Commentary
By Matthew Woolford According to Dr M Scott Peck: “I began The Road Less Traveled with the assertion that ‘life is difficult’. In Further Along the […]
“Teachers need to teach the old-time values of love, care, and respect. The world needs to be anchored in the love of God, more today than […]
By Fr Martin Sirju, Cathedral Administrator Holy Week is the most sacred time in the liturgical life of the Catholic Church. It recalls the last moments […]
By Matthew Woolford It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen in sports, and it took place during Week 2 of the […]
By Dr Kenwyn Nicholls In Trinidad and Tobago, the major disease burden is chronic noncommunicable diseases (CNCDs): heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease, […]
I have shared 88 of my 90 years with my sister Maria. She died recently, went home, as Sr Paul Dominic OP. I knew her well, […]
On Sunday, January 22, 2023, the Catholic Church celebrates Sunday of the Word of God. The goal is to celebrate, study, and disseminate the Word of […]
By Fr Martin Sirju The Church is facing precipitous decline, with sharp drops in practising populations. Figures that we used to see within a generation are […]
By Matthew Woolford I am old enough to remember when Trinidad and Tobago was a positive place in which to live! Growing up we had three […]
By Matthew Woolford A maxi taxi driver once told me that Diego Martin was a village and the East-West Corridor to Arima was ‘country’. This was […]
By Matthew Woolford Much has been said about Queen Elizabeth II and the British Crown since her passing on September 8. Professor Uja Anya of Carnegie […]
A personal reflection by Fr Robert Christo, Vicar for Communications I remember the pomp and pageantry, and lining the streets as a young boy, when she […]
By Andrew Fernandes, Archdiocesan Catechetical Office The Catholic Church is on a mission – to teach the Good News throughout the world and bring all people […]
By Delia Chatoor On Thursday, July 28, the United Nations (UN) adopted a resolution declaring access to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a universal […]
By Delia Chatoor On the Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul, June 29, Pope Francis published a letter entitled ‘Desiderio desideravi hoc Pascha manducare vobiscum, antequam […]
As Trinidad and Tobago celebrates Emancipation Day today (August 1), we use this excerpt of a paper Fr Stephan Alexander presented at a virtual forum hosted […]
By Dr Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor Psychologist/Assistant Professor Website: www.mncptcc.com “Go repair my house which is falling into ruins.” More than 800 years ago, these powerful words above […]
By Tonia Leacock I looked at a survey for the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) and the Concordat, and unfortunately it was not well constructed. I have […]
By Matthew Woolford Cecil Williams was born on the island of St Vincent in 1918 and died on the island of Trinidad in 1996. He came […]
By Dr Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor Psychologist/Assistant Professor Website: www.mncptcc.com “Tell the young people in Trinidad and Tobago that we’re looking for vocations. Come and join us!” These […]
By Neil Parsanlal A few weeks ago, I participated in the liturgy for the recommissioning of lay ministers. It was a beautiful liturgy and the wisdom […]
By Matthew Woolford Harper Lee once wrote, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy… That’s why it’s a sin to kill […]
Saturday, April 30, 2022, was #EndCorporalPunishment Day. Anna Maria Mora shares her view on the issue of corporal punishment. Mora is a counselling psychologist in T&T. […]
Conserving our forests By Delia Chatoor “I think that I shall never see, a poem lovely as a tree….Poems are made by fools like me. But […]
By Matthew Woolford On March 25, Rosanna Poon-Kumar shall be solving quadratic equations on the black or whiteboard for the last time at St Mary’s College. […]
By Trudy Nicome “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not […]
By Richard Thompson Years ago, there was a young emotional man, full of change, full of passion—a teenager just starting his life. He was gentle but […]
By Matthew Woolford Travelling to St Ann’s RC Church one weekday for my pre-Covid habit of afternoon Mass, I heard a passenger lament, as the taxi […]
By Tony Magliano, tmag6@comcast.net As the first Christmas of World War I approached, Pope Benedict XV on December 7, 1914, asked the leaders of all warring […]
By Matthew Woolford When church was reopened a few weeks ago to physical attendance at worship, I made my way to the Cathedral, Independence Square, Port […]
By Dr Ryan Corbin The goal in this pandemic is universal; “return to normal” and currently, the main tools in this Covid-19 fight have been vaccines. […]
By Alvin Peters Mrs Singh was just finishing the last subject before lunch when there was an announcement from the principal, Mr Gomes. He wanted to […]
On September 10 every year, World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) provides the opportunity for people across the globe to raise awareness of suicide and suicide prevention. […]
By Fr Martin Sirju “When the British were finished with the British Virgins Islands there were hardly any virgins left.” – The Mighty Chalkdust So quite […]
By Fr Robert Christo, Vicar for Communications During a Sport’s Day, seven-year-olds swarm with a ball in the muddy playfield. The mass of children pushed and […]
By Tony Magliano tmag6@comcast.net The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group’s recently released report is a “code red for humanity,” warned UN Secretary-General Antonio […]
