lets abandon the Basilica Minor and negate a history of the country.

So the catholic News for the Archdiocese of Port of Spain claims that it would cost about US$7 million dollars to restore the Basilica Minor Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Port of Spain. So they have come up with several options. One of them is to Build a new Cathedral.

Now there are several issues to discuss.

1. The article in the catholic news on the Website does not allow for comments. Why? Shouldn't we have a voice in the OUR Catholic Press (or the website even) Miss Editor. It is why I do not buy the Catholic News anymore. In fact I would not even have read it unless my priest advised that we (the congregation of the Cathedral)do. I don't beleive that it truly expresses the thoughts of the faithful, only that of the editor.

2. The Archbishop did not identify the timeline properly. The work to be done had been identified by a specialist refurbisher from Canada through Genivar Trinidad Ltd. The scope of works report with an unofficial ballpark figure was given in 2007 (I believe). The cost was not close to 7 million US dollars. I think it was about half that.

3. I could be mixing up the restoration comittee with the committee to raise funds for the restoration, if they are indeed two separate groups I apologise - but the restoration comittee includes non catholics. They have no interest in the Catholic Faith, Catholic Culture or what it means to be a Bascilica Minor. They do not understand that the same Pope who assembled the first Vatican Council, is the Pope who made our beloved Cathedral a Bascilica Minor. This is a great Pope in church history. Do they even know the stresses that Napoleon III caused this Pope or the Catholic Church.... causing Emmauel I of Itlay to steal the Papal States for what he hoped would be his Empire (the Roman Question).

4. Anything other than a Restoration would be a crime against our children. Are we not the custodians of that which belongs to our children. How can we throw away 150 years of History? What madman would suggest such a thing, and why? If not for their own personal ambitions. I am told that Great Leaders build to leave a legacy....

25 but he said to them, 'Among the gentiles it is the kings who lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are given the title Benefactor.
26 With you this must not happen. No; the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest, the leader as if he were the one who serves.
27 For who is the greater: the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here am I among you as one who serves! Luke 22:25-27

5. What is a Restoration? The original Cathedral had two chapels. Are those going to be restored. If so what would happen to the toilets and the sacristy which now occupy the (north & south) transepts. It is my understanding that these two chapels would not be restored.

6. Perhaps there really is no interest in the Catholic cathedral by the Government to help in the restoration. After all it is the Anglican Cathedral that hosts the religious opening of Parliment and the Law term.

7. I agree that there should be a synod OF THE FAITHFUL... somehow as a member of the Cathedral community I believe we the faithful would be sidelined by the clerics.

For those who don't know the histroy of the Cathedral I would be sure willing to enlighten. Otherwise check out the Article on the Catholic News website; www.catholicnews-tt.net

One Nation under ...uhm! .... who?

I read in this weeks news that a US Federal Judge upheld the words "under God" in the Amercian Pledge of Allegience and "In God we Trust" on their money.

Some one is so mifted at God that he chose to rough-up the US and make issue with things that the US hold as sacred.... no,not money and talk... patriotism and economic freedom.

In Trinidad we have a similar issue.... don't we? There are the muslims and Hindus who take have made changes to our country's highest award. It is no longer called the Trinity Cross.... but the Order of Trinidad. It is no longer a cross, it is a... well that don't know. I am not mad with them. Local History has not been good to them. It is time that they make a claim for themselves. Good Job.

Throughout the Caribbean, however, there is an effort to delete our history... to rewrite it. Statues are torn down... Buildings are torn down... Squares are renamed.

Columbus Lie! is a favourite comment. He did not discover the new world. Well, maybe he didn't but because of his historic voyages, you and I are part of the new world... and the freedom it offered from feudal systems and a hirachy that paid little mind to the small man. I say thank you Columbus for your voyages. What a brave and adventurous man he was.

I say good for you USA. You have retained "under God" in your pledge and "In God we Trust" on your money.

Keep on Rocking in the Free World...
with Jesus.. of Course!

The "childless family" choice of Italians.

