Suicide: church must offer hope
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI “Trinidad and Tobago has the third highest suicide rate in the English-speaking Caribbean after Guyana and Suriname.” Dr Roshan Parasram, Chief Medical Officer, Ministry of Health – Tuesday, March 7, 2017) It is estimated that up to 200 persons a year commit suicide in T&T. Dr Parasram […]
Build a culture of life – hanging is no cure
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI Emotions are running high because of ‘runaway crime,’ and once again T&T finds itself in the throes of looking for ways in which to resume hanging. Sadly, this debate is taking place during our 40 days of non-violence. Our response to crime is a moral test for […]
Tips for women
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI I share hereunder some tips I gave to participants who attended the Past Pupils’ Association of Holy Faith Convent, Couva, on the observation of International Women’s Day on March 8. The event was held last Sunday. – Let your faith define you; let the Holy Spirit move […]
Improve gender relations, strengthen society
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI “Humanity is like a bird with its two wings—the one is male, the other female. Unless both wings are strong and impelled by some common force, the bird cannot fly heavenwards.” (Abdu’l-Bahá, 1913) On Wednesday, March 8, the world will observe International Women’s Day. Women and men […]
Prepare for Lent, a summons to conversion
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI On Monday and Tuesday T&T’s Carnival will be in full swing. Enjoy yourselves. Remember, everything in moderation! Read today’s Gospel Mt 6:24-34. “Set your hearts on His kingdom first, and on His righteousness….” Once we have our priorities right and know how Christ’s disciples are supposed to […]
Non-violence one step at a time
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI “No single person can liberate a country. You can only liberate a country if you act as a collective.” (Nelson Mandela) I was driving to Port of Spain on Saturday morning (February 11), when I heard the news on the radio about the gruesome murder of 15-year-old […]
T&T needs a dose of LOVE
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI On Tuesday the world will observe another Valentine’s Day. Amidst the usual celebrations, take some time to reflect on what Love really means. The greatest commandment Jesus gave us is to love one another as He loves us. Valentine’s Day is celebrated not only by couples, but […]
Time to be salt and light
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI “The Church is the salt of the earth, she is the light of the world. She is called to make present in society the leaven of the Kingdom of God and she does this primarily with her witness, the witness of brotherly love, of solidarity and of […]
Time to act, people of the Beatitudes
“Crime flourishes when the environment is conducive to people behaving in a certain way.” Sir Dennis Byron, President of the Caribbean Court of Justice. Sir Dennis made this statement on June 14, 2014 at a symposium held at UWI in honour of the late Dana Saroop Seetahal SC. It was entitled: Re-engineering the Criminal Justice […]
Proclaiming the Good News in our Carnival culture
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI “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 […]
