By Fr Robert Christo, Vicar for Communications
Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, a flambeau is more than just a source of light–it’s a lifeline in the darkness, guiding villagers many times when the electricity fails, and the night feels endless.
Now, after being a priest in many parishes where faith often flickers like a weak flambeau, I find myself constantly called to be the steady light for families struggling with the demands of Baptism.
This Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, I reflect on the challenge of ensuring every child has the chance to be christened–to be grafted into Christ and welcomed into the Body of the Church.
But how do you shepherd children when their parents or godparents are barely hanging onto any faith, and finding a practising Catholic seems as rare as snow on the Mayaro beach?
Let me share a story.
One Sunday after Mass, a single-parent mother approached me with her baby akimbo. She wanted the child baptised, but her godparents of choice were, at best, what I call ‘Christmas-and-Easter Catholics’. One of them even confessed that they hadn’t been to church in years. “Father,” the mother pleaded, “we just want the baby to have God’s blessings.”
Now, I could have easily turned her away with a lecture about the requirements of Canon Law. But instead, I tried to see this as a flicker of hope. This child deserved more than rejection; they deserved a chance to have the door to salvation opened. So, I told her: “Let’s not light a weak candle when we can build a strong flambeau.”
Over the next few weeks, we worked with the family, teaching them about Baptism and encouraging the godparents to attend Mass. I also turned to daily worshippers at the parish, asking a few faithful members to step in as a ‘surrogate family’ for this child’s spiritual journey.
Together, we created a circle of support, not perfect, but good enough to give the child a foundation in faith. Today, the child is in the Confirmation class and serves as an altar server.
This is where pastoral prudence comes in. Finding fully committed, practising Catholics can feel like going through a guava season, but we must get creative. Each case requires meeting families where they are, evaluating their circumstances, and building bridges instead of walls. It’s about deferring, not denying, and always striving to keep the child connected to Christ.
The flambeau metaphor stays with me. Baptism is a light that pushes back the darkness, but that light needs fuel–parents, godparents, friends, and the parish community. When the family’s faith feels like it’s running on fumes, we as leaders must step in and ensure the flame doesn’t go out.
Will this struggle end anytime soon? Probably not. But as I reflect on this Feast of the Baptism, I am reminded of the flambeau keeper’s role. We are not gatekeepers of grace but bearers of light. And every child we christen is another flame that adds to the brightness of Christ’s Kingdom, no matter how small the spark may seem.
Let us continue to light those flambeaux, even when the oil is scarce (real scarce), and trust that Christ will fan the flames into His all-consuming fire of love and grace.
NOTE : On “all-consuming fire” :
Yes, it is correct to call God an “all-consuming fire,” but it is important to clarify the context. This phrase is biblical, as it appears in Hebrews 12:29, referring to God’s holiness and divine power that purifies and transforms. To emphasise the loving and salvific nature of God, adding “of love and grace” ensures the term reflects God’s merciful and life-giving presence.