Weekly column by Archbishop J
Q: Archbishop J, who has responsibility for the education of a child? A global movement is spending a lot of money in Trinidad and Tobago around […]
The domestic Church is first and foremost a theological concept. It is primarily seen by the Church as rooted in the marriage bond of a man […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is freedom? For the young nations of the Caribbean, August 1 is historic. On that day, 188 years ago, the British parliament […]
Q: Archbishop J, if the domestic Church has a real liturgy, where does the priesthood come from? Marriage is a very special sacrament. I remember learning […]
Q: Archbishop J, why family rites? I have written before that every family—on pilgrimage to be fully a domestic Church—has rites: (1) rite of relationships, (2) […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is a domestic Church? At Pentecost 2020 we left the Upper Room to mission the domestic Church. The question lingers, however: What […]
Q: Archbishop J, explain the work of the Holy Spirit in the prayer of the Church? When we think about the Holy Spirit we think of […]
Q: Archbishop J, why is the Church so harsh on women and abortion? Many people believe that abortion is a gender issue. It may also be […]
Q: Archbishop J, how have we been so accommodating to abortion? The foetus in the womb of the mother is a human life. It has an […]
Q: Archbishop J, is abortion wrong? You won’t find a more contentious issue in the western world today than abortion. This has been made more so […]
Q: Archbishop J, why is May so special? (Part 2) As I wrote last week, this month embraces three major celebrations: the Resurrection of Jesus—always in […]
Q: Archbishop J, why is May so special? May has three major celebrations. Each is vital to the lifeblood of the Church. The most obvious is […]
Q: Archbishop J, why Divine Mercy in the height of Easter? Some liturgists have seen the Feast of Divine Mercy, which we celebrated on April 24, […]
Q: Archbishop J, how do we know if the Resurrection really happened? The whole claim of Christianity hangs on a single question: Was Jesus really raised […]
Q: Archbishop J, what’s so special about Easter? Christmas may be the beginning of the mystery of Christ, but Easter is its climax. Without it, Jesus […]
Q: Archbishop J, why does the Church bless oil in Holy Week At the Chrism Mass every year, the bishop blesses two oils and consecrates one. […]
Q: Archbishop J, why almsgiving? The tradition teaches us that almsgiving covers a multitude of sins. Does this mean we can sin all we want, then […]
Q: Archbishop J, why a special day of prayer and fasting during Lent? Consider our world, our nation, your family, and your life. Are we living […]
Q: Archbishop J, why must we spend 12 weeks in Marriage Preparation? Marriage is the most significant decision you will take in your adult life. It […]
Q: How do we live with Covid as we move to an endemic phase? In recent weeks, I have received letters on a variety of topics […]
Q: Archbishop J, how should I approach this Lent? Approach Lent with great joy, anticipation, excitement, and consciousness! Our culture highlights comfort, security, pleasure, and power. […]
Q: Archbishop J, is justice sufficient? As children, we have a concept of fairness, which somehow is built into our brain. Sharing of a cake in […]
Q: Archbishop J, how do we keep hope in a time of such deep despair? In the first half of 2020 the question was: ‘Do you […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe that God exists (part 12)? Consider the ultimate question! What happens when you die? Is there just an exhale […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe that God exists (part 11)? The Magi read from the book of creation, and it got them to Jerusalem. […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe that God exists (part 10)? You may say I am writing all this because I am a priest and […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe that God exists (part 9)? We have looked at the challenge of belief and unbelief from many different perspectives. […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe that God exists (part 8)? Have you ever wondered why we humans have a concept of God? Why there […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe that God exists (part 7)? While walking the Camino de Santiago in 2016, I met a young man from […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe that God exists (part 6)? The Christmas mystery For God to become a baby, born of a woman is […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe God exists (part 5)? Many modern thinkers have proposed that faith and reason are diametrically opposed. If you have […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe that God exists (part 4)? Blaise Pascal was a 17th century philosopher, theologian, and mathematician. Trying to build a […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe that God exists (part 3)? Modern atheism and the conflict between faith and science reached a crescendo with the […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do you believe that God exists (part 2)? Everything that exists has a beginning. This is a simple statement with many profound […]
