What it takes to have a better world
By Fr Stephan Alexander General Manager, CCSJ/AMMR A meme gaining popularity on various social media platforms places these words on the lips of Dawn Staley, the record-breaking head coach of the University of South Carolina 2024 NCAA championship winning women’s basketball team: “Problem is, y’all got league dreams with backyard work ethic. And your parents […]
Jesus on the cross – the greatest expression of justice
By Fr Stephan Alexander General Manager, CCSJ/AMMR One of the stories in heavy rotation on international news cycles over the last few days has been the killing of 137 persons at a Moscow concert hall on Friday, March 22. In response to this tragic loss of life, news outlets such as The Times reported […]
An urgent need to heal from our trauma
By Fr Stephan Alexander General Manager, CCSJ/AMMR On Tuesday, March 5 someone sent me a reel (a short video) that was shared via the TTT Live Online Instagram page. The reel showed the recently deceased Jaheem Diaz, a fruit vendor from St Paul Street, Port of Spain, who was “gunned down on the corner […]
Healing from trauma benefits the individual and community
By Fr Stephan Alexander General Manager, CCSJ/AMMR Several years ago, at the beginning of my formation journey toward becoming a priest, I had a conversation with Sr Julie Peters SSM. I had just arrived at the Sisters’ home in preparation for street ministry that evening. Sr Julie asked how I was feeling. It had […]
Highlighting Leela’s legacy this International Women’s Day
By Fr Stephan Alexander General Manager, CCSJ/AMMR As the world commemorated International Women’s Day (IWD) on Friday, March 8, it is fitting to highlight the remarkable contributions of women who have tirelessly championed the cause of social justice. Among these luminaries, Leela Ramdeen, former President and Chairwoman of the Catholic Commission for Social Justice […]
Environmental issues are social justice issues
By Fr Stephan Alexander, General Manager, CCSJ/AMMR I may be biased but growing up in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1980s was a privileged experience. There are many reasons why I could say that. However, from my perspective, the greatest reason was the exponential growth of consciousness and the acceptance of personal and communal responsibility […]
A commitment to promote Catholic social justice principles
By Fr Stephan Alexander General Manager, CCSJ/AMMR A couple of weeks ago I messaged a Mexican friend, a university professor, whom I have been communicating with about opportunities to grow my understanding of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and Social Justice. The response I received shocked me. His reply stated that he was being extorted […]
Women can be agents of positive change
By Leela Ramdeen Consultant, CCSJ & Director, CREDI The following is an extract from CCSJ’s Consultant, Leela Ramdeen’s presentation as the feature speaker at the Growing in Grace Women’s Ministry’s Annual Women’s Conference 2023, November 26, on the theme: Embracing our Dignity, Vocation, and Mission in the World Today. The entire presentation can be […]
Home is where we belong
By Fr Stephan Alexander General Manager, CCSJ/AMMR If you read Archbishop Jason’s article in the February 11 edition of The Catholic News or consumed insights from his recent book about Carnival, you would have identified his central thesis that, “Carnival is a mirror of the soul of T&T”. In advancing his position His Grace […]
From Carnival into Lent, through Catholic Social Teaching
By Fr Stephan Alexander General Manager, CCSJ and AMMR We’re here again! Here at one of the most mystical and provocative intermingling of spiritual expressions in Trinbagonian society: the apogee of Carnival and the commencement of Lent. Many of us experience this “spiritual, mystical and freeing” moment with ambivalence – how can we marry […]
