Month: April 2014

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Alternatives to administering justice

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Post date April 26, 2014

by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI

CCSJ continues its serialisation of our March 19 response, on behalf of the Archdiocese, to the Ministry of Justice’s (MOJ) Discussion Paper on Restorative Justice in TT. This is Part 3

Prison Fellowship International is involved in Ministry in TT. As is stated on its website: “Prisons are not a natural place for restorative processes because relationships are often highly coercive. There is a clear authority structure between prison staff and the prisoners, and in a less formal way, between powerful prisoners and the others. Furthermore, the prison sub-culture, which tends to respect only the exercise of power, is not conducive to values of respect, humility and constructive dialogue.

2014

Easter Sunday (A) – April 20

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Post date April 24, 2014

Gospel John 20:1-9

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

columns2014

No ‘real treatment’ in prison

Post author By Web administrator
Post date April 19, 2014

CCSJ continues the serialisation of our March 19 response, on behalf of the Archdiocese, to the Ministry of Justice’s (MOJ) Discussion Paper on Restorative Justice in T&T. This is Part 2.

We need a multi-faceted approach to address crime and violence in T&T as the causes are many and varied. Our response must include a focus on repentance, reparation, restoration, reconciliation, rehabilitation, empowerment, and re-integration with a sense of responsibility. These are some of the watchwords of a Restorative Justice (RJ) approach.

2014

Palm Sunday (A) – April 13

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Post date April 12, 2014

AT THE PROCESSION WITH PALMS

Gospel Mt. 21:1-11

When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, ‘The master has need of them.’ Then he will send them at once.” This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
Say to daughter Zion,
“Behold, your king comes to you,
meek and riding on an ass,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”

Continue reading “Palm Sunday (A) – April 13”

columns2014

Embrace Restorative Justice

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Post date April 12, 2014

On March 19, on behalf of the Archdiocese, CCSJ submitted a response to the Ministry of Justice’s (MOJ) Discussion Paper on Restorative Justice in T&T. CCSJ collaborated with Fr Robert Christo, the Catholic Prison Chaplain, in preparing our Church’s response. Over the next few weeks, CCSJ will present our response to the MOJ in this column. Here is the first installment:

Continue reading “Embrace Restorative Justice”