There are some people who do not have even a minimal foundation. They simply do not believe. And they do not want to believe. God gave […]
Q: Archbishop J, how should we respond to the growing poverty in T&T? The pandemic has been a wrecking ball to the financial stability of many […]
Q: Archbishop J, why would anyone want to become a priest or consecrated person? Priests are an integral connection between Christ and God’s mission. There have […]
Q: Archbishop J, what are the challenges while on the synodal journey? Every journey to mission begins with temptations. Right after Jesus was baptised the Scripture […]
Q: Archbishop J, what does Pope Francis intend with Synod 2023? The Pontiff’s intention is to invite the Church to synodal conversion and thus to turn […]
Q: Archbishop J, how do we transform a ‘deliberative assembly’ into a ‘discerning assembly’? Pt 2 A discerning assembly has its own rules. The first rule […]
Q: Archbishop J, how do we transform a ‘deliberative assembly’ into a ‘discerning assembly’? A ‘deliberative assembly’ and a ‘discerning assembly’ share several things in common. […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the role of synodality in the mission of the Church? October is mission month. We are invited again to reflect upon […]
Q: Archbishop J, why synodality? Synodality speaks about a way of being Church, where its members walk together, where its leaders listen to all the faithful, […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the task of the catechist? The catechist’s task is first and foremost to hand on a living faith to this generation […]
Q: Archbishop J, why is the Church speaking synod again? Shortly after I was installed as Archbishop, a good Catholic said to me: “Archbishop, I hope […]
Q:Archbishop J, why a Season of Creation? Between September 1 and October 4, Christians on six continents are coming together “for a time of restoration and […]
Q: Archbishop J, what has Covid taught us about our nation? We are living in unprecedented times. For the fourth time in our young history, we […]
Q: Archbishop J, kindly provide the text of your homily on the Assumption? At first look, the readings for the Solemnity of the Assumption do not […]
Q: Archbishop J, what does the Assumption mean for us today? Look at the painting titled, ‘The Assumption’ by Jackie Hinkson done in 2019. Look very […]
Q: Archbishop J, why so many schools during the holidays? The long primary and secondary school holidays are a great opportunity for learning. I know this […]
Q: Archbishop J, what do we celebrate on Emancipation Day? I would argue that no event has shaped our national identity more than the day slavery […]
Q: Archbishop J, why a day for grandparents and the elderly? Our grandparents and the elderly are indispensable for a renewed tomorrow. They hold the burden […]
Q: Archbishop J, why a week for marriage and the family? Marriage a sacrament from Creation The family is the load-bearing wall of civilisation. As the […]
Q: Archbishop J, I am gay and Catholic, what am I supposed to do? I want for you what I want for every Catholic. I want […]
Q: Archbishop J, could a Catholic support Pride month? Social Justice There is a historical reason why Pride month emerged. For a long time, persons with […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is happening to our men? Every Caribbean man who shows up consistently to father all his children is a special man. If […]
Q: Archbishop J, why vaccinate? We will not get out of the series of lockdowns, mask-wearing, social-distancing, and isolation until significant proportions of the planet are […]
Q: Archbishop J, how is Mary Mother of the Church? Pope Francis, in 2018, instituted the feast Mary, Mother of the Church (May 24). This feast […]
Q: Archbishop J, the Paschal mystery: how does it relate to family life? (Pt 10) The Feast of the Body and Blood and Christ is pivotal […]
Q: Archbishop J, the Paschal mystery: how does it relate to family life? (Pt 9) At the beginning of Lent 2020, we found ourselves in the […]
Q: Archbishop J, the Paschal mystery: how does it relate to family life? (Pt 8) Handing on the faith to the next generation is one of […]
Q: Archbishop J, the Paschal mystery: how does it relate to family life? (Pt 7) You know how hard it is when your children go away […]
Q: Archbishop J, the Paschal mystery: how does it relate to family life? (Pt 6) There is a moment in spousal relationship where the vision grows […]
Q: Archbishop J, the Paschal mystery: how does it relate to family life? (Pt 5) Forgiveness is a deep part of the Resurrection story, an aspect […]
