10 JUNE 2011,GEORGETOWN, GUYANA. Standard Ltd, 222 South & Wellington Sts, G/town. Tel 226-2195, Fax 226-2192. Editor: Mr. Colin Smith.

EDITORIAL: RUPUNUNI UNDER WATER

The present administration is one of the most strident voices on the world stage calling for countries to wake up to the reality of climate change and for them to take a number of steps to mitigate its effects. At the same time however it seems to be one that is least prepared for this phenomenon, almost as if it does not really expect it to happen. With its detailed knowledge of the topography of the Rupununi area and the importance of that Region with its road link from Georgetown to Brazil and further afield, it would have been expected that a better plans for drainage and irrigation along with disaster preparedness would have been in place to commence as soon as flood waters began to rise towards the end of May and the long range weather forecast became known. Instead we have heard visitors to the Region saying as recently as Wednesday that the Regional administration still seems overwhelmed and unprepared and many residents saying that the disaster could have been much lessened if proper planning for climate change had taken place. There were also reports of scores of people living for several days in schools which have been converted to temporary shelters but without many of the basic necessities. A number of vehicles and passengers are also reported to be stranded on the Linden to Lethem road. On Wednesday too the Alliance for Change reported that no consignment of food has reached the people of the Rupununi who are inundated by flood waters. “With the road to Lethem being virtually the life line for essential products such as food, fuel, etc to reach the Rupununi, government's failure to maintain the road during the long seven month dry season is indicative of their incompetence,” the AFC statement said Meanwhile the People’s National Congress in its statement on the situation also called for “the Lethem roadway be completed and surfaced as quickly as possible.” The statement also said that the party, “….. insists also, that Lethem must be upgraded to the status of a town to allow residents to elect a municipality which is more concerned about their interests. A volunteer Militia must be recruited, trained and equipped to carry out civil defence tasks and protect the community during fire, floods and other disasters.” The floods of 2004/5 were perhaps one of our most challenging natural disasters mainly because of the large numbers of people who were affected. Most of the chaos then was restricted to the most densely populated regions of the country. While less people are affected by the floods in the Rupununi the consequences are just as severe if not more so for the residents there. This ordeal has once again put to the test the capacity of the nation to respond in a timely and effective manner to such disasters. The jury is still out on how well we have done. Undoubtedly however this episode has taught us important and valuable lessons and held out important opportunities which we hope will be eagerly grasped this time around.

Church joins in Rupununi flood relief efforts A number of Parish Lay Assistants in the South Rupununi have been helping to transport people and supplies and others have been made available to provide whatever help is needed as the Catholic communities at St Ignatius and Lethem joined in the efforts to provide some measure of relief to those affected the floods which have spread over large areas of the South Savannahs since the end of May. Jesuit priest Father Joachim D’Mello who is in charge of the parish at Saint Ignatius told the Catholic Standard that he only returned to the area from Georgetown on Wednesday. He immediately offered the parish’s carpentry shop and Training Center to the authorities for them to be used as shelters if needed. He said the buildings can accommodate about 50 persons and have several tanks of fresh water which is one of the most pressing needs at the moment. He noted however that a number of families in the parish have already volunteered to provide shelter to those who were forced to leave their homes because of the floods. Fr D’Mello was due to meet on Thursday with others involved in the relief effort to explore other ways in which he could help. He said the Saint Ignatius Village where the church compound is situated now resembles an island. The main road to Lethem has been closed due to flooding and people from St Ignatius now have to cross the runway. Fr D’Mello added that the situation has brought an air of depression and despair over many in the community and his message to them on Pentecost Sunday will be that we do not know what is God’s plan for the community but that they must be truly ready to accept what ever it is. Meanwhile the Government Information Agency has reported that needed supplies had begun to arrive in the area on Wednesday and are being redistributed to several affected parts of the region including Sand Creek, the hardest hit. From all reports, according to GINA, this flood has been described by residents in the Region as the highest ever in living memory and the high water level has been marked. The shelters including at Arapaima Primary School, Culvert City nursery School, the Christian Brethren Church and St. Ignatius Village office are in full operation and meals are being supplied to the affected residents. Persons who have been relocated to other areas are also being supplied with meals. The Remote Areas Medical and the Red Cross with some volunteers are also lending support according to GINA. The agency adds that the emergency centre is being manned continuously and there is radio contact with all the villages so there is regular reporting.

We’re Finally Back

The management of the Catholic Standard extends sincere apologies to our regular readers for not publishing during the month of May. This was due to extremely complicated mechanical problems which affected our press along with the attendant difficulties associated with sourcing and fabricating replacement parts. We have been assured that most of the serious problems have been rectified. Should Bin Laden have been killed?

