Editorials

Bearing rich fruit

Central to our Christian faith is the belief that our physical death is not the end but rather the gateway to and the beginning of a […]

Let the Light in

In this Sunday’s Gospel, John 3:15–21, we encounter some of the most well-known words in all of Scripture. The passage begins by evoking the image of […]

A spiritual ‘deep clean’

This Sunday’s Gospel passage for the Third Sunday of Lent from John 2:13–25 holds significance for this sacred season as it portrays Jesus’ actions in the […]

Contributing to a transfigured world

This Sunday’s Gospel, from Mark 9:2–10, is the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain. This salient event reveals the glory of Christ to Peter, James, and […]

A season of wonder and joy

In this country, in times not-so-long gone by, there was a clear distinction between Carnival and Lent. As Ash Wednesday dawned, all Carnival activity came to […]

In communion with the sick

This Sunday is traditionally celebrated as the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, a Marian celebration tied to the healing of the sick and infirm. In […]

Balancing act

It’s that time again, as the spirit of Carnival begins to build, and for mas players and fete-goers alike, the excitement and joy is palpable. There […]

His power over all

This Sunday’s Gospel reading from Mark 1:21–28 offers us a powerful message of hope and liberation that resonates profoundly even today. It recounts Jesus’ teaching with […]

Like the Magi

A happy and holy New Year. On Sunday, the Church celebrates the Epiphany of the Lord. As it so happens, this year it is immediately followed […]

Christmas and life in the rubble

Jesus in the rubble. This is what a Lutheran Church in the West Bank City of Bethlehem displayed as their 2023 crèche scene. Vivid, raw, contemporary, […]

Promote regional peace and goodwill

The border between Guyana and Venezuela is once again a major source of contention between the two neighbouring countries. At the heart of the conflict is […]

Rough road ahead, but stay the course

The Kingship of Jesus is a sign of contradiction. In His life, He wore no golden crown but a crown of thorns; no horde of servants […]

More than alms

Pope Francis’ message for this Sunday’s World Day of the Poor, the seventh annual observance, is a powerful call to serve those in need. The Holy […]

Not a grotesque fantasy

None of us is insulated from the horror that is war. We are one body of humanity, created by the One, True, Living God and regardless […]

A blueprint for renewal

The XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod has ended, and in his homily at the closing Mass, October 29, Pope Francis brought the month-long reflections […]

Peace must take precedence over power

The gospel reading from Matthew this weekend (Mt 22:34–40) underscores the two greatest commandments: to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and mind, and to […]

World Mission Sunday 2023

The following is Pope Francis’ message for World Mission Sunday, Sunday October 22.   Dear brothers and sisters! For this year’s World Mission Sunday, I have […]

What lies behind the data

World Mental Health Day was October 10. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is aimed at heightening awareness of mental health issues and “mobilising […]

Time to Reset

The days and weeks leading up to Budget Day usually produce a litany of demands from various sections of society. There are meetings between the Finance […]

In the heart of Synod – building dialogue and relationships

In a world marked by rapid change and constant challenges, the role of the Church in fostering unity, understanding, and compassion has never been more critical. […]

Go forth and do your thing

Ours is an age of nation-building, pioneering a newly born Republic, searching for new standards and new frontiers. In such a situation, who could adopt worse […]

Work together to overcome our republic’s realities

This weekend, Trinidad and Tobago celebrates its 47th anniversary as a Republic, just one month shy of our celebration of our 61st anniversary of independence. But […]

Dragging our feet

While much of the population are aware of the presence of Venezuelan migrants in seemingly every community in both islands, the fate of migrant children’s education […]

On a journey of reconciliation

There are reportedly only about 1,500 Catholics in Mongolia’s population of 3.3 million. Yet, Pope Francis chose to make a pilgrimage to the landlocked East Asian […]

For Love of country

The Trinidad Express newspaper runs a daily feature where people are asked what they love about Trinidad and Tobago. The answers are invariably the same. People […]

Season of Creation – Let Justice and Peace Flow

Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Prayer for the care of creation – September 1, 2023 Dear brothers and sisters! Let Justice and Peace […]

A spirit of inclusivity

Now that the Local Government Elections are over with all the relevant political parties and commentators having their say, this Sunday’s Gospel passage may be instructive […]

Democracy: responsibility of the government to its citizens

Tomorrow, thousands of citizens will cast their ballots in the August 14 local government election. To say that this election has been mired in controversy is […]

Nurturing the soul of our community

If you followed the social media platforms with the photos and videos of our 35 pilgrims at the World Youth Day celebrations, one thing was evident: […]

A prayer for Catholic youth

After a year’s postponement because of the Covid-19 pandemic, World Youth Day (WYD) 2023 formally begins in Lisbon, Portugal this Tuesday, August 1, Emancipation Day, and […]

His mercy is from age to age

Pope Francis’ message for the third World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly – July 23, 2023 Dear brothers and sisters! “His mercy is from age […]

Sowing the seed of sainthood in our schools

The registration of Form One students at their new schools has by now been completed and September holds the promise of new experiences, new friends, and […]

Stand up and make things right

The race is well and truly on for the local government elections due to take place August 14, a mere five weeks away. And as is […]

Left on the shelf

Nine decades ago, beginning on May 10, 1933, the evil of Nazism was on the rise in Germany. Nazi-dominated student groups carried out public burnings of […]

A look at labour

The death of Massy Energy Solutions Limited (MEES) employee Allan Lane Ramkissoon has again brought into focus the need for a review of the Occupational Health […]

Fatherhood – an enriching experience

I was married to Kathryn in December of 2001, and we had the conversation together on having children and so, our daughter’s existence was planned and […]

Strength in vulnerability

With local elections looming in a few weeks, the nation is already seeing the seeds of discord being sewn between parties with calls for international observers […]

Toward full presence

Tech industry experts and entrepreneurs worldwide have been warning governments and societies to glance over their shoulders at the advances of artificial intelligence (AI). They all […]

The only service that matters

On the political hustings, politicians on both sides of the divide peddle language that resonates with the population. We are told that ‘the voice of the […]

Seek a spirit of wisdom…

The recent Brent Thomas fiasco has brought some profoundly serious issues to the fore and demands honest and unbiased responses from Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, Minister of […]

A symphony of many

Motherhood is a symphony of many. It is not a role with one task or purpose nor a simple definition but an intricacy of experiences, experiences […]

Our anniversary reflection

The month of May in the universal Church has always been Marian focused by nature, but for us at Catholic Media Services Limited (CAMSEL), the month […]

A call to action

Leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) met in Port of Spain for a two-day symposium on the region’s burgeoning crime problem April 17 and 18. What […]

A Buccoo lesson

Viral videos are talked about for a few days, and then just as quickly replaced by the next one. But there are always lessons to be […]

Let us make haste to surmount our conflicts

On Easter Sunday, Pope Francis invited the faithful to keep the most suffering nations in prayer. Here is the text of his address at the traditional […]

New life demands going out

“Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark.” Caribbean women are survivors. They are not afraid of the […]

Lift your palms and rejoice!

