Month: February 2016

columns2016

Being merciful to ourselves

Post author By Web administrator
Post date February 28, 2016

by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI

I share with you below an extract from my presentation on the theme: Be merciful to ourselves.(See CCSJ’s website).

God is a God of mercy. We are all here because of His grace: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life” (John 3:16).
As Pope Francis said: “The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ, all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone!” Christ’s death and resurrection show how much mercy God has for us. “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:5).

columns2016

Discipleship in the Year of Mercy

Post author By Web administrator
Post date February 21, 2016

This Wednesday and Thursday (Feb 24, 25), I will participate in the Lenten Retreat at St Phillip and St James RC Church, Chaguanas (7.15 p.m.); I will focus on the themes: Be merciful to ourselves, and Be merciful to our environment.

The overall retreat theme is: The Lord is generous and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. During this Jubilee Year of Mercy, let us accept that we cannot build the civilisation of Love unless we reconcile with God, neighbour, creation and self.

Tags Jubilee Year of Mercy

columns2016

Don’t waste Lent

Post author By Web administrator
Post date February 13, 2016

“May the season of Lent in this Jubilee year be lived more intensely as a privileged moment to celebrate and experience God’s mercy.” (Pope Francis)

CCSJ urges readers to reflect on Pope Francis’ 2016 Lenten Message. His theme this year is: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice (Matthew 9:13) – The works of mercy on the road of the Jubilee.

It is divided into three parts:
1. Mary, the image of a Church which evangelises because she is evangelised.
2. God’s covenant with humanity: a history of mercy.
3. The works of mercy.

Tags Lent, mercy

columns2016

Moorings to hold us together

Post author By Web administrator
Post date February 7, 2016

Over the next two days we will see the culmination of weeks of feting during the 2016 Carnival season. Once again, CCSJ urges citizens and visitors to enjoy themselves during Carnival without abandoning self-control and modesty in dress and behaviour.

In 2011, CCSJ established a Standing Committee to focus on the Pastoral Priority: Regenerating the Moral and Spiritual Values of our Society. It was chaired by Prof Surindra Arjoon. Members included then Msgr Jason Gordon (now Bishop Gordon), the late Fr Henry Charles, Sr Roberta O’Flaherty CHF, Annette des Iles, Ramona Khan, Ruth Saunders, Maria Diaz-James, the late Clive Belgrave, and me. Our work was informed by Msgr Jason’s paper: “T&T in crisis: A discussion starter.”

Tags Carnival, culture, morality