Catholic Commission for Social Justice
Gospel; 5, 1 – 12ª
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
“Treasure the environment and use it wisely. Preserve the environment as a legacy for the future… Environmental issues can no longer be regarded as a luxury…Government must partner with all stakeholders. If there are human-induced causes to the problems, there must be human-induced solutions…Trinidad and Tobago, as a responsible member of the international community, recognises the need to take domestic action…all citizens should Think Green.”
On January 12, I attended the launch of a year of celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of Holy Faith Convent (HFC), Couva, my alma mater. Angela Iloo, Principal of HFC, rightly calls the school the “diamond on the Caroni plain”. Indeed, when it was established in 1951 it was the first secondary school in the Central rural area.
Gospel: Matthew 4, 12 – 23
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ
“Youth Ministry is the response of the Christian community to the needs of young people and the sharing of the unique gifts of youth with the larger community.” (Renewing the Vision, US Catholic Bishops, 1997)
On Saturday, January 15, CCSJ participated in the first ever Youth Expo at the Centre of Excellence. Like many other groups in the Archdiocese, we ran one of the booths at the event. I thank Sr Roberta O’Flaherty, a member of CCSJ, and our dedicated volunteer, Anna Ackbarali, for joining me in the booth.