By Fr Donald Chambers “All journeys have a secret destination of which the traveller is unaware” (Martin Buber) In this article, I reflect on the synod […]
By Fr Matthew d’Hereaux The events of August 5, 2021, in St Vincent and the Grenadines in which the Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves was injured […]
By Fr Donald Chambers “For this synodal process to be enriching for both the regional and universal Church, a welcoming space must be established to listen […]
By Fr Donald Chambers “One listening to the others; and all listening to the Holy Spirit.” These were words from the Vatican News website announcing that […]
By Kirt Conrad Walrond Many were justifiably incensed by the recent images of our senior citizens standing in long lines or sitting in the pouring rain […]
By Luke Gooding “I’m spiritual, but not religious.” I’ve heard this sentence uttered on countless occasions, particularly from the mouths of my youthful peers. The separation […]
By Dr Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor The caller from Sangre Grande was in his sixties. He said that he was staring out his window early one morning this […]
By Delia Chatoor By General Assembly Resolution 55/76 of February 12, 2001, the United Nations (UN) declared that “as from 2001, 20 June will be celebrated […]
By Dr Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor A social collective is needed in this country right now—a coming together of groups, organisations, communities, and individuals who can work for […]
Sr Angela Ann Zukowski MHSH loves hummingbirds. She sent this reflection from her home in the United States. Perhaps you, like me, anticipate the arrival of […]
By Tony Magliano, tmag6@comcast.net St Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians writes, “When you meet in one place, then, it is not to eat […]
By Delia Chatoor The Peristeria elata comes from the orchid family and is known as ‘the dove orchid’ or ‘the Holy Ghost orchid’ because of its […]
By Fr Martin Sirju “… stay home and mind baby. Brown skin girl, stay home and mind baby. I going away, on a sailing boat, and […]
By Tony Magliano, tmag6@comcast.net Although a court jury’s recent verdict convicting former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin of murder and manslaughter in the death of George […]
By Rev Mike James, a former general secretary of the Antilles Episcopal Conference and a contributor to Guyana’s Catholic Standard Following the conviction of former Minneapolis […]
By Darrion M Narine,Programme Coordinator, CCSJ. ammr@catholictt.org An old man who lives alone in his apartment, is sitting in front of the TV watching the 7 […]
By Tony Magliano tmag6@comcast.net As we celebrate Earth Day (April 22), it would be wise for Catholics to reflect on Pope Francis’ famous environmental encyclical letter […]
By Hollis ‘Chalkdust’ Liverpool, ORTT With the upsurge in the view that Trinbagonians comprise a violent society, and that most men in T&T have little respect […]
Dr Peter Gentle, retired consultant orthopaedic surgeon and parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Help RC Church, San Fernando, reflects on life with COVID-19. His commentary […]
By Fr Martin Sirju Fr Jack Conley, an American Passionist priest, tells the story of a young graduate student going to visit Rosa Parks. Parks was […]
By Alvin Peters (Fiction) “Good morning Father Michael,” Paul said as they shook hands as he entered the office, “Thank you for seeing me on such […]
By Darrion Narine – Programme Coordinator for the Catholic Commission for Social Justice/Archdiocesan Ministry for Migrants and Refugees. The Venezuelan socio-political crisis has resulted in many […]
By Fr Donald Chambers “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek” (Joseph Campbell, US professor of literature) Caves are naturally dark, scary, […]
By Alvin Peters One of the things I had always treasured was a Christmas card that my father gave me from Obadarie’s Department Store. Oba’s, as […]
Fr Michael Rennier We don’t have to choose and we can make a connection between these two legends. Today is the feast of St. Nicholas, which […]
By Darrion Narine A woman once told me that if men didn’t exist for a day, she would go on a hike by herself. When she […]
By Neil Parsanlal Ashanti died a horrible death at the hands of men who are sons, brothers, cousins, uncles, perhaps even fathers. She, like the 42 […]
Most Rev Kenneth D Richards, DD, CD, Archbishop of Kingston A few bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference have commented on the recent news item. Here […]
Parish priest, Fr Dexter Brereton, responds to media reports of Pope Francis’ comments on same-sex civil unions: “Accept the challenge of being truly pro-life” Beloved in […]
By Jacqui-Theresa Leiba It is a time when mental health issues are at the forefront in the discussions in society. It is also time that we […]
Msgr Christian Pereira Parish Priest, St Benedict’s La Romaine It is evident that the world is evolving in a new and different way. This evolution is […]
By Fr Martin Sirju The month of October is here—the Month of the Rosary—a time to remember Mary. A time to pray the rosary as a […]
By Fr Donald Chambers “Families are messy. . . Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we’re related for better or […]
The last Sunday’s Express editorial ‘Thank you, Cultural Sprangalang’ was a well-written portrayal of a man who was an original. It states very aptly: ‘his gift […]
A short reflection on the new academic year by Gregory Quan Kep, Acting Principal, St Benedict’s College “Behold I make all things new” taken from Revelation, […]