Q: Archbishop J, the Paschal mystery: how does it relate to family life? (Pt 4) The Resurrection peace “Peace be with you!”. This is the standard […]
Q: Archbishop J, the Paschal mystery: how does it relate to family life? (Pt III) What is the Resurrection if it does not transform the way […]
Archbishop J, the Paschal mystery: how does it relate to family life? (Pt II) Last week I began the journey to explore the Paschal mystery from […]
Q: Archbishop J, the Paschal mystery: how does it relate to family life? This weekend, beginning with the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is Amoris Laetitia Family Year? Amoris Laetitia (AL) is Latin for “The Joy of Love”, the title of an apostolic exhortation written […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the special grace of March 19? The special grace that I pray for during this time of St Joseph is […]
Q: Archbishop J, why consecration to St Joseph? To consecrate is to set apart for God. It is a solemn act of entrustment of our very […]
Q: Archbishop J, St Joseph, “Head of God’s household”: How? One of the titles of Mary is Mother of God (Theotokos). This title allowed the early […]
Archbishop J, why St Joseph in Lent? What is at the core and inner heart of Lent? I believe we have a clue in the Gospel […]
Q: Archbishop J, tell me truthfully, why St Joseph? (Pt. III) St Joseph is a man of deep suffering. Things did not go the way he […]
Q: Archbishop J, tell me truthfully, why St Joseph? (Pt. II) St Joseph is an obedient man. He obeys God and, in this way, opens salvation […]
Q: Archbishop J, tell me truthfully, why St Joseph? “St Joseph is a very, very hard sell for a Caribbean man!” That is how the conversation […]
Q: Archbishop J, what are we doing for the Year of St Joseph? For this special year of St Joseph, we are inviting all men to […]
Q: Archbishop J, how do we read the scripture? The Bible is a love letter from God. If we understand this, we understand how to approach […]
Q: Archbishop J, why a year of St Joseph? Pope Francis, in this time of pandemic, called for a year dedicated to St Joseph. From December […]
Q: Archbishop J, how do we build a culture of care? I hope that in 2021, we can work together to build a culture of care […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is your hope this Christmas? PART 2 No room in the inn! This was how the world responded to the birth of […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is your hope for T&T this Christmas? I hope and pray for peace in Trinidad and Tobago, at the end of a […]
Q: Archbishop J, what do you hope for in Confirmation? ‘Confirmation’ is a character sacrament. It is unrepeatable. It leaves an indelible mark on our soul. […]
Q: Archbishop J, why is Confirmation necessary? Confirmation is an integral part of the initiation into the Catholic Church. It is a structure of grace and […]
Q: Archbishop J, what do you hope for this Advent? My hope this Advent is that each family will find ways in this season to deepen […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do the readings become so dramatic around this time? The Church has its own rhythm. It sees the year as a sacred […]
Q: Archbishop J, how does the family move past shame? Shame is a break in harmony with God, neighbour, creation, and self. It leads the individual […]
Q: Archbishop J, how can we discern our vocation in the domestic Church? Parents, what is your dream for your children? What do you agonise over? […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the greatest challenge to the Catholic Family? Shame! Let me explain. Behind the dysfunction, behind the drama, the many quarrels, and […]
Q: Archbishop J, why a World Mission Sunday? In 1926, Pope Pius XI instituted World Mission Sunday for two reasons: first, to raise people’s consciousness of […]
Q: Archbishop J, is every family a domestic Church? I wish to make a distinction between a Christian family and a domestic Church. The domestic Church […]
Q: Archbishop J, what can the domestic Church do about our climate? Once upon a time there was a family, the Maanavatas. They lived in the […]
Q: Archbishop J, how can the domestic Church support migrants and refugees? Forced like Jesus Christ to flee. This is the theme of the 106th World […]
Q: Archbishop J, how essential is forgiveness and mercy for the domestic Church? Mercy is what love does when the beloved messes up. Mercy is not […]
Q: Archbishop J, what are our rites as domestic Church? The modern child knows about his or her rights, but very few know there are rites. […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the mission of the domestic Church? (Pt 3) The mission of the Church, as we saw over the last two teachings, […]
