Commentary

Church and Carnival: inculturation to evangelisation

By Bryan Matadeen After my reflecting and journeying on the relationship between Church and Carnival, I found my outlook to be refined but not completely changed. […]

Does politics have a morality of its own?

By Fr Kwesi Alleyne, a member of the Maloney Parish Clergy Team As I ruminated on the Epiphany readings with the familiar imagery of the Wise […]

His greatest miracle?

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 […]

Add love, care, respect to curriculum

“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 […]

Crucifixion – asking subversive questions

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 […]

Higher ground

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 […]

T&T needs Universal Health Coverage to face ‘CNCD’ challenge

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, […]

Letter to the Editor: “My sister’s life was Christ-centered”

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, […]

“Caribbean people love Scripture” – a reflection on Sunday Word of God

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 […]

Addressing the secular Church

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 […]

What price for progress?

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 […]

Pearl Parkway, my village in de ‘Vale’

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 […]

A bridge over troubled waters

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 […]

Local priest reflects on the late Queen Elizabeth II

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 […]

The catechetical agenda: our mission, our journey, our call

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 […]

Regional network working to alleviate the climate crisis

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 […]

The importance of silence during the Liturgy

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 […]

A reflection for Emancipation Day

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 […]

Hope for the Caribbean Church

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 […]

The education solution – ensure every child blooms

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 […]

On manliness and knowledge

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 […]

Towards vocations – those Benedictine Sisters from Coubaril

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 […]

Writing in the dirt of our times

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 […]

The first stone

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 […]

Ending corporal punishment

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. […]

International Forestry Day (March 21)

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 […]

One from ten…

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. […]

Hope… even if!

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 […]

What we bring to Life

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 […]

Love has found its way

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 […]

A Christmas miracle – when enemies became brothers

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 […]

Blessed are the poor?

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 […]

Vaccine moral dilemma

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. […]

A Party for Mrs Singh

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 […]

Suicide Prevention Day – Creating Hope through Action

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. […]

My garden and ‘douglarisation’

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 […]

About Integral Living

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 […]

Code red for humanity

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 […]

Synod and the unknown

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 […]

It’s more than anti-vaccine stances…

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 […]

Synod as listening

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 […]

Synod as storytelling

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 […]

They deserve better

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 […]

Question the Church – it’s natural and beneficial

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 […]

Choose to evolve not dissolve – battling with suicidal ideation

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 […]

Continue to welcome, protect, promote and integrate

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 […]

We need a social collective spirit

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 […]

Hummingbirds and Pentecost

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 […]

Denying Eucharist over abortion ignores the big picture

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 […]

The Holy Spirit and the  ‘Holy Ghost Orchid’

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 […]

‘Brown-skin girl…’

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 […]

The verdict is in, but the jury is still out

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 […]

If we are quiet, we are complicit

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 […]

For the Love of the Old

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 […]

Earth Day – an urgent reminder to protect ‘our common home’

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 […]

Woman, the masterpiece of God’s creation plan

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 […]

We shall overcome COVID…but when?

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 […]

A tiredness of soul

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 […]

The Redemption of Paul

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 […]

Migrants and refugees: A call to love?  

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 […]

Re-entering our caves

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, […]

Broken Nativity

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 […]

As parents, should we differentiate between St Nick and Santa?

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 […]

A message to our men

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 […]

Let the Word become flesh again

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 […]

Jamaica bishops on Pope’s comments

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 […]

Pope Francis & same-sex civil unions: Local priest responds

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 […]

Depression or the soul’s dark night?

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 […]

The New World Order and the American Election

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 […]

Our Lady of good memory

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 […]

Caribbean Sunday lunch… with new meaning

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 […]

That man called Sprang

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 […]

School at home

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, […]

We, the Peoples…

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 […]

The challenge of RACE

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 […]

Transforming our broken society

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 […]

Cherishing liberty -Growing unity, tolerance, respect

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 […]

Not yet breathing easily

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 […]

Who’s the racist

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 […]

Ordinary Time, the Church, and the impact of COVID-19

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 […]

Free or Die!

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, […]

Elections 2020 – a Catholic perspective

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 […]

Sayamanda –Is I a man there when I am silent about injustice?

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 […]

Pondering the pandemic and protests

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. […]

Much more ‘arrival’ needed

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 […]

Understanding teenage grief and loss amid COVID-19

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 […]

On the frontline with modern-day saints

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 […]

Responding to the REAL Grief of COVID – 19

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 […]

COVID-19 can be a transforming moment

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 […]

Lessons from St Benedict during 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 […]

Food Security and COVID-19

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 […]

Life under COVID-19 by a 60 something!

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 […]

The balancing act of marriage and parenting

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 – let’s look again

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, […]

Story of a People

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 […]

How To Have A Fulfilling Christian Carnival

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 […]

A theology of Carnival

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 […]

Lessons from a wisdom teacher

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. […]

Leadership in the Church

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 […]

Church’s faith formation programmes must change

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 […]

We all own this space

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 […]

A long tradition of excellence—An Emancipation Day commentary by Fr Dexter Brereton CSSp

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 […]

The impact of home life on a child’s education

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 […]

Show me your velvet…

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 […]

Of rights, responsibility and progress

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 […]

Those in positions of trust must be true to their office

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 […]

The power and beauty of our Constitution

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 […]

The indissolubility of marriage

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 […]

Reason to hope

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! […]