At the start of this most solemn and holy week, we rejoice with the people of Jerusalem as Christ draws ever nearer. Our rejoicing is bittersweet, […]

Work…and seeking divine intervention

Newly appointed Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher came into office promising a reduction in murders by June. But within days the Commissioner realised that the Police just […]

A call to cleanse the dents and kinks

In a reflective piece on last Sunday’s gospel of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman, Vicar General Fr Martin Sirju tackles a difficult subject in his […]

Discerning the authentic

A few weeks ago, a document bearing the logo of the Archdiocese was circulating widely on social media. It contained the lyrics of a song entitled […]

An unspeakable stench

There is something rotten in this land of ours, to misquote Marcellus in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the stench rises to the highest heavens. Whatever the magnitude […]

Calm down, not lockdown

Lent is a time to calm down, not lockdown, playing on the words of Nigerian rapper Rema’s superhit ‘Calm down’. For many of us, Lent is […]

Let this be the Mother of all Lents

The reign of the Merry Monarch signalling the beginning of the mother of all Carnivals begins soon, and with it will come the pageantry, the creativity, […]

More hands

‘The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world’ is a well-known poem by an American poet William Ross Wallace that praises […]

Be all things to all people

In a blog of 2013, Sentire Cum Ecclesia, Catholic blogger David Schütz discusses Pope Francis’ style of leadership in his post ‘Pope Francis: All things to […]

Making Peace

Almost everywhere around the world we see conflict. In Ukraine, the fighting has taken thousands of lives and displaced millions. Tanks, missiles, and guns are pouring […]

The Light has come

By Wendy Ann Jones Principal, Catholic Bible Institute Sunday of the Word of God is here again, and we have another opportunity to sit at the […]

Jumping to a life-enhancing beat

We are now just a few weeks away from Carnival 2023, dubbed hopefully as the ‘Mother of all Carnivals’. After a hiatus of two years, it […]

A quadrennial celebration

Without a doubt, the most popular sport played worldwide is association football. For the past month, millions of fans around the world have turned their attention […]

Not only ‘Mother Nature’

One of the breakthrough outcomes of COP27, Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Change Conference, Egypt, November 6 to November 18, was the Loss and Damage Fund for developing […]

One taken, one left

Life is uncertain! Things happen unpredictably that bring adversity into our lives. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted work and travel around the world, the outbreak of war […]

One for our roads

Every year, special days are observed to cast a spotlight on a concern or issue affecting a community, society, or the world. Some of these special […]

Untenable situations

It is time for this nation to assert its right to live in peace and security in our own homes. Home invasions are an ugly reality […]

Side by side, in love and humility

Synod 2021–2023 has as its expressed aim “to provide an opportunity for the entire People of God to discern together how to move forward on the […]

A legacy issue

This year’s Gospel passage for the annual Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed is emotive. Luke relates that a mother in the town of Nain weeps […]

You shall be my witnesses

The following is an edited version of Pope Francis’ message for World Mission Sunday, Sunday October 23. The full text is available online. Dear brothers and […]

Come down for the common good

On October 6, 2022, artist RemBunction in an interview with the Trinidad Express, ‘Cold Pot-iticians…too insensitive and out of touch’ said: “What we are seeing is […]

When life is a guava…

This is ‘Guava season’ for us: a time of harsh realities, of economic difficulty, of deprivation and sacrifice. It is also a time of distress globally, […]

On Budget 2023: “Together through the turbulence”

The national budget for fiscal period 2022–2023 was read on Monday, September 26 in our Parliament, and in the coming days and weeks, what Finance Minister […]

Time to reflect – and see

We tend to think of our public holidays as little more than opportunities to relax and perhaps go to the beaches, and indeed this is important […]

A new way of doing business

In two issues of the Catholic News’ God @ Work business supplement, two interrelated business concepts were introduced to the reader who may not have been […]

The real meaning of education

There are several critical areas of concern today in Trinidad and Tobago. Addressing all of them would take more than one editorial. For those involved in […]

The Gender conversation

“The failure rate for school-based Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE) globally was 87%”,  (Re-Examining the Evidence for School Based Comprehensive Sex Education: A Global Research Review). This […]

Our evolving spaces

This year 2022 can be a pivotal year in plotting a way forward for State with our diamond jubilee celebration of independence. It certainly has been […]

Hold that fete…

“This is not a fete in here this is madness.” That line by David Rudder in his 1987 classic ‘Madness’ may aptly describe the feeling of […]

The zen of faith and adventure

Reliance, faith, trust, hope, readiness, and adventure. The Word broken for us in the Good News challenges us to surrender shadows of the make-believe ethos we […]

Black youth at risk

On Monday the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago will celebrate the 188th Anniversary of the Emancipation of African slaves from the yoke of institutionalised slavery. Amidst […]

In old age they will still bear fruit

Pope Francis’ message for the second World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly – July 24, 2022 Dear Friends, “In old age they will still bear […]

Our schools – legacies of care and excellence

The release of the Secondary Entrance Assessment results marks the end of one era in the lives of our Standard Five students and the beginning of […]

Thy Kingdom Come

It’s hard not to think that we are at another turning point in history. Human history has always been attended by conflict, from villages, to countries, […]

Build the synodal church

There is only one way to be church today in the mind of Pope Francis – synodal. This is not by accident. The times in which […]

Rescue mission for the family

Every three years, the universal Church hosts an important international event that focuses on the issues and challenges facing the family. The first World Meeting of […]

Be comfortable being vulnerable

Fathers today are grappling with ever-increasing responsibilities. There must be enough financially to ensure that his children have all the resources necessary to succeed in life […]

What’s in a name?

