Catholic Commission for Social Justice
By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI
On September 24 we celebrate the 43rd anniversary of Trinidad & Tobago becoming a Republic. We gained independence on August 31, 1962 and Republican status on August 1, 1976. The event was celebrated as a public holiday September 24 because this is the date when the first Parliament met under the new Republican Constitution.
By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI
“The Church is on mission in the world. Faith in Jesus Christ enables us to see all things in their proper perspective, as we view the world with God’s own eyes and heart…This missionary mandate touches us personally …every baptized man and woman is a mission…to the world, for each of us is the fruit of God’s love” (Pope Francis).
From Tuesday, September 17–Sunday 22, the first Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) Mission Congress of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) will be held in T&T.
“God does not reveal himself in the abstract, but by using languages, imagery and expressions that are bound to different cultures…The phenomenon of culture is, in its various aspects, an essential datum of human experience.” –Pope Benedict XVI, 2010.
Cultural diversity plays an important role in human development and in nation building. Sadly, fear of ‘the other’, of those whose ethnicity, race, traditions, cultural practices etc are different from ours, often prevent us from building inclusive societies.
“…everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The quotation above is taken from the gospel reading for this weekend (Luke 14:1; 7–14). All the readings of the day focus on the virtue of “humility” e.g. Sirach 3:18 tells us: “conduct your affairs with humility… humble yourself the more the greater you are, and you will find favour with God.”
On Saturday, August 31, we will celebrate 57 years of independence. Firstly, let us give thanks to God for leading us out of the bondage of colonialism. Give thanks also to those intrepid men and women who sacrificed and fought for our independence, our political emancipation, and for the many gifts and blessings that God has given to us.