Q: Archbishop J, what do you see as our greatest challenges in Trinidad and Tobago? Quite possibly, we are facing the most challenging decade since independence. […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the mission of the domestic Church? (Pt 2) The mission of the Church, as we saw last week, is always threefold: […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the mission of the domestic Church? The mission of the Church is always threefold: Sanctification, Teaching and Service. ‘Sanctification’ has to […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the responsibility of a Catholic in the General Elections? As we approach the General Elections, I would like to propose some […]
Q: Archbishop J, why a National Day of Prayer on August 2nd? Democracy did not come easy to us. It took a long time for us […]
Q: Archbishop J, what does the Church teach us about the domestic Church? The term domestic Church first appears in the documents of the Second Vatican […]
Q: Archbishop J, what can I do to ensure my Catholic DNA is active? Part II Our Catholic DNA was given in baptism when we were […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the response of the Church to the protests of June 30? Taking a life is always a grave matter. When the […]
Q: Archbishop J, what can I do to ensure my Catholic DNA is active? Awakening the Catholic DNA is the responsibility of every adult Catholic. It […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the path to renewal? Renewal requires that we understand that we face a fundamental challenge requiring us to respond in new […]
Q: Archbishop J, what does the domestic Church and the greater body have in common? If the family is the domestic Church, Church miniature, then we […]
Q: Archbishop J, how long must we wait? Last Sunday, Prime Minister Keith Rowley advanced the date for reopening of churches from Friday, June 12 to […]
Q: Archbishop J, why missioning the Domestic Church? In the New Testament on Pentecost Day, many amazing things happen. A mighty rushing wind fills the Upper […]
Q: Archbishop J, how can I make Pentecost come alive in my life? Pentecost is a triple feast. The word ‘Pentecost’ literally means 50. In the […]
Q: Archbishop J, why World Communications Day? For 54 years, the Church has celebrated World Communications Day. This is because of the realisation that communications are […]
Q: Archbishop J, why the AEC bishops’ priority on the environment? We are in the midst of a pandemic that has raised consciousness of our environment […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do Catholics turn to Mary in times of trouble? Catholics see Mary as a sacred vessel that contained the Most Holy One, […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the REAL challenge of COVID-19? Is physical health and death the real challenge? Is it the high rate of infection? Is […]
Q: Archbishop J, how do we become mercy? Mercy is at the core of the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is what a lover does when […]
Q: Archbishop J, why the Upper Room? The Upper Room holds a central place in our understanding of the early Church. It is central to […]
Q: Archbishop J, how do you keep hope alive in a time like this? Hope is only real when the hour is dark. It is […]
Q: Archbishop J, will the Church survive COVID-19? At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus promised His disciples: “I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall […]
Q: Archbishop J, is COVID-19 a tool of the devil? Well! This virus is frightening. It is spread by human-to-human contact, forcing us into isolation. It […]
Q: Archbishop J, how will we survive COVID-19? Only through extreme generosity will we cope, through extreme generosity will we get through this as a nation, […]
Q: Archbishop J, not giving precious Blood …is that a lack of faith? The Archdiocesan policy on COVID-19 has spawned much comment on digital media. It […]
Q: Archbishop J, why collection? Collection is only one part of the Offertory. It is representative of our offering to God who has been so generous […]
Q: Archbishop J, are there different kinds of homilies? Each type of homily has its place in history and in the toolkit of the preacher. The […]
Q: Archbishop J, why are we celebrating the Black Power revolution? Every country has its defining moments—a watershed that fundamentally changes the nature of the social […]
Q: Archbishop J, what are the sacred mysteries? The Mass begins with the Sign of the Cross. Here, we are plunged into the mystery of the […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the impact of the homily? The General Instruction of the Roman Missal 65 says the homily is necessary for nurturing the […]
Q: Archbishop J, so what is the purpose of the homily? The homily is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word. Through the homily, […]
Q: Archbishop J, is the Bible really the Word of God? The Mass is an invitation to feed at three tables, the table of the Word, […]
Q: Archbishop J, why so little true devotion to the Eucharist? When a missionary asked me this question, my response was very defensive: “Of course, T&T […]
Q: Archbishop J, why a Christmas book giveaway? Many people were very surprised by the Christmas book giveaway. They had not experienced a Christmas gift like […]
