Catholic Commission for Social Justice
By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI
As thousands prepare to ‘play’ themselves over the next two days of Carnival, CCSJ urges citizens and visitors to our blessed T&T to exercise self-control and modesty in dress and behaviour during this Carnival season.
RECENTLY I gave a woman and her two young children a lift to their home. On the way the children suddenly started to sing along to Kees’ song, ‘Savannah Grass’ that was playing on the radio. Their young voices filled the air as they sang along to the hits of this 2019 Carnival season. They knew all the lyrics. I playfully asked them if they remember their school work as well as they recall the lyrics of each soca/calypso. They laughed without answering.
“From the very beginning, Jesus associated his disciples with his own life, revealed the mystery of the Kingdom to them, and gave them a share in his mission, joy, and sufferings” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 787).
In today’s Gospel (Matt 4:12-23) we see Jesus calling His first four disciples – ordinary fishermen –two pairs of brothers: Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother, Andrew, and James and John, sons of Zebedee.
“The ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization” (Gandhi)
I thought of Gandhi’s words after the recent Notting Hill Carnival (NHC) in London, Europe’s largest street festival.
I was honoured once again to be one of the judges at the carnival. Read about the history of NHC which started in 1964.
The 50th Anniversary of NHC was celebrated from 2014-2016 with the different aspects of carnival: masquerade, sound systems, steel bands, calypso and soca – amazing creativity and diverse artistic excellence – including that of my brother, Anil ‘Speedy’ Ramdeen and his partner, Clary Salandy, who run Mahogany Carnival Design. They won first prize in their category on both days.
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.”