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2013

Archbishop Harris’ Gospel Reflection June 16 – 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

by Archbishop Joseph Harris
by Archbishop Joseph Harris

Luke, 7:36-50

A Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said.

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Eliminating elder abuse

by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI

“Age is something that comes to us all. It brings its joys and its diminishments but ‘It’s still me!’ This is the critical message in providing care for the elderly by the Catholic community. It enables us to see that behind all the political, economic and social questions of growing old is a human face, a life, a person – a mother, a father, brother or sister who is part of us and has helped to make us who we are. The elderly are not a burden but a gift – without them our lives and our society would be impoverished and diminished. They have a right to our resources and our care.”

(Archbishop Vincent Nicholls, the head of the Catholic Church in England & Wales).

On June 16 I shall celebrate my birthday. I am a “Senior Citizen” in a world in which there is war being waged daily in our communities against Senior Citizens. Elder Abuse is a public health and human rights issue. Yesterday the world marked the 8th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day aimed at providing an opportunity for communities around the world “to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect”.

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2013

Archbishop Harris’ Gospel Reflection June 9 – Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

 

by Archbishop Joseph Harris
by Archbishop Joseph Harris

Gospel: Luke, 7:11-17

Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst, ” and “God has visited his people.” This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in the entire surrounding region.

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Building right relationships

by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI

I share with you below extracts from my presentation on Domestic Violence at a public forum in Guyana during the recent meeting of AEC Episcopal Members of the AEC Justice and Peace Commission and Diocesan representatives of Justice and Peace groups from across the AEC region. FULL PRESENTATION

Domestic Violence is NOT part of God’s plan for us, His children. The challenge for Catholics, particularly during the Year of Faith, is to allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us so that we can be true witnesses to our faith and promote integral human development of all our people. We are called to defend and promote the sanctity of life and the dignity of the human person – made in God’s image and likeness.

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news2013

CCSJ appoints three Parish Link Coordinators

New Parish Link Coordinators with Chair Leela Ramdeen and Vice Chair Clive Belgrave.
New Parish Link Coordinators with Chair Leela Ramdeen and Vice Chair Clive Belgrave.

CCSJ welcomes three Parish Link Coordinators who will work on a part-time basis with the Commission. Their roles include liaising with Vicariate Link Coordinators to promote the social doctrine of the Church at Vicariate/parish level; identifying, developing and disseminating good social justice practice; supporting CCSJ in its implementation of Synod resolutions; creating and maintaining a database of contact persons with respect to social justice ministry in all parishes; facilitating training sessions in parishes; developing relevant resources for use in parishes.

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