Remembering victims of transatlantic slavery
by CCSJ Chair, Leela Ramdeen “Every time I hear the crack of a whip, my blood runs cold. I remember on the slave ship, how they brutalised my very soul. (Nesta Marley’s song: Slave Driver) In 2007, the UN declared March 25 (annually) as the “International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and […]
Doing good works
by CCSJ Chair, Leela Ramdeen “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. . . […]
Pray for girls whose dreams are being dashed
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ “….for the Christian, every man and woman is a true sanctuary of God, and should be treated with the highest respect and affection.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Nov 7, 2010) On Thursday, March 8, International Women’s Day (IWD), I delivered an address to students at St Joseph’s Convent, St Joseph on […]
Poverty in T&T
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ Last Sunday evening I participated in a 2 hour panel discussion – live on TV, Channel 8 – on the theme: “Approaches to Poverty Alleviation”. Other panellists were Prof Habib Ahmed, Durham University, from the Muslim community, and Rev Adrian Sieunarine from the Presbyterian community. I was asked to consider […]
Resisting temptation
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ Today’s Gospel, Mark 1:12-15, is only six lines long, yet there is much in it on which we should reflect during this Lenten period, for example, Jesus’ temptation by Satan while he was in “the wilderness” for 40 days. Our Church teaches us that we must do good and avoid […]
What would Jesus do about hanging?
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ Today’s Second Reading (1 Cor 10:31-11:1) reminds us that whatever we do, we must “do it for the glory of God.” In his letter to the Corinthians St Paul urges them to take him for their model, as he takes Christ. As we seek to revitalise our Catholic Culture and […]
Children bring us God’s smile
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ Every child brings us God’s smile and invites us to recognise that life is His gift, a gift to be welcomed with love and preserved with care always and at every moment. (Pope Benedict XVI) These words came to mind as I read about the pain that 6-year-old Josiah Governor […]
Life after separation, divorce, or losing a spouse
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ Last Sunday I presented a paper at the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission’s Convention for Catholics who are Separated, Divorced and Widowed on the theme: What does God have to do with me now? The following are extracts – Download full presentation I agree with the Family Life Commission – “being […]
Teach me your paths, Lord
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ When I was in London last October, my sister brought out a box with some of my mother’s prayer books. We take comfort in using the very prayer books she used when she was alive. One of these is a book of psalms given to her by Bishop Emeritus Sydney […]
He came to save us all
by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ MY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION TO STRIVE TO BE A BETTER CHRISTIAN; TO LIVE THE KIND OF LIFE THAT WILL DRAW ME CLOSER TO GOD, TO MY NEIGHBOUR AND TO GOD’S CREATION. IT IS ONLY THROUGH RECONCILIATION WITH GOD, NEIGHBOUR, CREATION AND SELF CAN WE BUILD THE CIVILISATION OF LOVE. LEELA […]