Social media commenters, and others outside of the platforms, were once again thrown into bitter discourse over the local politics of pettiness and division: the Opposition […]

A time for celebration and renewal

On this first Sunday in June, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Pentecost and significantly, within the next two weeks, the Solemnity of the Most Holy […]

Ears of our hearts

This Sunday the Church observes the annual World Day of Social Communications. Earlier this month, May 6, this paper celebrated its 130th anniversary of publication. We […]

Restoring peaceful connections

The pathos and possibilities of the ‘Judas’ characters in the liturgical readings over recent weeks reveal a transition from a deceitful ‘love’ and distressing circumstances to […]

That challenging commandment

Today’s gospel (Jn 13:31–35) presents a challenge to the Christian believer –  that it is the looming betrayal of Jesus by Judas and His subsequent agony […]

Through her, to Him

May is the month of Mary and a time for all mothers in various forms. Pope Francis noted at the beginning of the year, “A mother’s […]

Carpe Diem!

After two years, our children are all finally back in the classrooms. They have lost a lot over that time, not only academically but perhaps more […]

Bringing Easter solace

“Jesus, the Crucified One, is risen! He stands in the midst of those who mourned him, locked behind closed doors and full of fear and anguish. […]

True amazement

In case you missed it, over the last two weeks there has been much discussion about the so-called ‘slap heard around the world’ which occurred at […]

A different ripple

Toss a rock into a still pond, and the ripple caused by the splash will eventually reach the point from which the rock was tossed. This […]

Reconciled with goodness

Sometimes by our own narration of our lives, the gaps between grace and human ‘gumption’ are revealed. The Word today tells of the “squandering of our […]

A hope for better fruit

As he addressed thousands of visitors gathered in St Peter’s Square for his Sunday blessing on March 13, Pope Francis roundly condemned the war waged against […]

Caring must be at the centre

On the weekend of February 26–28, the nation was engrossed in the unfolding tragedy in south Trinidad with the four divers who lost their lives when […]

Important lessons of the pandemic

There are hopeful signs that the worst of the global Covid-19 pandemic will soon be behind us. While vaccination rates in many countries especially in Africa […]

T&T needs firefighters, not arsonists

The current murder rate is higher than it was in 2021, and there appears to be no end in sight to the death of our children, […]

Called to be true lovers

We are called to love. It is likely, though, you’ve experienced fake love, or you know somebody who has fallen for one or more of the […]

Seeking balance in Synod

In the preparation of any official teaching or other liturgical documents to be presented to the People of God, Church officials must implore the Holy Spirit […]

Feelings we dare not lose

Governments around the world have continued to urge their citizens to vaccinate, and some have taken stringent methods against those who are either unwittingly or deliberately, […]

Crosscourt

No aspect of life today has remained ‘uninfected’ by the coronavirus. In the realm of sports, the popular English Premier League, for instance, has seen the […]

A matter of hope and trust

Two days before the start of this New Year, Christian Church leaders issued a message to citizens. Their message of December 30, 2021 was reported in […]

To keep and to ponder

Following is Pope Francis’ homily on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and the 54th World Day of Peace delivered on New Year’s Day, January […]

Christmas as J’ouvert

J’ouvert is not far away. Ole mas 2022 coming! A time when the hapless citizen can make fun of the powerbrokers – in State, private sector, […]

Words of joy, peace, and promise

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we look forward with great excitement to the feast of Christmas. We are confident that the Saviour, who became incarnate […]

The heart of joyful mission

The heroics of delivering service excellence are really engendered by a deep-seated, passionate commitment to respect and honour for the heart wisdom of self and the […]

Voices in the wilderness

John the Baptist is the archetypal character in this Season of Advent, the season of hope. In our imagery of the story of John, he is […]

A Season of Hope in a dark and suffering world

Today we begin the joyful season of preparation, Advent. We remember not just the Lord’s coming into the world as a baby some 2000 years ago, […]

The Covid effect: Turning the tide

From the CTCT Secretariat “The tide. tide is time, tide is timing, low tide, high tide, it’s the moment, the Kairos” (Don Chambers, CTCT, 2021). In […]

Making a place at the table of life for all

By Leela Ramdeen Chair, Catholic Commission for Social Justice/Archdiocesan Ministry for Migrants and Refugees Today, Sunday November 14, is the fifth World Day of the Poor, […]

A journey up the Mount of Carmel

A reflection on religious vocation by Sr Sarah Waterman O Carm As we prepare to usher in Vocations Awareness Week, what comes to mind? To me, […]

The end is another beginning

The Church celebrates the solemnity of All Saints and the commemoration of all the faithful departed—All Souls—at the beginning of this new week. We are immediately […]

The mission needs desire

The very title of the Pope’s World Mission Sunday Message 2021 – “We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20) – […]

Opening of the Synodal path

Following is the homily delivered October 10 by Pope Francis at St Peter’s Basilica to begin Synod 2021–2023. A certain rich man came up to Jesus […]

Working to end the unequal world of mental illness

Today the local Church joins with the rest of the world in celebrating World Mental Health Day. The theme of this year’s celebration is Mental Health […]

Schools to reopen – focus on positive outcomes

The very limited number of students who will benefit from this is itself an indication that we are still very far from real normalcy, but it […]

Friendship and formation in Covid times

There is much concern about virtual schooling, and whether and how our younger children are learning effectively through it. But many children are entering Forms One […]

Root your life in prayer

Message to catechists from Sr Juliet Rajah CHF, Directress of Catechetics It’s September once again, and the Church acknowledges and celebrates all catechists throughout the Universal […]

Keeping ‘woke’ on the way

Each day, as we go about our daily business, we have choices to make. We want to be smart and sure when processing often difficult decisions […]

Protecting our students

Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon made an impassioned plea at a pre-Independence Day Mass for all eligible citizens to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Tomorrow, September 6, schools […]

From Independence to Mutuality

This Independence finds us more dependent that ever. Dependent on First World countries for vaccines, dependent on government for hampers, dependent on the rich to help […]

Make time to press ‘pause’

It will all be over in a matter of a fortnight. Every year, school-aged children and the nation’s teachers and principals look forward to the July/August […]

A Stone’s Throw

The haunting image of Dr Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines in a blood-stained shirt after he was hit with a stone […]

Opportunities for growth

This week, the 2021 School of Liturgy continues its work virtually, over a period of about three weeks, from August 2 to August 21, with lectures, […]

To ‘V’ or not to ‘V’

This Sunday is Emancipation Day, and Trinidad and Tobago retains the singular honour of being the first country in the world to have declared a public […]

The generational gift of grandparents and the elderly

His Holiness, Pope Francis, has declared this Sunday the first-ever World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. What a blessed way of recognising those who span […]

Our Brother’s Keeper

As the Covid-19 pandemic has unfolded this year, with the emergence of new, more transmissible variants, it seems clear that the only way out is vaccination […]

