“We have to pray and work” – RC priest responds to Police Commissioner comments

Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Fr Martin Sirju has commented on Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher’s recent statement that God’s divine intervention is needed to fight crime.

Harewood- Christopher was speaking Wednesday, March 15 as the guest speaker at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Fr Sirju explained that while faithful believe we ought to rely on God and Him alone, “we cannot discount the fact that we must work and pray. It’s not either or, it’s an ‘and’,” Fr Sirju stressed.

He referred to the traditional motto of the Benedictine monks: Ora et labora (pray and work), reminding citizens that they all have a responsibility to do the “hard work”, as well as “cooperate” with God.

“So, we can’t shun the responsibility and just make it seem magical and throw arms up in the air for divine intervention,” Fr Sirju said.

Citizens, he emphasised, have a deep responsibility for their own spirituality, for work ethics, for care of the universe, care for land, each other, and just wages, Fr Sirju said.