By Delia Chatoor On Monday, September 21, Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the United Nations (UN) will be invited to adopt […]
By Msgr Christian D Pereira For many years people of our great nation were guided by an unwritten convention, namely, we should not speak about or […]
By Ottrisha Carter We live in a society in which a lot of brokenness exists. Whether we accept it or not, we’re all broken in some […]
The song ‘God bless our Nation’ was written for Trinidad and Tobago by the late Marjorie Padmore to celebrate our status as an independent state. The three last […]
A monthly column by Dr Marlene Attzs, Economist. Email: marlene.attzs@gmail.com The elections are over, and T&T begins another chapter in the new normal. A government is […]
A commentary by Fr Martin Sirju, Vicar General for the Archdiocese of Port of Spain “Give her what she wants because she is shouting after us…I […]
By Delia Chatoor With the return of Ordinary Time in the Liturgical Calendar of the Church, we are provided with a very lengthy period during which […]
God did not mean [for] people to own people. Vicar for Communications, Fr Robert Christo reflects on the movie Harriet. Harriet is an exceptionally powerful, engaging, […]
By Sr Renée K Hall OP The year 2020 will go down in the annals of our history books as the one that presented unprecedented challenges […]
By Dr Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor The late and great artiste and musician, Andre Tanker’s song, ‘Sayamanda’, had been playing in my ear since the George Floyd story […]
By Constance Reyes I am living through a time in human existence that is beyond anything I thought I’d ever see or experience in my lifetime. […]
By Fr Martin Sirju It might surprise many to hear I was not in favour of Indian Arrival Day as another public holiday. I felt at […]
By Dr Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor “The world outside is wide so I keep telling myself, I’m safe inside. But the four walls are creeping near as the […]
By Fr Martin Sirju “What the world needs more than ever is saints.” So said Fr Henry Charles many years ago. The pandemic has provided us […]
By Dr Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor The senior nurse at one of the hospitals calls at 10.30 p.m. She is sitting in the gallery with her husband—both are […]
By Fr Donald Chambers Recently, a friend remarked about an increased awareness, sensitivity and response to the needs of the weak and vulnerable since the COVID-19 […]
A reflection by Abbot John Pereira OSB In his Rule for Monks, which St Benedict wrote in the sixth century, he states clearly that he is […]
By Prof Wayne Ganpat, Dean, Faculty of Food and Agriculture, UWI, St Augustine Trinidad and Tobago is facing a number of crises at this time. Apart […]
By Delia Chatoor As a child in the 50s and 60s, I was aware of the various states of emergencies called to quell labour disturbances and […]
By Marsha Gomes-Mckie A couple of months ago, the priest, at the beginning of his sermon asked all couples to sit next to each other. There […]
Carnival is here again, its ubiquitous rhythms infecting every corner of the land at this time. At Carnival the nation become schizophrenic – bad vs good, […]
Presbyterian Minister Rev Clifford R L Rawlins gave a public lecture on ‘The Theology of Carnival’ at St Crispin’s Anglican Church, Woodbrook on January 30. The […]
Fr Dexter Brereton, CSSp offers some practical tips to guide behaviour during Carnival, bearing in mind that one cannot always simply look at actions and tell […]
Presbyterian Minister Rev Clifford R L Rawlins gave a public lecture on ‘The Theology of Carnival’ at St Crispin’s Anglican Church, Woodbrook on January 30. The […]
Vicar General and Cathedral Administrator Fr Martin Sirju remembers his rector at the Seminary, Fr Henry Charles. Seven is the number of perfection, of fullness, richness. […]
Brent Augustus, a parishioner from Diego Martin, concludes his commentary on the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan. Part One appeared on this page in last Sunday’s issue. On […]
Brent Augustus, a parishioner from Diego Martin, shares his concerns and makes some suggestions on the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan. I attended a parish consultation on the […]
Trinidad and Tobago is in its 57th year of independence, and moving to 43 years of republicanism. Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Harris in his final interview with […]
Repeat after me: ALL BLACK PEOPLE DO NOT LIVE IN LAVENTILLE Repeat after me: MANY GOOD THINGS COME OUT OF LAVENTILLE Repeat after me… MANY BLACK […]
A commentary by Cuthbert Sandy My teacher education in the years 1976–1978 at Corinth Teachers’ College still serves me in good stead, notwithstanding from that time […]
YEAR after year, as a true born-and-bred Trinbagonian, I long for those days when Carnival truly displayed our ingenuity by producing good Calypso (humourous, satirical and […]
By Vincent Lynch In consideration of the very many issues with which our nation is now confronted it is difficult not to follow-up on the earlier […]
Vincent Lynch concludes his commentary on our Constitution. Part 1 appeared on this page in last Sunday’s issue. Such arrangements would allow for adequate coverage of […]
By Vincent Lynch Within the context of the many calls for constitutional reform originating from certain segments of the population, it would be interesting to find […]
by Fr Derek Anton In the February 18 CN issue, Msgr Michael de Verteuil wrote the following letter to the Editor: “Recently the Catholic News has […]
A reflection on the Mass of Installation for Archbishop Jason Gordon by Marcia Riley 2018, a New Year, a new archbishop, a new reason to hope! […]