A collective voice to combat climate change

The shocking reality of the effects of climate change on British Columbia, Canada captured world-wide attention recently.  With the temperature reaching an unprecedented high of 49.5° […]

Family root-ins

Often, we hear that the family is the basic cell of society. What’s the condition of the many ‘cells’ which constitute the body of society, and […]

Faith in trying times

This is a difficult time. It is a time when we yearn to touch the hem of the cloak of Jesus and feel and know that […]

Joys and pains of fatherhood

When my first child Christian was born, I made a promise to myself that I would be a better father to him than my father was […]

Trust the process… the seed will grow

We live today in a world where trust is a bad word, largely because there has been so much disappointment emanating from those in whom trust […]

Put the body politic first

The nation is fearful and tense. Despite all medical attempts to flatten the curve, infections continue at an alarming rate. Medical statisticians cannot say with certainty […]

A time of renewal

Covid-19 has ravaged nations around the world. We here in Trinidad and Tobago have not been spared.  Few countries have. The human family has had to […]

Send forth Your Spirit

On this Pentecost Sunday, the words of today’s Responsorial Psalm echo the tortured pleas of creation everywhere: Send forth your Spirit, O Lord, And renew the […]

It’s our write…

I have spent the past five years doing the most meaningful, purpose-driven work in advancing the mission of the Church. It is imperative to recognise that […]

Communication essentials

The month of May is a special month, for various reasons. Last Sunday, western countries celebrated Mother’s Day. The Church has long associated the month with […]

Moms keep the nation’s spirit up

“I feel like I have five jobs,” retorted a friend of mine in a recent phone conversation. It has been a rough year and an equally […]

No time or vial to waste

As of Sunday, April 25 the number of Trinbagonians vaccinated stands at 34, 353 across the 21 centres, while simultaneously numbers of COVID positive cases have […]

Are we smelling like sheep yet?

Each year, the Church celebrates Good Shepherd Sunday on the fourth Sunday of Easter and notwithstanding the global pandemic, this year is no different. In a […]

Our common backyard

The eruptions of La Soufrière volcano are a stark reminder that the Caribbean territories share a common backyard, and the affairs of our neighbours are our […]

For the Common Good

Societies everywhere are grappling with the problems posed by unbridled capitalism.  As a way of driving economic growth and innovation, capitalism has no rival. Yet it […]

Letting the light in

Easter is about new life, but the smell of death is all around—murdered women, slaughtered young men, the loneliness of the death by COVID-19, increased homelessness, […]

But look at my crosses  

When Spirit and human nature collide in the spaces of encounter in our Caribbean civilisation, a common exclamation is: “Buh look at meh crosses nuh!” Whatever […]

A focus on family

The 33-day Consecration to St Joseph ended on Friday, March 19, the Solemnity of St Joseph. From initial feedback, the challenge was appreciated with registered participants […]

Messages from a Middle East trip

On the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey from March 5 to March 8 to a fractured and war-torn land, the Pope acclaimed: […]

Walking in the mind of Jesus

In the 1990s, Christian teens and young adults walked around with a simple reminder on their wrists, a bracelet with the letters WWJD—What Would Jesus Do. […]

Vaccine justice

The COVID-19 pandemic has entered a new phase. Vaccines have been developed and authorised for ‘emergency use’. Some were developed using traditional methods but were developed […]

In the desert of despair

Perhaps more than any other year, we enter this Lenten season with a cloud of darkness hovering over our country. There is bitterness and acrimony everywhere, […]

Prepping for battle

Ironically, on this Valentine’s Day when love is commercialised as Cupids and cushioned in chocolates, public platforms resonate with protests regarding repeated violence against women in […]

Divine healing – ours for the asking

This Sunday, we celebrate the grace and wonder of healing. A large, visible aspect of Jesus’ ministry was His healing of physical infirmities—He healed Simon’s mother-in-law […]

Life-giving authority

This Jesus Christ who speaks with authority has sometimes been challenged as liar, lunatic or Lord. This was the trilemma posed by CS Lewis in his […]

Words matter

“Words matter” has become something of a mantra in certain mainstream media in the context of the presidency of Donald Trump and its consequences, evidenced most […]

Echoes from the North

Democracy is a gift, and while not a perfect system, it allows for freedoms and rights that can be easy to take for granted. Built in […]

A lesson in humility and obedience

The feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which we celebrate on the Sunday after the feast of the Epiphany, marks the official end of Christmas. […]

Clean slate

2020 has gone. It was a very difficult year as the coronavirus showed itself to be no respecter of persons, rank, nationality, gender, or age. Coupled […]

Reshape the face of Manhood

Caribbean family life is notably marked by the absence of the father in the home. This absence is in many instances supplanted by the extended family […]

Do Not Be Afraid

Around the world, in countries and communities whether Christian or not, people will be striving to make this a wonderful Christmas. Closed borders will be opened, […]

Thorny roses in the Light

A man came. His name was John. He came to bear witness to the Light. A popular and humble man among ordinary people, proclaiming a cryptic […]

What are you waiting on this Advent?

The world is waiting in joyful hope for the release of a vaccine to combat the COVID-19 virus. Parents are waiting in joyful hope for the […]

The discipline of hope

This Advent may be more poignant than in previous years. With the world still essentially at pause because of the pandemic, the relief in the form […]

Lord, when did we see You?

This weekend the Church celebrates the Feast of Christ, the King of the Universe.  At first glance, the gospel reading does not reflect our temporal image […]

At the heart of discipleship

The Archdiocesan observance of ‘Justice, Peace and Community Week’ (JPCW) commenced on Saturday, November14, and ends on Saturday 21. The theme this year is the same […]

Vocations flourish amidst need

This year 2020 would go down in the annals of history as no ordinary year. The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed countless lives and shaken our major […]

America’s Consequential Election

Most of us have been tuned into the upcoming election in the United States of America. We know the parties, the candidates, and even some of […]

The Law of Love

It’s interesting and confounding at the same time, how the first commandment of love is so often compromised by the rule of Law. Love is meant […]

Sacred truths to build a better world

The human being is a social creature, and to be part of a group which represents personal ideals, and with which one could identify is a […]

The right to cry foul

The ongoing controversy involving FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), the FIFA-appointed Normalization Committee and the local governing body for football, the Trinidad and Tobago Football […]

Messengers needed for Trinbago vineyard

There are many messengers who have been killed because the potency of their messages made their listeners decidedly uncomfortable. The names of Martin Luther King and […]

