringing a solution to this challenge of climate change we are facing.”
Bishop Clyde Harvey of St George’s-in-Grenada asked the participants to consider how their hearts have been changed as they created their projects. “That is what lasts, that is what is going to make you the person you are going to be in 10-20 years’ time.”
Director of the Institute Sr Julie Marie Peters SSM gave the welcome remarks.

The Most Outstanding Primary Schools were: Hardbargain St Paul’s RC, Trinidad; and Holy Spirit Chantimelle RC, Grenada.

Most Outstanding Secondary Schools were: St Joseph’s Convent, St Lucia; St Mary’s College, Trinidad; and St Rose Modern Secondary School, Grenada.

Parishes: Our Lady of Assumption Vieux Fort, St Lucia; Santa Rosa/Malabar Cluster, Trinidad; and St Peter’s RC, Grenada.

Youth Groups/School Group (multi-Forms): Vieux Fort Youth Group, St Lucia; Siparia RC; Youth on Mission, Grenada.