Working in the Lord’s vineyard
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI In today’s Gospel (Matthew 16:13-19), we read about Peter’s profession of faith. By our baptism we accept that Jesus Christ is the “Son of the living God”. Peter was the rock on which Jesus built his Church. Today, Jesus expects us, His followers, to continue Peter’s work. […]
Fixing broken institutions
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI 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 – […]
Re-engineering the Criminal Justice System
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI On Saturday, June 14, I was a panellist at a Symposium held at UWI in honour of the late Dana Saroop Seetahal SC. It was organised by The Foundation for Politics and Leadership and the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (UWI) and had […]
A child is not an accessory
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI Today is both Father’s Day and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. One of the greatest gifts that God gave to humankind is FATHERS. I shall miss the Father’s Day party for my father who will be 89 years old in July. He is currently in London with […]
A refreshing break
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI At the time of writing this article, my team and I at the CCSJ are preparing for our annual one-day retreat on the theme: Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied (Mt5:6). Too often we get caught up with the […]
Pursue pro-life penalties – CCSJ
Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI, addresses the social justice issues arising from the Grazette case (see below). DNA continues to play a major role in the criminal justice system and has led not only to the conviction of many but to the exoneration and release of many innocent persons from prison.As has been […]
Christian groups tackle crime
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI Earlier this year, Pope Francis referred to “Pius XII’s assertion that ‘the sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin’… Losing the sense of sin causes others to pay for our ‘Christian mediocrity’…When the sense of sin is lost, so is the sense […]
The tragedy of suicide
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI At the funeral of Dana Seetahal SC two Thursdays ago, President Anthony Carmona quoted the 17th Century English poet, John Donne, who said: “Any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind.” Dana’s death certainly diminishes us. May her soul rest in peace. The morning […]
Discipline with love, not punish with ‘licks’
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI CCSJ hopes that each parish will, in whatever way possible, observe the 20th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family and International Family Day on May 15. On the day before this international observance, Wednesday May 14, CCSJ has organised a seminar at Santa Rosa Parish […]
Restorative Justice: moving from ‘policy to practice’
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI CCSJ continues its serialisation of our March 19 response, on behalf of the Archdiocese, to the Ministry of Justice’s (MOJ) Discussion Paper on Restorative Justice (RJ) in TT. This is Part 4. We agree with Paul Goggins, UK MP, who said: “I don’t want Restorative Justice to […]