An opportunity for growth

COVID-19 cases are spiking again, not just here in Trinidad and Tobago but in Europe, the United Kingdom, Israel, and some states in the United States. […]

Educational Challenges and New Realities

It has been two weeks since most of our schools have reopened and our students, teachers, parents, and administrators are all grappling to master a new […]

We Need Each Other

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how much we are interdependent and, thus how much we need each other for mutual flourishing. The humanitarian response to the […]

Leaders are lovers

How do you view leadership? Is it about setting the pace, showing good example, motivating others, accomplishing goals, and accurately hitting targets? What about helping people […]

An Independent Vision for Our Nation

We celebrate the 58th anniversary of our status as an independent nation without the usual degree of pomp and ceremony to which we have become accustomed.  […]

Don’t fight fire with fire

All people of goodwill would have been profoundly distressed, if not made afraid, by the post-General Elections’ behaviour, which seems to erupt every five years. It […]

Will the new normal be abnormal?

The nation goes to the polls as this editorial is written. We pray for free, fair, and peaceful elections. The biggest challenge facing the new government […]

Walk on water – go out and vote

As Catholics, we have a long tradition of engagement in the political process as a means of putting our faith into action. We are called to […]

An Emancipation vision

By Fr Stephan Alexander Parish of St Martin de Porres, Coryal For many of us, the challenge of transcending the chasm between knowing about Jesus and […]

The Joy of Married Life

By Kevin and Annette Downes As we celebrate the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the Catholic role models for married couples, Annette and I reflect […]

Partisan politics and religious spaces

Politics is defined as the art of gaining and keeping power. This is the classical definition of politics by the so-called Father of politics, Niccolo Machiavelli. […]

When Despers returns

Protest action in the form of road-blocking, burning of tyres and debris, and placarding is nothing new. It is usually done to draw public attention to […]

Hanging in the balance

“This is the dark time, my love” Guyanese poet, Martin Carter, wrote this lament in response to the invasion of British Guiana on October 9, 1953 […]

Called to authentic hospitality

As faith communities gather to be nourished at the tables of the Word and the Eucharistic meal of sacrifice and thanksgiving, we celebrate the opportunity and […]

Fatherhood: Tick, Tock

Darting through the congregation at St Joseph RC Church, Mon Repos, was my daughter, Annamarie, three years old at the time, who had just pulled away […]

Fires and broken glass

“Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war…” Haile Selassie’s words in his […]

Not perfection but relationships

What is the state of our relationships? We continue to witness high breakup in marriage or no marriage at all, many people choosing to live together […]

Am I hearing correctly?

These are strange and uncertain times, not unlike the experiences of the disciples as they locked themselves away in the Upper Room, for fear of the […]

The Value of Life

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought out the best in many of us. We have seen communities applauding health care workers for their sacrifice, and scores of […]

Let No-One Go Hungry

Amidst the crippling socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on our society, the Archdiocese of Port of Spain is working hard to secure food for everyone within our […]

The mystery of motherly love

We live in a world where the notion of motherhood is held up to such high esteem accompanied by many expectations. Even in God’s Word there […]

The Sheep Called to Lives of Heroism

Animals are viewed by those who love them as agents of comfort, warmth and healing. They sometimes accomplish for people what fellow humans can’t for their […]

Plain talk, heartburn & hope

COVID conversations abound in our own local spaces and around the world. Though separated, isolated, and quarantined to save our lives, the internet has quickly become […]

A Church in Solidarity

Our first cover of the Lenten Season (March 1) asked what now seems to be a prescient question: “Are you ready for the sacrifice?”.  None would […]

Finding new life ‘Here’

“Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here, And you must treat it as a powerful […]

The Church has left the building

The palms hanging from our rear view mirrors and over our doors at home; our crucifixes hanging from our necks; our rosary rings and bracelets that […]

Pandemic Paradox

The coronavirus pandemic is a global war against an enemy we cannot see with the naked eye.  It has provoked considerable anxiety and frustration, irrespective of […]

Opening Our Eyes to Our Common Humanity

There has never been a time in living history when the global village has seemed so small, when our common humanity has been brought into such […]

COVID-19 Examen

Globally, as of last Wednesday, there are 121, 357 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 4,380 deaths all in approximately 78 days. In the Caribbean, the number […]

Freeing viral faith

Mountaintop experiences in Scripture and in our own lives are awesome. The views inspire stories in travel magazines, pilgrimage reflections and adventure projects alike. In the […]

A Word that disrupts

Lent is an annual opportunity to rediscover the power of the Word. The Word was given special prominence on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, henceforth […]

One and the same

It is the same palm that was waved in a carnival of excitement and colour to welcome Christ into Jerusalem that is burnt into ashes and […]

Confronting our social cancers

WE can no longer act as if we are not in a societal crisis. According to a daily newspaper we have recorded 46 murders for the […]

Health Care Professionals–Lights of Christ in Our World

The World Day of the Sick will be observed on Tuesday, February 11 and it is fitting that special recognition and appreciation be accorded to the […]

Our sons are missing

When Simeon looked at the infant Jesus in Mary’s arms, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction that at last, all that he had hoped and […]

Forging a relationship with the Word

Today is the first celebration of Sunday of the Word of God, and it is no coincidence that the letter Aperuit Illis, September 2019, should fit […]

The call to be of witness

In the midst of the challenges we’re all facing in Trinidad and Tobago and around the world, we’re invited to respond to the call to be […]

Wash away the vengeance

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord which marks the end of the Christmas season. The theme of light endures, however, as […]

A challenge of civilisation

As we look forward to this new year, there are many issues that compete for our attention. As a nation, we continued to be worried about […]

New Year challenge – fixing our families

With 2019 speeding to a close, leaving in its wake a trail of death and destruction, both manmade and natural, Trinidad and Tobago will certainly look […]

The truth clarified

John the Baptist, imprisoned by the tetrarch, Herod Antipas, for daring to criticise Herod for taking his brother’s wife as his own, sent his followers to […]

A voice in the wilderness of radical conservatism

To some, John the Baptist’s language can seem intemperate, but many have used the “brood of vipers” phrase with a certain glee. Precursor to Christ, the […]

Removing the alienation

The time is ripe for hope: the closure of Petrotrin, declining numbers at Mass and falling collections, a bleak economic outlook. There is also climate change […]

Christ the King – not of this world

At the culmination of this liturgical calendar, today’s reading reveals that Christ the King, in attitude, appearance and dominion contrasts sharply with our secular perception of […]

