Catholic Commission for Social Justice
“What greater work is there than training the mind and forming the habits of the young?” (St John Chrysostom).
As I prepare my paper to participate in a panel discussion during the Ministry of Education’s National Consultation on the Primary School Curriculum (Apr 5-6), I ponder over the way in which God works. The topic that I shall address is: “Addressing the need for morals, ethics, virtues and values in society”.
Gospel: John 9, 1 – 41
As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him. We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” —which means Sent—. So he went and washed, and came back able to see.
On Wednesday, March 23 and Thursday 24, I attended UNAIDS Caribbean Regional Consultation on Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support. I was a member of the panel that focused on: The Social and Cultural Environment: Human Rights and HIV (see CCSJ’s website for my presentation).
Interestingly, among the 150 or so persons present – including Ministers of Government from around the region, I was the only speaker/participant representing a faith-based community.
Gospel: John 4, 5 – 42
Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”
As a deer longs for running streams, so longs my soul for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, the God of life…(Psalm 42:1-2)
On behalf of CCSJ, I would like to congratulate Bishop Claude Berkley, who was ordained as Coadjutor Bishop of the Anglican Church in the Diocese of Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday, March 17 in the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity.