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.”
Looking back at the notes of our meetings, it is clear that the issues raised then still apply today. As we continue to seek to identify the areas and factors that contribute to the breakdown of moral and spiritual values in society, to identify good practice, and develop strategies for regeneration, let us address the following questions which are among those that the above Committee sought to answer:
Why be moral? Why is it a good thing to be a good person? Can we live morally and ethically without religion? What are the moorings/shared beliefs that we have in common and which hold our people in T&T together?
At what point do we stem the tide and get people to realise that there are consequences to their actions/moral boundaries? In the face of moral relativism and individualism, what do we need to do to nurture objective moral values in our homes, communities, nation, and the world?
Are those who pass through our Catholic schools able to deal with the challenges they face in today’s world e.g. are our educational institutions nurturing the formation of students’ consciences and promoting critical thinking to help our youths make informed moral choices?
One of the books that informed the Committee’s work was: Values in the Time of Upheaval, written by Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI) (2007).
In it he “brings together his most important views on the crucial question of where we find our values and how we act to put them into practice in our personal and private lives. In chapters on the history and destiny of human life, (he) covers such topics as the dangers of secularism, the meaning of truth in a pluralistic world, the basis of human morality, the foundations of a good society, and the Christian basis for true hope and love” (www.amazon.com).
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Pope Francis calls us to be countercultural. He said: “I ask you…to be revolutionaries…to swim against the tide; yes, I am asking you to rebel against this culture that sees everything as temporary and that ultimately believes you are incapable of responsibility, that believes you are incapable of true love.”
Many are dead to sin. Msgr Jason shared information contained in Karl Menninger’s 1978 book: “Whatever became of sin?”
Menninger suggested that the world would be a healthier place if we showed more concern for repentance and conversion. Our Committee noted his list of the dominant ideologies that contribute to the crisis in culture, including: individualism, relativism, subjectivism, scientism, legalism, ecologism and utilitarianism.
Fr Henry’s words are pertinent: “A sense of sin requires a sense of God. We need to bring back a vital sense of God in a way that will encourage people to live their faith.”
Catholics have a role to play to be leaven in society, but we ourselves must allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us. “Being a Christian is not just about following commandments: it is about letting Christ take possession of our lives and transform them” (Pope Francis).
We really need a multi-pronged approach. As Msgr Jason said: “One way of doing this is to position character-building through a campaign that will make moral choice an everyday conversation in the minds and hearts of the citizens…To understand the different groups in society and their rights, responsibilities, and the potential role that they can play in promoting social development is critical for the transformation of our nation.”
We cannot keep addressing the symptoms without considering the root causes of our social ills. I say it is time to focus on the family since “The family is where we are formed as people. Every family is a brick in the building of society.” (Pope Francis).
Happy carnival!