Q: Archbishop J, in Advent who is waiting? Advent, if we think about it, is about Mary. John the Baptist, Isaiah, the gospels all heighten the […]
Q: Archbishop J, why wait to celebrate Christmas? The secularisation of Christmas has been a creeping spiritual cancer. By October we are already in the height […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is your Advent highlight? Advent is about waiting in joyful hope. Visiting the prison during this time has opened the season’s mystery […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is so special about Advent? Advent is a healing balm for the sick soul, sight for the spiritually blind, grace for the […]
Q: Archbishop J, a fashion show in a cathedral? There are many implications in this wonderful parable of modern life. I want us to read it […]
Q: Archbishop J, really? A world day of the poor? Yes really! The scandal of poverty in our world today is no longer felt and seen […]
Q: Archbishop J, What’s all the fuss about vocation? The Archdiocese of Port of Spain has struggled to have adequate vocations to the priesthood and religious […]
Q: Archbishop J, why celebrate All Saints? The saints are our elder brothers and sisters in the faith. They have gone before us and have triumphed […]
Q: Archbishop J, is incorporating Hindu elements into the liturgy syncretism? The simple answer is, it depends on which elements and how they are incorporated. In […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the heart of missionary discipleship? At the core, centre and heart of missionary discipleship is obedience to God. This may seem […]
Q: Archbishop J, who was the first missionary disciple? First, we must determine what is a missionary disciple? To answer this, I will turn to Pope […]
Q: Archbishop J, does the Church really care about persons living with mental illness? In the creation story, after God created all other species, He said, […]
Q: Archbishop J, why all this fuss about creation? In his now celebrated encyclical Laudato Si’, Pope Francis put a spotlight on the destruction we cause […]
Q: Archbishop J, What’s with our Republic? The move to becoming a republic in 1976 was a significant next step in our evolution as a nation […]
Q: Archbishop J, what has come out of our 40 days of prayer? Our Church has prayed for 40 days. I want to thank each of […]
Q: Archbishop J, who is a missionary disciple? Missionary disciples are not a special type of disciple. They are disciples living out the missionary mandate of […]
Q: Archbishop J, are we independent yet? Independence, like emancipation, is a work in progress. Sometimes we are on target and, at other times, we lose […]
Q: Archbishop J, What explains the high crime? There are many ways that we could look at this present crisis in Trinidad and Tobago. I have […]
Q: Archbishop J, why “exaggerated responsibility for the common good”? Every civilisation has its unconscious assumptions, driving forces that motivate and at the same time act […]
Q: Archbishop J, How is prayer going to help us? This is a great question! I have asked that every Catholic participate in the 40 days […]
Conversations with Archbishop J Q: Archbishop J, what are we doing about the disrespect for life in our country? Every year, hundreds of citizens are violently […]
By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI A just society is inclusive. Years ago, the late Prof John Spence, who established T&T’s Education Discussion Group, of […]
Q: Archbishop J, what are we doing about the early sexualisation of our youth? Trinidad and Tobago has been ranked within the top ten countries in […]
Q: Archbishop J, why a theological conference in the Caribbean? Catholic Theology in the Caribbean Today celebrates 25 years of theological reflection in the Caribbean region. […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is Corpus Christi? Corpus Christi comes from two Latin words, corpus, body and Christi, Christ, thus it means the body of Christ. […]
Q: Archbishop J, is this really happening in Trinidad and Tobago? On Thursday (June 13) night I went to the Oval to walk around. What I […]
Q: Archbishop J, is fatherhood undervalued in today’s family? I meet many men who make significant sacrifices for their children. When I enquire about their experience […]
Q: Archbishop J, how can we meet the needs of Venezuelans who have come to our shores? In 50 years, history will judge us on […]
Q: Archbishop J, Why an AEC Missionary Congress? Pope Francis has called for an extraordinary mission month in October 2019. The bishops of the Antilles, in […]
Q: Archbishop J, If Jesus is risen from the dead, why do we still focus on the cross? Great question! One would think that once the […]
Q: Archbishop J, La Divina Pastora—Is Mary a god? Mary is not God! She is not part of the Trinity! She is not a god! She […]
