Sacredness down the slippery slope

By Fr Stephan Alexander General Manager, CCSJ   Have you ever experienced a bad fall? Most of us might say yes to that. I’ve had many slips, falls and tumbles in my time, especially when playing football in my younger days. However, there’s one particularly memorable fall that now comes to mind. I was in […]

Recognise the rights and dignity of all workers

By Fr Stephan Alexander General Manager, CCSJ My recent focus on human dignity comes from the blessing of experiencing my blindness and how it impacts my relationship with others. Specifically, how I often fail to honour the human dignity of others as well as my own. This tends to occur when I adopt the stance […]

Restoring our sight

By Fr Stephan Alexander, General Manager, CCSJ There are times when at the end of the day we are so tired that our tiredness becomes our focus and we become closed to life’s invitation. Wednesday, April 24 was one of those days for me. After an incredibly exhausting day, I was readying myself to leave […]

A reflection on Dignitas Infinita

By Fr Stephan Alexander General Manager, CCSJ  In the ever-evolving tapestry of Catholic social teaching (CST), the principle of human dignity stands as a foundational pillar that guides principles of justice, compassion, and respect. To highlight “the indispensable nature of the dignity of the human person in Christian anthropology” (what it means to be human) […]

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 […]

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 […]

Always remember, T&T is a real place

Trinidad and Tobago is rich in diversity and culture and there are many things in our history that creates a sense of national pride inclusive of the steel pan, music, sports, literature, and academia. However, as we prepare to celebrate 61 years of independence, I am worried about what the future holds. Our country has […]

CCSJ and partners offer free post-Carnival Covid-19 testing

SOCIAL JUSTICE – rcsocialjustice.org Party done! Covid-19 testing was available on Ash Wednesday with the Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) and their partners, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Medical Research Foundation and Caribbean Med Labs Foundation. The Catholic News caught up with the CCSJ and their partners in health and justice on […]

Roving CFS: learning spaces for vulnerable children

By Darrion Narine, CCSJ/AMMR Programme Coordinator Life has taken many twists and turns over the last two years and for many it has been difficult. Children, however, have been impacted the most during this period, especially the vulnerable migrant and refugee population and those local children who live in the poorest areas. It is out […]

We are all the People of God

By Msgr Michael de Verteuil Chair of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission Pope Pius X in 1906 wrote the letter Vehementer Nos to the French bishops. In this letter the following appears: “….the Church is essentially an unequal society, that is, a society comprising two categories of persons, the Pastors and the flock, those who occupy […]