My wife and I have four children. They are a handful, but they are a joy. While we wish that we could be doing a whole lot more as a couple, we enjoy doing things as a family. Now I know that in this world of two-point-something children, four is a bit more than usual. Children are not for everyone. So those who don't have, don't fully understand. My grandfather George had 14 children. My wifes great Grandfather Vicente has 12 children. Not uncommon for the time. Vicente moved to Trinidad with his wife around 1900. An italian family with lots of love. My mother in law in her visit to Italy not long ago mentioned how much Italians love babies. Imagine my suprise to read in lifesite news that Italians are not having babies much anymore.

According to the article 53.4 per cent of Italian families have no children. They get married, but don't have children. There was a time when having children was the next step. 21.9 per cent of households have only one child and just 19 per cent have two. 1.31 children born per woman has resulted in a largely childless and aging nation. 1.31 is less than 2... 2 is a couple. Their population is shrinking. If not for immigration there would be less and less Italians.

This is not specific to Italy, all through Europe the trend is the same.

Praise God for Families. Praise God that the faithful are procreating. Praise God for his blessings.

CLAIMS OF SEX ABUSE IN TT CHURCH

Ok so the headlines of the Trinidad newspaper "Newsday" are misleading. The article says that the good priest Father Rochard said...

“There have been reports but they have not been substantiated...There have always been reports.”

"Well you know it is unfair to wrongly accuse somebody or to come to a conclusion without substance. And therefore it becomes embarrassing when people have been wrongly accused. One always has to be careful about that.”

"The Church would do its own investigation and deal with its own process. In other words, there are two different processes,”

Now after reading the article I don't think the front page headline is apropriate. haters of the Church would say "look at that priest... covering things up.... typical of the catholic church."

The article also mentioned that Father Hezekiah Father argued that psychologists have determined that being celebate and being a sexual offender has no corelation. But the thing I like best about the article is that the article points out the log in other peoples eyes. OPen your eyes people. Abuse takes place everywhere and must be adressed everywhere. I am speaking of the comment made by executive director of the Caribbean Centre of Human Rights, Diana Mahabir-Wyatt,who advised that "the problem of child sexual abuse was not limited to the Catholic church alone." (I am not sure why, but the writer chose to note that She is an anglican.)

With all the talk about Unisex government schools insead of Co-ed schools, in the same newspaper I read a letter from an older teacher at a coed school who says that the principal dealing with boys "interfering" with girls is just another day in co-ed school management. while this is not child sex abuse by an adult. The point is we need to stop abuse, every kind every where.

US Football team destroys Brazilian team

What a headline.... but no... it's not the world cup teams playing. According to the Catholic News Agency, a game was played last month between the Pontifical North American College of Rome's soccer team and a formitable brazilian team. It's all part of the Clericus Cup tournament.

according to Wikipedia: The Clericus Cup is an annual association football tournament contested by teams from the Roman Colleges, seminaries of the Catholic Church located in Rome. The tournament involves sixteen schools and fields players from 60 countries. The players are normally seminarians studying to be Roman Catholic priests. A handful of players are ordained priests. The annual tournament is organized by the Centro Sportivo Italiano (CSI). The league was founded in 2007, and it is now in its fourth season.

Officially, the goal of the league is to "reinvigorate the tradition of sport in the Christian community."

Unfortunately the official website is in italian.... and the only italian I know is my wifes grnadfather... God rest his soul.

Love Saint Joseph.... hate the fish

I do not like fish. We are not friends. Of course it is tradition that we eat fish for lent. At least on fridays... as a meat replacement. While there is no obligation to eat fish, I follow the tradition. ... Fish and all!

But praise God for Saint Joseph. Tomorrow is St Josephs Day... and acording to cannon law we may break the lenten fast. While my wife is longing for her chocolate, I am just happy not to eat fish.

Note to self... buy extra chocolate on the way home tomorrow!

Among other patronage, Saint Joseph is the Patron Saint of Families. St Joseph Pray for my family:

Saint Joseph, strengthen in our family
every bond of love which unites us --
the marriage bond,
the love of parent and child,
the bonds of mutual love between all.