Son shine & reign

Signs are everywhere around us, signalling the values and aspirations we nurture and harbour. The decisions we make about our lives as we strive to work […]

Speaking Call Language

Today begins Vocation Awareness Week 2019. This week the faithful will observe several activities to keep the conversation about vocations to the priesthood, religious life and […]

Words hurt or heal

The adage goes: “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me!”.  The thing is that harsh words can and do hurt. […]

Along another path

Since the close of the Second Vatican Council, one of the core debates which has roiled global Catholicism is the question of the relationship between the […]

Making Trinidad and Tobago a real place

It continues to be a trying time in Trinidad and Tobago. On Wednesday morning, citizens were engrossed in the unfolding story of the early-morning rescue of […]

Baptised and Sent

That there was a sag in missionary zeal after Vatican II is indisputable. To some extent this was due to the challenge posed by Nostra Aetate […]

New vision, new mission

When in 1976, Dr Eric Williams led our republic towards a parliamentary democracy and set this country ablaze on a mission, steeped in the belief that […]

Facing head-on the challenges of democracy today

As we get ready to celebrate the nation’s 43rd anniversary of its attainment of republican status, one of the thorny issues with which we are grappling […]

Gold Medals and Greener Pastures

The great news of the accomplishment of Trinidad and Tobago’s Nicholas Paul is like a beacon in the darkness that too often dominates the headlines in […]

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 […]

Seeking a new sociology

The nation cannot forget the compelling headline of the Trinidad Guardian, July 21 – ‘The Breaking Point.’ This was followed by Archbishop Gordon’s July 28 column […]

Don’t be a bystander

It is almost becoming normative that people the world-over are choosing to take videos of human distress rather than attempt to help another in a situation […]

To whom much is given…..

What kind of society have we become? What kind of people have we turned into? How can someone run over a human being lying ill on […]

For the good of all

Our nation has had to endure two traumatic weeks. The murder count escalated dramatically in incidents all around the country, on land and sea, sparing no-one, […]

An antidote to anarchy

As Trinidad and Tobago continues her weary struggle with the grim realities of runaway crime, potently manifested by the recent spike in murders, as she grapples […]

Ordinary Couples, Extraordinary Faith

The Feast of Saints Anne and Joachim is observed annually on July 26 and while this is not a major feast day, it is an occasion […]

Who is your neighbour?

The tragic news of the murder of Elliot Verasammy, 62 and his daughter Sarah, hit a community and family hard. He was a well-known figure in […]

Inconvenient Charity

Discipleship is hard and may be costly. Living out Christian values often presents us, individually and collectively, with tough choices, and the choices we face sometimes […]

That, and God’s face…

There is a popular local phrase often used to declare how impossible an achievement something will be for the individual. We say to others “that, and […]

Our daddies who art on Earth

When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, He began by establishing who God is in relationship to us and who we are […]

Stirring up the Holy Spirit

“We had not so much as heard that there was such a thing as a Holy Spirit” (Acts 19:2).  An informal and unscientific poll of practising […]

Stay in the city

What do we think of when we think of cities? Of Port of Spain? We think of busy-ness and business— the world of money, of wheeling […]

On one condition

As the crisis next door escalates in magnitude, we Trinis can either choose to bury our heads in the sand or take affirmative action, knowing that […]

Loving fare well

In this Sunday’s gospel the themes of glorification, shame and love are presented to us. Perhaps, you may be tempted to think that these values are […]

Call her blessed

The origins of celebrating mothers can be traced to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honour of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, […]

Feed My Lambs

The unfolding tragedy in Venezuela continues to have reverberations in Trinidad and Tobago. The thousands who have fled our neighbouring state fill our streets and the […]

The Christian resolve

“As the Father sent me, so am I sending you. The Christian community is sent out into the world on a mission that will lead, ultimately, […]

No Good Friday lasts forever

No Good Friday lasts forever, there will always be a Resurrection Sunday. That is the hope we carry as Easter people, that not even death could […]

Messiahs, Heroes and Saviours

We know the story well. Jesus has a triumphal entry into Jerusalem, heralded and hailed with waving palms. We assume that some of these people would […]

Casting the real demons out

There has been increasing talk these days about demons and spiritual warfare. The woes of our country, especially sexual abuse and gang violence, are seen as […]

Don’t pass the buck

A common contemporary trend is to move religion and religious tradition out of the public forum but when the Mathura’s story of being haunted by a […]

A Pruning Season

This third Sunday in Lent is an opportune time to evaluate how our Lenten journey is progressing. Ash Wednesday and all the resolutions that we made […]

Living Lent after the ashes

Long after the ashes have been wiped from our foreheads we are still called upon to live out our Lenten journey, for it is in those […]

Living beyond temptation

We’ve often been urged to treat our body as God’s ‘temple’. Today, on this first Sunday of Lent, as we break open the Word, the Tempter […]

Removing the plank

PEOPLE and institutions that have lost touch with their brokenness and their humanity cannot offer moral guidance to anyone. As Jesus says in this weekend’s gospel […]

Bridging troubled waters

WHETHER we scan the local scene or the global environment, it is difficult not to feel that many of the institutions which have defined civilisation in […]

We were strangers too

Trinidad and Tobago prides itself in being a hospitable and warm nation. Yet despite this self-assessment, the current maltreatment of refugees and asylum seekers might cause […]

Changing our narrative

When he saw the large catch he and the other fishermen had obtained at Christ’s bidding, Simon Peter fell to his knees recognising His power, and […]

More than a few good men

In our Caribbean matriarchal society, decent men are often given short shrift. Many women say: “The only good man is a dead man”. This runs against […]

Church and the Ten-Year Challenge

A current trend on social media is the ‘Ten-Year Challenge’—a look back at photos posted ten years ago, side by side with photos of the same […]

New wine for the nation

The average citizen could only look on in bemusement at the somewhat shambolic turn of events as the country recently approached the deadline for the inspection […]

Produce good fruit

“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance”— John the Baptist’s exhortation to the Pharisees and Sadducees who had no intention of dipping their feet into the water, […]

Wise men wanted: apply within

Welcome to 2019 and the official end of the Christmas season. After today, when the carols have been stilled, the parang and parang soca shelved, the […]

Making A Fresh Start

In purely physical terms, the new year is just the beginning of another cycle of the planet in its orbit around our sun, bringing the four […]

A different kind of power

A huge wave of optimism was brought about by the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution of the eighteenth century: freedom, reason and scientific technology would signal […]

That Feeling of Expectancy

A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people, who were beginning to think that John might be the Christ…(Luke 3:15). The Christmas Season throbs with […]

The way we speak

In recent times words like ‘pests’, ‘monster’, ‘animals’, ‘cockroaches’ and other derogatory terms have been used to refer to law-breakers. While this is intended to show […]

ADVENT – Living in hope in hard times

How do we find hope in these hard times, and how does the Church, standing shoulder to shoulder with her faithful, continue to be a sign […]

Christ our revolutionary King

In 1925, Pope Pius XI established the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (formerly Christ the King). Originally in October, it was […]

Poverty, anyone?

