Justice, Peace and Community Week: the Church’s heart in action

By Fr Stephan Alexander

General Manager, CCSJ and AMMR

From November 16 to 23, 2025, the Archdiocese of Port of Spain will celebrate Justice, Peace and Community Week—a sacred time that bridges the World Day of the Poor and the Feast of Christ the King.

Each year, these two celebrations remind us that Christ’s kingship is revealed not in splendour but in service, and that the measure of our faith is found in how we love the poor, the suffering, and the forgotten.

Justice, Peace and Community Week (JPC Week) is a distinctly local observance, born from the conviction that faith must shape the world around us. It began as ‘Respect for Life Week’, a time to honour the sacredness of life in every form and grew into a broader movement calling Catholics to live their discipleship through action for justice, healing, and the common good within their communities.

This week is not simply another Church activity; it is the Church’s heart in motion. It invites us to see, judge, and act: to see the wounds of our society, to judge them through the light of the Gospel, and to act with love that builds peace and restores human dignity.

In a world torn by indifference, violence, and despair, this celebration reminds us that our faith must take flesh in community.

Each year, the Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) proposes a theme inspired by Catholic Social Teaching and the Holy Father’s Message for the World Day of the Poor. This year’s theme echoes the psalmist who declares to God, “You are my hope” (Psalm 71:5)—a reminder that, even amid uncertainty, our trust is in the Lord who never abandons His people.

Parishes, faith communities, schools, and families are encouraged to bring this theme to life through prayer services, art and creative activities, outreach projects, community dialogues, and public advocacy.

In this way, the week becomes a lived catechesis, a time when faith speaks directly to the realities of daily life: the cost of living, violence, migration, environmental degradation, and the struggles of families. It reminds us that the Eucharist we celebrate must flow into the justice we practice and the peace we build.

Faith can restore

A special focus during this year’s observance is the inspiring work of the Samaritan Movement, a ministry within the CCSJ that has become a beacon of hope for many who struggle in silence.

The Samaritan Movement brings the compassion of Christ to the real and often hidden suffering of our people. Through its mental health outreach and pastoral care initiatives within parishes and schools, the Samaritan Movement reminds us that hope begins when we accompany others with tenderness.

In classrooms, parishes, and families, they witness that healing is possible, that no one is ever truly alone, and that faith can restore what fear and trauma have broken.

Their mission is simple yet profound: to walk with those in pain, to listen without judgement, and to build communities where every person feels seen, valued, and loved, as our ministries and services become increasingly ‘trauma-informed’.

This is justice in its most human form: the kind that flows from mercy and leads to peace.

This year, as we move from the World Day of the Poor to the Feast of Christ the King, every Catholic is invited to make this week personal. Let it not be just another event on the calendar, but a moment of grace.

Reflect, pray, and act. Seek out the places: within yourself, your family, your parish, and your workplace, where Christ’s hope is needed most.

Participate in parish initiatives, school reflections, and community outreach. Allow this week to draw you closer to those who suffer, to the poor who teach us humility, and to the God who transforms pain into promise.

Get involved with the Samaritan Movement and other organisations that seek to share hope and accompany people during their trials.

To learn more about the Samaritan Movement and explore their resources, testimonies, and educational materials, visit samaritanmovement.org, or connect via linktr.ee/samaritanmovement to access their YouTube channel, Instagram, and Facebook pages.

JPC Week reminds us that the Gospel is always alive, wherever hearts are healed, relationships are restored, and communities are renewed. In the faces of those who suffer and in the hands of those who serve, Christ whispers once more: “You are my hope.”

May this week rekindle in us the courage to believe that justice is attainable, that peace can be built, and that love, when lived with faithfulness, has the power to heal our nation.

The CCSJ asks for your support.

Please donate: Catholic Commission for Social Justice

Account #: 290 458 025 501

Bank: Republic Bank Ltd.

or you can contact us at

admin.ccsj@catholictt.org