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 […]
Empower youth by example
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI Today’s Gospel reminds me of the joy I saw on the faces of the many young persons – “branches” – who attended last week Saturday’s Catholic Youth Expo 2015 at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya. We should all take note of Archbishop Joseph Harris’ and Winston Garcia’s […]
Alternatives to administering justice
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 in TT. This is Part 3 Prison Fellowship International is involved in Ministry in TT. As is stated on its website: “Prisons […]
No ‘real treatment’ in prison
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI CCSJ continues the serialisation of our March 19 response, on behalf of the Archdiocese, to the Ministry of Justice’s (MOJ) Discussion Paper on Restorative Justice in T&T. This is Part 2. We need a multi-faceted approach to address crime and violence in T&T as the causes are […]
Embrace Restorative Justice
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI On March 19, on behalf of the Archdiocese, CCSJ submitted a response to the Ministry of Justice’s (MOJ) Discussion Paper on Restorative Justice in T&T. CCSJ collaborated with Fr Robert Christo, the Catholic Prison Chaplain, in preparing our Church’s response. Over the next few weeks, CCSJ will […]
Virtue – a conscious choice
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI Archbishop Harris’ homily at the historic Mass at Westminster Cathedral, London, on March 27 struck a chord in the hearts and minds of those present. He urged us to use the Lenten season to cultivate good habits which would help us to become better people. He asked […]