There is not a soul on earth who wants to be poor; and none of us was created in order to endure poverty. Deprivation, indignity, suffering […]

Our connection to mission

The overwhelming generosity shown during the recent flood by so many sections of the national community was truly a heartening sign for those of us grown […]

Meeting the ‘Forever’ God

A popular rallying chant at faith-renewal sessions affirms that “When Jesus say ‘yes’ nobody can say no!”. It’s the call of the Shema in the Word […]

Thinking beyond punishment

The heart of the nation is heavy from the recent spate of flooding the likes of which we have not seen in living memory. The Prime […]

Family before Facebook

The appeal of Facebook may be incomprehensible to some — the quick effortless way it sheds light on people’s personal lives; the claims of connecting people […]

Spreading the Benefits and the Burdens

All economies are subject to booms and slumps. The largest economies of the world suffer economic contraction almost in a cyclical fashion. Trinidad and Tobago will […]

A crisis of trust

Divorces are never easy. Other than the divorcing couple, there are many other persons who are also hurt in the process. It must have been difficult […]

Parental Responsibility for Children’s Education

People must assert and defend their constitutional and human rights.  Among these are the rights of parents to educate their children. The 1976 International Covenant on […]

Ending our silent complicity

It was a common adage when growing up that “Children must be seen and not heard” and “Silence is golden”. There are many others, biblical as […]

Identifying voices of Truth and Hope

As the news of the rescue of Natalie Pollonais from the grasp of her kidnappers lit up the social and traditional media, the country breathed collectively […]

The healing gift of free speech

Taking the lead from the text of the weekend Gospel, let us take a moment to reflect on and celebrate the precious gift of ‘freedom of expression’ […]

Who and what are we?

Heart trumps verbal hypocrisy: the Gospels make clear the primacy of love. But, this truth can easily get lost. We learn today to define ourselves by […]

Beyond the Intolerable Language

A ray of hope shone through the population as a police commissioner was at last appointed after acting positions spanning too many years. Gary Griffith was […]

Shepherd to his people

Although leadership in the Church, society and even in our homes continues to be an ongoing challenge,when the Apostolic Nuncio imposed the pallium on Archbishop Jason […]

Beyond ‘the dream team’

Over the past few months the eyes of our nation have been fixed on the appointment process of a new Commissioner of Police (CoP). The debate […]

Seek bread that will last

‘From Captain to Commissioner’ the headline rang, as the potential appointment of former Army Captain Gary Griffith to the post of Commissioner of Police loomed closer. […]

Rekindling Parish Community

For those of us old enough to remember, there was a time when local communities were real and vibrant. Neighbours knew each other’s names; children played […]

The nexus of school and parish

The results are out on the parish discussion on family life, the parish, leadership in Church and society, Catholic education and clergy and vocations. Most of […]

Equipped with only a staff

The threat posed by the weather system, Tropical Storm turned Hurricane Beryl, was met with trepidation by our neighbours from Dominica, Guadeloupe and Puerto Rico. Dominica […]

Use Social media responsibly

On Friday, June 22, there was a 5.3 magnitude earthquake at 9.54 p.m. that was felt in some parts of Trinidad and Tobago. Within twenty hours […]

Not only faith…

As July begins, holidays and trips away from the daily routine and relaxation of the early rising to face the commute to school begin to come […]

Care for our Home in the new catechesis

“There is no one among your relatives who has that name”—This Sunday’s gospel (Luke 1: 61). Sometimes in life we set new trends—from a family of […]

My father’s child

I never thought I would make a good father, far less a good husband, but now, 17 years later I think I might be on to […]

A better face

Xenophobia is typically defined as a fear and suspicion of foreigners. As a behaviour, those who fall victim to this are usually searching for a better […]

A question of survival

In a time when people feel powerless in the face of economic uncertainty and reduced personal security, demonstrations are increasingly being used as a means to […]

Relationship before religion

One of our parish priests asked his former parishioner why she left the Church. Her answer was: “relationship before religion”. She was quite right. And quite […]

The invisible ones

On August 2015 from Manila, The Philippines, Pope Francis addressed a weeping mother, “You respected the life you were carrying inside you, and God is going […]

Working our way back to truth

We are living in a world where everything has changed and we have no sure footing. It’s postmodern, post Christian, post truth. This is particularly troubling […]

The dark side of social media

The recent testimony of Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, to committees of the United States Congress, in respect of the unauthorised use of customer data brought […]

Called to holiness

The Second Vatican Council made a radical step in reminding the Catholic faithful that holiness is the striving and goal of everyone, not just priests and […]

Tobago’s Resurrection possibility

The imbroglio surrounding the sea bridge between Trinidad and Tobago is having increasingly serious consequences for the residents, business people and visitors to Tobago. Despite its […]

Our Easter challenge

Lent has raced to a finish and we now stand in the light of Easter, officially. But given the prevailing mood, it appears that the symbol […]

Hoping in the darkness

The country is going through its own Passion at this time. Many say like Jesus: “My soul is sorrowful unto death.” The government is losing the […]

Making mental health a priority

The anguish of mental illness afflicts our homes, schools, churches and the streets of our nation, with the piercing screams of its sufferers often ignored or […]

Lent, Vulnerability and Volunteerism

It is not unheard of that people stand outside of the National Blood Banks or, General Hospitals selling pints of blood for as high as TT$1500. […]

The Commandments: our road to salvation

The parlous state of our societies and the apparent paralysis of those charged with leadership of the institutions traditionally tasked with the guidance of society have […]

Facing the ISIS Challenge

The admission by Prime Minister Keith Rowley that there is an ISIS cell in Trinidad and Tobago comes as no surprise to many. In July 2017 […]

National threats and temptations

The recent threat to disrupt the Carnival and to throw the country into a subsequent state of panic and confusion has seen the arrest, according to […]

