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columns2018

Observing World Day of the Poor

Post author By Web administrator
Post date November 18, 2018

By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI

On Sunday 18th November, the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, the Catholic Church will observe the 2nd World Day of the Poor – an annual observance established by Pope Francis in November 2016, at the end of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. Two key social justice principles are: the dignity of the human person and the preferential option for the poor and vulnerable.

Archbishop Jason Gordon reminds us in his 18 November Catholic News column that the aim of World Day of the Poor is “to keep the plight of the poor before the eyes of the Universal Church. We must become mercy…Poverty is not only on the level of the individual. It is also about the structures of society that keep the poor, poor and the rich, rich…The scandal of poverty is our indifference and failure to listen to the cry. If we listen, if we hear, we will act; then God uses our hands and feet to achieve his purpose…

Tags poor, World Day of the Poor

columns2018

Spoken Word on the state of the world

Post author By Web administrator
Post date November 18, 2018

by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI

CCSJ and the Youth Commission are pleased to share with you the contribution of the 2^nd prize winner of our recent Spoken Word Competition. See last week’s issue for Emmanuel Joseph’s winning piece.

We are the World
by Mark Howell-Paul

This may sound a bit unorthodox
but you don’t realise that cats
does use their litter boxes
but humans don’t?

Tags Spoken word

columns2018

Youth speak out on caring for creation

Post author By Web administrator
Post date November 11, 2018

CCSJ would like to thank all those who observed Justice, Peace and Community Week (Saturday, October 20 to Saturday 27) on the theme: Caring for Creation: 8^th Work of Mercy.

The week was launched with a live one-hour programme on TCN in which Archbishop Jason Gordon and I shared information on the theme and encouraged the faithful to act (see video-link on CCSJ’s website).

Tags JPCW, Justice Peace and Community Week (JPCW)., Spoken word

columns2018

Literacy transforms lives

Post author By Web administrator
Post date November 4, 2018

“Literacy is the skill that unlocks the gates of opportunity and success” —Barack Obama

As we celebrate the achievements of those who gained one of the 376 CAPE (formerly A’ Levels) scholarships this year, let us not forget those who continue to live in the ‘dark’ because they are either illiterate or functionally illiterate.

In August, Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) Registrar, Glenroy Cumberbatch, said that about 11,000 pupils across the region who wrote the CSEC Exam (formerly O’ Levels) last May/June got no passes. I wonder how many face literacy challenges?

Tags literacy

columns2018

Building sustainable cities, towns and villages

Post author By Web administrator
Post date October 28, 2018

“Experiencing the need for change is the first step towards mainstreaming sustainability”—Sally Uren, CEO, Forum for the Future (2013).

In the face of disaster, it is heartening to see how our people can come together to help each other. Let’s keep the love flowing.

However, the aftermath of the recent floods must surely involve a review by all citizens of our disaster preparedness, but also our strategies for building sustainable and resilient cities, towns, villages and communities in general. On Wednesday October 31, the World will observe UN World Cities Day.

Tags development