Archbishop praises work of Ministry to the Sick, school evangelisation

A celebration and thanksgiving for members of Ministries to the Sick and Evangelization in Schools was held on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at St Charles Borromeo RC Church, Tunapuna. Members of these Ministries came from the five vicariates within Trinidad.

Chief celebrant was Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon; Tunapuna parish priest Msgr Esau Joseph and hospital chaplain Fr Derek Anton concelebrated.

Archbishop Gordon began his homily by reminding the congregation that the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi (Mal 4:5), spoke of Elijah’s return in the last chapter. He referred to Elijah in various areas of the Bible in his homily. He said Sirach, in the First Reading (Sir 48:1–4), reflected on the prophecy in Malachi, that Elijah should come first.

The Gospel (Mt 17:9a,10–13) mentioned that John the Baptist is the forerunner to Jesus Christ. The Archbishop highlighted James 5:17, where Elijah prayed, and no rain fell for three and a half years. He said, Elijah’s ministry was to “point to the living God as the only God”.

Elijah wanted to demonstrate that there is no God, but Yahweh. He described 1 Kings 18:36-40, where Elijah was known as the man who brought down fire from Heaven, hence, was called the man of fire. He stated that Elijah wanted the people to make up their minds and asked the people who served other gods, who will you serve?

Archbishop Gordon stated that we are living in a time of Elijah, a time when the prophets of false gods are many while the prophet of the true God are few. Additionally, he said the voice of error is loud and makes you feel it is not error, while the voice of God is soft and sometimes hard to hear.

He asked the members to look at it in their Ministries, stating that the Ministry of the Sick is to give consolation and comfort; and to pray for the sick and shut-ins. He said the deepest consolation possible is the consolation of Jesus Christ.

He asked all to pray with their families who are in agony and struggle as they go through challenging times with their loved ones. He said that when people are sick, as in hospitals, is when they are most vulnerable. The Ministry of the Sick is a ministry of evangelisation, he said,  as much as it is a Ministry of Consolation.

Archbishop Gordon asked members who go to the hospitals to raise their hands. He thanked them saying, “You are the front-runners of mercy and consolation when people are in deep, deep distress”.

He then asked those who visited the schools to raise their hands. He told them that their challenge is great because there is a generation that he believes is thirsty for God, but there are those who make it difficult for them to believe. Archbishop Gordon stated that those men who want to be bad boys, or men in society who grew up without a father, did not have a father’s love. Additionally, mothers lose the control of their children when they are around 14 or 15 years old, especially where there are no strong men in their lives. Hence, those involved in the ministry to schools are important.

He commented that by 2050, the percentage of persons over 65 years old will be high. Thus, the children whom members are teaching the gospel today will become the leaders—or ‘gang leaders’—of society tomorrow. Furthermore, he said that they will oversee the fast-ageing population, which includes us. Hence, it is imperative for us to get it right with them or else “crapaud smoke our pipes”.

He told them, “we have an opportunity to reach a generation that is hungry for God”. He mentioned that “the present-day students cannot receive instructions the way we received it and what work for us not working for them.”

Therefore, he questioned, “how can you transmit faith when the two generations have different experiences?” He indicated that the ministry of handing on the faith to the next generation must be in a way they can hear and receive it; and the members should acknowledge whether they are reaching them and to use whatever resources that are available.

Archbishop Gordon said that the Gospel brought all of this into focus. He said the Gospel reading refers to the disciples asking Jesus how it is Elijah has to come again, but Jesus indicated that he did come but they never listened. The Gospel ended when the disciples realised that Jesus was speaking about John the Baptist. The Archbishop defined repentance as turning our hearts and whole lives in the direction that God is calling us. He said that we need to scan our lives and ask God, ‘where am I walking in a direction that is not a direction that He wants me to walk.’ He clarified that repentance begins by us asking God “what is the direction and destination He has for my life.”

After Mass, Deborah de Rosia, Archdiocesan Directress, Pontifical Mission Societies, gave the vote of thanks. Tokens of appreciation were given to each priest by Lenore Eva Callender. A luncheon followed at the nearby parish hall allowing members to fellowship and be entertained by a Parang band.