Q: Archbishop J, What are the challenges facing Catholic News? This month Catholic News celebrates 127 years of faithful, uninterrupted journalism. Congratulations to all who work […]
Q: Archbishop J, Why should I show mercy? Our natural inclination is to go for justice. Every child knows what fairness is. It is built into […]
Q: Archbishop J, What is the Resurrection? Some people see the resurrection as an event that happened 2,000 years ago. It is! It is the most […]
Q: Archbishop J, Why is there a special altar on Holy Thursday? The Triduum is the celebration of all celebrations in the Catholic calendar. As the […]
Q: Archbishop J, What has been your Lent highpoint? Now that is a hard question! I have three: (1) The sacrifice people made towards the upkeep […]
Q: Archbishop J, How are we forming people for the vocation of Marriage? Marriage is a vocation; it is a sacrament, a commitment for life! It […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the Generation S challenge? Each year Generation S challenges young people to sacrifice for something bigger than themselves: this is at […]
Q: Archbishop J, Why launch a men’s ministry? At a meeting with Catholics some time ago, I asked the group to look around. They did. I […]
Q: Archbishop J, What is the inner meaning of Lent? Lent is a time of renewal—either a time of preparation for Baptism or recommitment to our […]
Q: Archbishop J, teach us ways of praying. TO pray is to live and become fully alive in Christ. I will focus here on methods and […]
Q: Archbishop J, why is it so hard to be consistent in prayer? If a profound and deep prayer life is so advantageous, why do so […]
Q: Archbishop J, How do we pray? Pt 4 The ‘Our Father’ is a gym for spiritual development and growth in discipleship, stretching the one praying […]
Q: Archbishop J, How do we pray? Pt 3 The ‘Our Father’ is an ancient prayer. Originally spoken in Aramaic, it was written in Greek, translated […]
Q: Archbishop J, How do we pray? Pt 2 God is daddy! A loving father! This as we have seen is the foundation of Christian prayer. […]
Q: Archbishop J, How do we pray? Jesus’ disciples asked the same question—“Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples” (Lk 11:1). At […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is prayer? Having looked at why we pray in last Sunday’s column, now we will look at what is prayer. Remember from […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do we pray? Prayer for the Christian is like water for fish. It is through prayer that we realise the full measure […]
Q: Archbishop J, how do we promote peace in T&T for 2019? Peace is not the absence of war or murder; it is the establishment of […]
Q: Archbishop J, why is the Christmas collection for our priests? At Christmas and Easter the whole collection from all parishes goes to the support of […]
Q: Archbishop J, which is more important, the Immaculate Conception or Guadalupe? The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is the patronal feast of our cathedral and […]
Q: Archbishop J, with the high murder rate do you have hope for T&T? The high rate of criminal activity has fostered a deep anxiety and […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do we celebrate Advent when everyone is celebrating Christmas? The early celebration of Christmas is commercial. Merchants have realised that the season […]
Q: Archbishop J, What does Catholic social teaching say about the layoff of workers? The Petrotrin workers are in the hearts and minds of our nation […]
Q: Archbishop J, Why a World Day of the Poor? We live in a world with a widening gap between rich and poor. The gap is […]
Q: Archbishop J, why a pastoral plan? The Church today is facing some difficult challenges. The things we have done as Church in the last 50 […]
Q: Archbishop J, why do Catholics pray for the dead? On November 2, All Souls’ Day, many people light up the tombs of their ancestors. Days […]
Q: Archbishop J, is God still a Trini? I will say a resounding ‘yes!’. God is still a Trini. But we must also hold that God […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is Mission Sunday? Many think the Church has a mission. St John Paul II thought, however, it is rather the mission which […]
Q: Archbishop J, why is the Pope asking for special prayers? In this month of the rosary, the Holy Father invites the whole People of God […]
Q: Archbishop J, Why should we do penance and fast for this crisis? We did not do anything wrong. The Church is the body of Christ; […]
Q: Archbishop J, should we legalise marijuana? Trinidad and Tobago’s response to this very important conversation about marijuana has deep implications for our society. Marijuana is […]
Q: Archbishop J, how can we help our Catholic schools? Catholic education is one of the most vexing, troubling and complicated areas of pastoral life in […]
Q: Archbishop J, what has the Church done to protect our children? The Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC), on April 23, 2007, issued a […]
