by CCSJ Chair, Leela Ramdeen
“Today our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven; let our hearts ascend with him. Listen to the words of the Apostle: If you have risen with Christ, set your hearts on the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God; seek the things that are above, not the things that are on earth. For just as he remained with us even after his ascension, so we too are already in heaven with him, even though what is promised us has not yet been fulfilled in our bodies.” (St Augustine)
Today on the feast of Jesus’ Ascension into Heaven let’s be joyful that He came so that we might have life. If we have truly risen in Christ we must act; we must motivate all people of goodwill to join us in our efforts to build God’s Kingdom on earth.
The Planning Committee of the March for Jesus event scheduled to take place July 1, is calling on people of every creed, ethnicity, age and gender “who desire to restore sound spiritual, moral, and ethical values of our country” to come out “to reclaim T&T from crime, immorality, disunity, and darkness”. Participants will head to the Queen’s Park Savannah from three starting points: the Croisée, Morvant RC Church, and Jean Pierre Complex.
Please watch CCSJ’s monthly TV programme on Tuesday, May 22 from 8.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m. on Channel 10 (TCN). Listen to Rhonda Maingot and me discuss issues relating to the March for Jesus. Offer up your prayers and service for the success of this event. To revitalise our Catholic Culture and Identity, we must demonstrate that we are alive and present in T&T.
We must also share a Catholic perspective when Government policies are being formulated. On Monday, May 14, I attended the National Consultation on the Draft 5- Year National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan for T&T 2012 – 2017. The draft plan has five key areas – Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support, Advocacy and Human Rights, Strategic Information and Policy and Programme Management.
From 1983 – 2010 there have been 22,085 reported cases of HIV infection, of which 6,500 became AIDS cases. Of this number, 4,039 persons died of AIDS-related conditions. The rate of newly diagnosed infections in T&T in 2010 was 1,148. The draft plan states that, “although HIV and AIDS Information, Education and Communication have had a wide reach, there has not been a corresponding change in behaviour among the general population.”
Some of the recommendations that are being “pushed” by some individuals and groups at events such as this are not in keeping with our beliefs e.g. in relation to the use of contraception, explicit sex education in schools, a distorted view of human rights – including what is termed “reproductive rights”, new definitions of family and gender etc.
The Holy See said at a UN meeting on AIDS last June that the Catholic Church “remains committed to achieving the goal of halting and reversing the spread of HIV by promoting the only universally effective, safe and affordable means of halting the spread of the disease: abstinence before marriage and mutual fidelity in marriage, avoiding risk-taking and irresponsible behaviours and promoting universal access to drugs which prevent the spread of HIV from mother-to-child…
“Combatting the spread of HIV…requires a value-based response which recognises the need to promote the inherent dignity of the human person, thus, responsible sexual behaviour and recognition of responsibility to oneself and one’s own community.”
Terrence Beepath, Director of the South AIDS Support, Pundit Bramdeo Persad, Noble Khan (two members of the IRO) and I sat on the same table and were able to inject a faith-based view in the discussions. We believe that the document should begin with a concern to change the behaviour of our citizens – get to the root of the problem as a key prevention strategy. We also stressed the need for parents, schools, and communities to focus more on virtues and values formation.
The Catholic community in T&T supports those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, through organizations such as the Society of St Vincent de Paul, Living Water Community, South AIDS Support and CCSJ. Worldwide, the Catholic Church provides more than 25% of all care for those living with HIV and AIDS (117,000 health care facilities worldwide).
Let’s play our part in our parishes to minister to persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families and take preventative action within our own families to nurture in our loved ones virtues and values that are in keeping with God’s plan.