Lent: A challenge for today’s culture

The period of 40 days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving will begin on Ash Wednesday. These 40 days, if well lived and pondered, serve not only […]

Commanded to love

In a society suffering from a perceived lack of models, a phrase from the Letter to the Corinthians offered as part of this weekend’s Scripture Readings […]

A church in need of hope

Disturbing statistics were sent last December to regional vicars of the archdiocese. Most worrying is the continuing decline of numbers at weekend Mass, down from 17 […]

Refugees and immigrants are our brothers and sisters too

Last Sunday was the 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (the UNHCR) estimates that there were at least […]

Thinking of our future generations

Our beloved nation of Trinidad and Tobago is rich both in natural and human resources. In view of this wealth, our people must recognise the need […]

A “new thing” springing forth

As we face this new year, we can be excused if a cynical sneer is all the response we can muster to God’s enthusiastic encouragement offered […]

Taking up His cross

On Wednesday, December 27, Charles Jason Gordon was installed as the 11th Archbishop of Port of Spain, and only our third local archbishop. He begins his […]

God’s ‘Othering’

The country is in the throes of an economic recession but it is questionable whether in the light of this more people have turned to God. […]

A Time to Rejoice

Gaudete Sunday, this third Sunday of Advent, is one in which the faithful rejoice, for the feast of the birth of the Lord is near.  The […]

Reducing the inequality gap

Trinidad and Tobago is fast becoming a society of great inequality. Simply put, there are those who live with material abundance and those who have to […]

Our Advent Moment

A week is a long time in politics, they say. In our hectic world, a week is a long time, period.  We forget what happened in […]

Kingship and non-violence

Changing Behaviour Patterns through Peace Building among Youth was the title of a recent symposium on peer mediation held at the Southern Academy of the Performing […]

Sharing the benefits and burdens

The Paradise Papers is the most recent leak to reveal how the super rich around the world as well as global corporations have used off-shore tax […]

A lot to learn about real customer service

Customer service is a phrase loudly touted in all businesses and in government around this country, but many times we are forced to ask: do we […]

The one irreducible reality

As the pace of life becomes increasingly hectic, and the information and demands confronting us more complex, we seem to have adopted a reductionist stance to […]

Seeing red twice

It is said that there are lessons to be learned, and appreciated in our day-to-day situations – good, bad and ugly. I was reminded of this last […]

The pursuit of truth

‘Fact-checking’ has become an indispensable feature of the media in the United States because of the apparent tendency of the Trump administration to stray from the […]

Destructive binary spirituality

We love binary relations in spirituality. God and me; Jesus and me; me and my self-enlightenment; me and my well being. That is where religion begins, […]

Of Inheritance and Legacy

It is interesting that the public holidays celebrating the First Peoples of Trinidad and the Hindu festival of Divali should be observed within a few days […]

Budgeting for Personal Responsibility

A National Budget is basically a statement of a country’s Revenue and Expenditure over a period of a year with some indication of the government’s vision […]

And out of chaos…

“We have lost everything that money can buy…” So we may ask what have we left, not only after the ravages of the ongoing natural disasters, […]

Who will really exact vengeance?

“Resentment and anger, these are foul things and both are found with the sinner. He who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord, who […]

Religion and the moral order

With each passing generation Christian terms become more and more hollow – ‘salvation’, ‘sacraments’, ‘walls of Jericho’, ‘nativity’ etc to name a few. These terms and […]

Cafeteria Christianity

The following commentary by Guyana-based Jesuit priest Fr Jerri Dias appeared in the September 8 issue of the Catholic Standard, the weekly publication of the Diocese […]

Are Catholic schools relevant?

In Catholic schools with increasingly diverse religious populations among students and staff, it is vital that Catholic educators at all levels examine the relevance of our […]

The need for a culture of volunteerism

The disaster, hardship and pain faced by the people of the State of Texas in the United States has once again revealed the mindboggling effects of […]

In our own little worlds

It was a grey weekday afternoon on the Brian Lara Promenade and the usual throng was present. Above the noise of car horns, traffic, and loud […]

The true purpose of education

School looms on the horizon as parents and their charges begin the compulsory journeys to places of learning. The word ‘school’, which derives from a Greek […]

Aspiring to a higher morality

Violent crime is riddling our country. Not to mention white-collar crime too, of which the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) has just begun to scratch the surface. […]

Salute our golden boys

It has long been stated, even in song, that everybody loves a winner. That’s how we feel today as we bask in the glory of gold […]

Overcoming Prejudice

Prejudice is pervasive and poisonous.  It is defined as “dislike, hostility or unjust behaviour arising from preconceived and unfounded opinions” (Oxford Dictionary).  Prejudice comes in many […]

The tragedy next door

The media reports of immense human suffering in our nearest neighbour Venezuela are and should be a cause for great alarm. In view of the recent […]

Let’s start a chain-reaction

I am really tired of writing about the many ills of our society, which too often gets me down. It is just too much. So, this […]

The flavours of August

In this month of August sandwiched between the celebration of Emancipation and Independence and flavoured with the feelings associated with holidays, we are invited to pause […]

Let Justice be done

The meeting between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition was one of the more hopeful signs witnessed in our country for some time. […]

Ending mediocrity means definitive action

Just a few days ago there was a conversation about the difficulties people encounter as they try to work with our police service. Some will say, […]

The Injustices of Remand

‘They must pay for their crimes!’ And they should. ‘If you do the crime, then do the time!’ Rightly so. But there is a caveat: we […]

Turned off of ‘de bacchanal news’

Believe it or not, I hardly look at local news on television, much to the chagrin of my mother and sister, avid ‘news watchers’. This admission […]

Planting Good Seed

The release of the SEA results earlier this month threw into the spotlight one word which resonated among the top-achieving students and – had they been […]

Serious message in a cartoon

My son loves to look at cartoons. I guess it’s his way of coping with the reality of ‘real’ people and the issues that surround us, so he retreats into the world of cartoons where people are knocked down and get back up, animals talk and act like humans, and except when Jerry gets the better of Tom, there is always a happy ending.

To Educate, Evangelise and Share the Gospel

Pages from earlier editions of the Catholic News, recently included in current editions of the paper, give an insight into the changed readership of the paper over the years. This may be due in part to the profound changes in the society over the 125 years – changes in literacy, self-awareness and sense of a place and a voice within the Church.

Let the children play…

Forgive me, but I cannot see the logic of cutting primary schoolchildren’s lunch hour in half, and cannot believe that such a move will somehow temper the violence that is now so evident in many of the nation’s schools.