Category: columns2015

columns2015

Would Jesus find faith here?

Post author By Web administrator
Post date July 4, 2015

by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI

Today’s Gospel reading (Mark 6:1-6) gives us much food for thought. Jesus returned to his own home town in Nazareth and was “amazed at the lack of faith” among the people. They would not accept him. Was it because they remembered him as being a carpenter and the son of a carpenter? Jesus’ words ring true for many: “A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house.”
Would Jesus find faith in T&T? Jesus knocks on the doors of our hearts daily. Do we open the door and welcome Him because we, His disciples, embrace His teachings and act on them to build His Kingdom here on earth? Even if you find yourself preaching the Good News in a hostile environment, just do it – for Jesus’ sake. Evangelisation involves setting a good example by the way in which we live our lives, so that others may wish to emulate us.

columns2015

Fixing broken institutions

Post author By Web administrator
Post date June 27, 2015

Pope Francis’ 2nd encyclical has been released. It is entitled: Praised be to you: On the care of our common home. If you can’t read the entire encyclical at this stage, please read a summary or guide – online. Tune in to CCSJ’s panel discussion from8 – 9 p.m. on TCN (Ch 10) on Tuesday, June 30 when we will discuss the implications for us/the world of this comprehensive document which addresses many of the issues raised in our own AEC Bishops’ Declaration on Climate Change (June 8) – published in CN last week.

Tags prison

columns2015

Justice, Peace and Community Week

Post author By Web administrator
Post date June 19, 2015

Over the past few years, the CCSJ has taken the lead to organise activities for Respect For Life Week. In order to ensure that society is aware of the broad pro-life view of our Church, the week will now be known as: Justice, Peace and Community Week (JPCW).

The week will run from Saturday, October 24 to Saturday, October 31, 2015. We are giving early notice of this Archdiocesan event so that the entire Catholic community can join in: reflecting on what our Church teaches about this theme, planning activities, and praying for the success of the Week.

Tags Justice Peace and Community Week (JPCW).

columns2015

Tackling elder abuse

Post author By Web administrator
Post date June 12, 2015

Tomorrow the world will observe elder abuse awareness day. One of the foundational social justice principles in our Church is the need for us to recognise and promote the dignity of each human person at all stages and in all circumstances – from conception to natural death.

Archbishop Harris has rightly raised a red flag warning us/our nation about the danger of going down the path of destruction. Let us use our free will wisely and strengthen our own spirituality. Let us also pass on Christian values within our families and in our communities so that we will pull back from the brink of destruction. Elder abuse is part of the destructive ‘mix’ in TT/the world.

Tags abuse, elderly

columns2015

Women: playing our part to transform society

Post author By Web administrator
Post date June 6, 2015

Leela Ramdeen (centre) sits with Prof Rima Malek, Faculty of Education, Lebanese University, Lebanon (left) and Sr Constance O'Brien of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, a senior lecturer in the Dept of Social Development, University of Cape Town, South Africa, and other conference participants as they await the start of Mass on Pentecost Sunday. — Leela Ramdeen (centre) sits with Prof Rima Malek, Faculty of Education, Lebanese University, Lebanon (left) and Sr Constance O’Brien of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, a senior lecturer in the Dept of Social Development, University of Cape Town, South Africa, and other conference participants as they await the start of Mass on Pentecost Sunday.

by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ (rcsocialjusticett.org) & Director, CREDI

From May 22-24, I attended an International Conference in Rome entitled: “Women and the post-2015 development agenda: the challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
Over 100 women participated in the three-day event which was organised by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, in collaboration with the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations, and the World Women’s Alliance for Life and Family.
Although progress has been made in certain areas, the world will not successfully attain the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by September 2015. Currently, the UN is elaborating a new post-2015 development agenda and is consulting on 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), 169 targets and more than 400 indicators.

Tags event, women