Saint Joseph, protect our family
from every danger from without
and from every threat to peace, unity and harmony within.

Saint Joseph, teach us to be
kind and loving towards one another,
careful for one another,
tolerant of one another,
forgiving towards one another.

Saint Joseph, may contentment with our lot
and joy in each other
abound in our house,
as we seek faithfully to serve
and greatly to love God.

Saint Joseph, be you yourself
a father towards the family of ours,
and pray Mary
be a mother to us.

Amen

Happy Saint Josephs Day dear Friends.

Happy St Patricks Day

Happy Saint Patricks Day to all you Paddy's out there. THey say that this comes from the breastplate of Saint Patrick:

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, and in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Me ol' granny... may she rest in peace... the irish redleg from Caribbean isle of Grenada loved this irish traditional song...

Sure, a little bit o' Heaven
Fell from out of the sky one day
And nestled on the ocean
In a spot so far away
And the angels found it,
Sure it looked so sweet and fair
They said suppose we leave it,
For it looks so peaceful there!

So they sprinkled it with star dust,
Just to make the shamrocks grow.
'Tis the only place you'll find them
No matter where you go
Then they dotted it with silver
To make its lakes so grand
And when they had it finished
Sure they called it Ireland!

and here is one of my favourite traditional Irish songs - The Altan version and the Corrs version absolutely rock.

Céad slán ag sléibhte maorga chondae Dhún na nGall

Agus dhá chéad slán ag an Earagal árd, ina stua(í) os cionn caor 's call

Nuair a ghluais mise thart le loch Dhún Lúiche, go ciúin sa ghleann ina luí

I mo dhiaidh bhí Gleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair,

is beag nár bhris mo chroí

Ag taisteal domh amach tríd chnoic Ghleann Domhain, 's an Mhucais ar mo chúl

Ní miste domh 'rá le brón 's le crá, ghur fhreasach a shil mise súil

Go 'Meiriceá siar, a bhí mo thriall, i bhfad thar an fharraige mhór

D'fhag mé slán ar feadh seal ag Dún na nGall,

's ag Gleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair

Níorbh é mo mhiansa imeacht ariamh ó mo thír bheag dhílis féin

Ach trom lámh Gall, le cluain 's le feall, a thiomáin mé i gcéill

B'é rún mo chroíse pilleadh arís, nuair a dhéanfainn beagán stór

'S deireadh mo shaoil a chaitheamh lem' ghaoil,

fá Ghleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair

Slán, slán go fóill a Dhún na nGall, a chondae shéimh gan smál

'S do d'fheara bréa in am an ghá, nár umhlaigh riamh roimh Ghall

Tá áit i mo chroí do gach fear 's gach mnaoi, 's gach páiste beag agus mór

Atá beo go buan, gan bhuairt gan ghruaim,

fá Ghleanntáin Ghlas' Ghaoth Dobhair

and the English translation

The Green Glens of Gaoth Dobhair

Farewell to the noble mountains of Donegal

And twice farewell to tall Errigal, arching over rowen and ash tree

When I passed by Dunlewey lake, lying quietly in the glen

Behind me were the green glens of Gaoth Dobhair, and it nearly broke my heart

Travelling through Glendowan's Hills, and Muckish behind me

I don't mind saying with sorrow and grief, that tears fell from my eyes

Westward to America was my journey, far across the wide sea

I said farewell for a while to Donegal, and the green glens of Gaoth Dobhair

I never wanted to leave my own beloved land

But the foreigner's heavy handed deceit and treachery drove me away

It would be my heart's desire to return again, when I should get a little money

To spend the end of my life with my family, 'round the green glens of Gaoth Dobhair

Yet farewell, farewell to Donegal County fine and fair

And to your brave men who in time of need, did not ever cower before the foreigner

There's a place in my heart for each man and woman, each child big and small

Who live in peace, without sorrow or grief, in the green glens of Gaoth Dobhair