Your ‘yes’ to serve in the cause of justice

By Fr Stephan Alexander

General Manager, CCSJ and AMMR

In my recent reflections on the ministry of Fr Glyn Jemmott, one truth has emerged with quiet clarity: great works of justice usually begin with small steps. They begin with a simple, faithful ‘yes’.

Fr Jemmott’s ministry in Mexico reminds us that God does not wait for perfect conditions or extraordinary people. Rather, He works through ordinary men and women who are willing to offer what they have, where they are.

That same invitation now stands before us.

The work of the Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) continues daily across Trinidad and Tobago. It unfolds not in abstraction, but in real encounters with families struggling to make ends meet, with migrants seeking dignity, with communities burdened by inequality, and with a society yearning for fairness and hope.

Yet this mission cannot be sustained by a few alone. It requires a community of collaborators, persons willing to take one small, concrete step.

The question, then, is not whether we can do everything, but whether we are willing to do something small but intentional to advance the cause of justice in Trinidad and Tobago.

Catholic Social Teaching (CST) offers a clear foundation for this response. It reminds us that every human person possesses inherent dignity; that we are responsible for one another; that the common good must guide our decisions; and that solidarity is not a feeling but a firm commitment to the good of all.

These principles are not merely ideals. They are meant to be lived, translated into action in the ordinary circumstances of our lives. This is the challenge of living the Beatitudes in our daily lives.

At the CCSJ, this action takes shape across several key areas of social justice ministry. These include:

• Political Justice—promoting transparency, accountability, and ethical leadership
• Economic Justice—advocating for fair wages, equitable opportunities, and poverty reduction
• Legal Justice—ensuring access to justice, legal support, and human rights protection
• Ecological Justice—caring for our common home and addressing environmental degradation
• Justice for Displaced Persons—supporting migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers
• Education and Youth Development—empowering the next generation with values and opportunity
• Restorative Justice and Crime Prevention—fostering healing, rehabilitation, and safer communities
• Healthcare Access and

Advocacy—promoting dignity in care, especially for the vulnerable

• Family and Community Life—strengthening the foundational units of society
• Advocacy and Public Policy Engagement—shaping structures that uphold justice and human dignity

These areas are vast. Yet each one can be sustained, quite simply, by people who choose to contribute in small but meaningful ways. True! You may not be called to lead a national initiative, but you may be called to support one.

We at the CCSJ support that divine call and invite your participation and collaboration in our mission.

For some, that step may be financial stewardship. A monthly contribution, to a specific project, can provide the stability needed for long-term programmes. What seems modest in isolation becomes transformative when shared collectively.

For others, the call may be to offer your professional skills. We often need translators to bridge cultures, attorneys to defend rights, medical professionals to assist vulnerable populations, and individuals who can offer emergency accommodation or transportation to those in need. Your expertise, already part of your daily life, can become an instrument of justice.

There are also simple, tangible acts: donating food items, assisting in outreach efforts, or supporting families in moments of crisis. These gestures, though quiet, carry immense dignity.

And then there is the call to advocacy. To raise your voice, within your community, workplace, or parish, on behalf of those who are often unheard. To become informed. To stand for what is right. To help shape a society that reflects the justice we proclaim. None of these actions require extraordinary ability. They require willingness.

Fr Glyn’s story teaches us that God’s work unfolds through fidelity in small things. A single decision, repeated over time, becomes a life of impact. What began as a quiet ‘yes’ in New Grant became a ministry that transformed communities far beyond our shores.

The same pattern holds true today. If each of us were to take one step—one specific, intentional act of collaboration—the cumulative effect would be profound. Ministries would be strengthened. Lives would be touched. Structures of injustice would begin, however gradually, to give way.

This is not simply about helping others. It is also about becoming who we are called to be. For in serving the cause of justice, we participate in the mission of Christ Himself, who came not to condemn the world, but to restore it.

The invitation, therefore, is clear and immediate: Choose one way to collaborate. Become a volunteer. Support one ministry. Offer one skill. Make one commitment. Raise one voice. And allow that one step to become your ‘yes’.

Contact us at socialjustice@catholictt.org or 235-5329 Ext 262 to discuss how you may contribute.

In doing so, we move from admiration to participation, from reflection to mission. And like Fr Glyn, we discover that what seems small in our hands becomes, in God’s hands, a force for transformation.

We look forward to hearing from you.

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