Q: Archbishop J, What is happening to our Church? The recent publication of the 1300-page grand jury report in the United States, detailing the systemic abuse […]
Archbishop J, what is the Church’s contribution to the nation over the last 56 years? In many significant ways the Church has contributed to the life […]
Archbishop J, What does the Church teach about our care for the environment? Pope Francis begins his encyclical on the environment with the words Laudato Si’(LS). […]
Q: Archbishop J, can the pope really change the teaching on the death penalty? This is a complicated question that needs an appreciation of paradox. The […]
Q: Archbishop J, why does the Church have so many schools during July-August? In every field of life we need to update constantly. Our faith is […]
Q: Archbishop J, what has happened to the Parish Consultation you began? First, I would like to thank all the priests, religious and laity who participated […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is the AEC bishop’s plan to transform the Caribbean family? The Afro-Caribbean family has a unique history. For 400 years we have […]
Q: Archbishop J, was Pope Paul VI right about Humanae Vitae? Humanae Vitae (HV) was an encyclical letter issued by Pope Paul VI 50 years ago, […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is a pallium? The pallium is a woolen vestment conferred by the pope on an archbishop. It signifies his authority as the […]
Q: Archbishop J, what is Comprehensive Sex Education Guidance? In January UNESCO, as part of its Education 2030 initiative, issued the ‘International Technical Guidance on Sexuality […]
Q: Archbishop J what is Restorative Justice (RJ) and why does the Church support it? Restorative Justice (RJ) is a system of justice that brings together […]
Q: Archbishop why SOS—Support our Seminarians? Some 75 years ago the Seminary of St John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs was established. Five young men offered […]
Q: Archbishop, what is Corpus Christi? Many years ago, anticipating the feast of Corpus Christi and the holiday, a teacher asked: “Why do we have a […]
Archbishop why a Trinity? Why not just one God? The Holy Trinity is central to our faith. As the Catechism says: “The mystery of the Most […]
Archbishop, what is the meaning of Pentecost? The word Pentecost means ‘50th’. It refers to the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which is held on the 50th […]
Archbishop, why do Catholics worship Mary? Catholics venerate and love Our Blessed Mother: we do not worship her. Worship is due to God and God alone. […]
Archbishop, if we keep accepting refugees to Trinidad and Tobago how are we going to cope when we have so many poor people with no jobs […]
Conversations with Archbishop J QUESTION: Archbishop, what is an ad limina visit? Every Sunday at Mass we say in the Creed, “I believe in the one, […]
Given the Church’s position on decriminalising buggery does it mean the Church will endorse same-sex marriage? In a 2015 statement, the AEC bishops defined marriage as […]
QUESTION: Archbishop would you tell me clearly the teaching of the Church on decriminalising buggery in Trinidad and Tobago? I will begin by saying that in […]
QUESTION: Archbishop, How can I trust in the mercy of God when I have done such bad things? Divine Mercy calls us to a radical trust […]
QUESTION: Archbishop, with all the darkness around is the resurrection real for us living in Trinidad and Tobago 2018? The Gospel for Easter Sunday has a […]
QUESTION: Archbishop, what is the significance of Holy Week? In the life of the Church, Holy Week is our most important week. We celebrate the central […]
Your Grace, Why did you use the crozier of Archbishop Anthony Pantin for your Installation? God gives a special spirit and grace to founders. Their pastoral […]
Dear Archbishop, how does Pope Francis propose that we help couples in irregular unions? I would begin with another question: How did Jesus treat people in […]
Dear Archbishop, is it true to say that “a small section of Chapter 8 of Amoris Laetitia raises very serious questions to us Catholics who would […]
Question: Why do you ask Catholics not to partake in Carnival-like activities during Lent? In the February 11 column that focused on Carnival, I raised the […]
by Archbishop Jason Gordon A sacrifice is giving up something good for something that is better. This is the hidden dynamism of Lent. Prayer, fasting and […]
by Archbishop Jason Gordon Today, we speak of the Holy Spirit as if the Spirit relates only to individuals, people who are gifted and anointed for […]
by Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a […]
by Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon You have a vocation! This is a truth you may not have wrestled with deeply enough as a Catholic man or […]
Welcoming, protecting, promoting, integrating migrants and refugees by Archbishop Jason Charles Gordon, January 9 Men and women in search of peace. This is how the Holy Father, […]