By Mike James [email protected]

Spontaneous celebrations broke out in several places around the world at the killing of Osama bin Laden, and especially in the US among the cheering crowds in Times Square in the city which had suffered the horrendous tragedy of the 9/11 deaths in the Twin Towers. The Vatican in its statement on the killing noted that bin Laden “bore that most serious responsibility for spreading divisions and hatred among populations, causing the deaths of innumerable people, and manipulating religions for this purpose”. But the statement also reminded the world that “In the face of a man’s death, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibilities of each person before God and before men.” It added that a Christian “hopes and works so that every event may be the occasion for the further growth of peace and not of hatred.” The Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams said that the killing of an unarmed Osama bin Laden by US Special Forces left him with a "very uncomfortable feeling". "I think the killing of an unarmed man is always going to leave a very uncomfortable feeling, because it doesn't look as if justice is seen to be done. "I think it's also true that the different versions of events that have emerged in recent days have not done a great deal to help. "I don't know the full details, any more than anyone else does. But I do believe that in such circumstances, when we are faced with someone who was manifestly a war criminal in terms of the atrocities inflicted, it is important that justice is seen to be served." Unfortunately, too many in the USA and elsewhere consider that in the execution of bin Laden, justice was indeed served. Far from regarding “true justice” as a process whereby an accused has the right to a fair trial and the opportunity to repent if found guilty, many regard the summary execution of bin Laden as far more satisfying than a guilty verdict in a fair trial. The execution has convinced many waverers that the current President of the US is not soft or sympathetic to Islamic radicals and this will have contributed to the meteoric rise in his popularity. Revenge, indeed, is sweet. Some even argue that the hard line taken will ensure his re-election in 2012. “Forgive your enemies, do good to those who hate you” “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us,” seem so impractical and ineffective that the world feels it must either water down the message and example of Christ or reject it altogether. The follower of Christ, however unpopular and difficult the choice, must take a different route. “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” So wrote, so lived and so died Martin Luther King Jr. The hate of those who murdered 80 in Pakistan last month and continue to murder in “revenge” for the execution of bin Laden, cannot be overcome by greater hate, swifter “justice”, more clinical executions. Christ shows us the way by His life, message, death and Resurrection. “Love one another as I have loved you.” This is the only Way to overcome the world’s Hate.

Marian academy participated in green walk By Sister Shelly Jhetoo, o.s.u. Coordinator of Environmental Club

World Environmental Day WED is celebrated on June 5 every year to raise awareness of global threats to the environment. It also provides the opportunity for us to consider carefully the impacts of our actions both individually and collectively, on the environment, and equip us with the knowledge that is needed to live more environmentally sustainable lives.

Marian Academy (Our only Catholic School) joined The Environmental Protection Agency in Guyana (EPA) and countries around the world to celebrate WED under the theme “Forests: Nature at Your Service”. This theme echoes an urgent call for all of us to understand why forests are important. Forests sustain life and therefore we must participate in activities to conserve the forests and ensure a green environment. On the morning of Sunday June 5, 2011 in brilliant sun shine, students, teachers and families gathered in front of the Umana Yana, the starting point of the Green Walk organized by the EPA. Spirits were high as our students and parents chanted: The rain forest; the tropical rain forest Help us save our forest now, help us save our forest now Forests give us air to breathe; help us save our forest now Forests give the animals a home; help us save our forest now Help us save our forest now, help us save our forest now Forests give us medicine; help us save our forest now Forests give us rain; help us save our forest now Help us save our forest now, help us save our forest now. Our walk ended in the Botanical Gardens, where we were addressed by a member of the EPA, the Mayor of the City, a member of the UNDP and others commending our efforts in observing WED during Guyana Environmental Week and at the same time implored all Guyanese to adapt more environmentally friendly practices. Concluding the programme, trophies were awarded. Marian Academy received the 1st prize for the largest contingent. We had over 200 participants. Marian Academy has been participating in the EPA Green –Walk since 1999. Sister Marie Harper, o.s.u (Principal) and Sister Shelly Jhetoo, o.s.u accompanied the contingent of Marian Academy.

Success is achieving the maximum Viewpoint by Vibert Parvatan

In pursuit of our day-to-day activities we set goals. Sometimes we identify what is easily achievable as the results are satisfying and to some extent, reflects success. There maybe that tendency to avoid pathways which may seem difficult for fear of failing. Such behavior prevents individuals from stretching the mind by seeking shelter in a comfort zone. Many attributes are generally recommended to us so that we can be high achievers. We hear slogans like – reach for the sky; accept challenges; be courageous; set achievable goals, all of which are relevant to motivate us. Yet, persons can become constrained, if they fail to recognise the many opportunities and through ambitious pursuits, convert challenges into opportunities. Human qualities which will propel us up the ladder of challenge and opportunity include being confident and determined to realise one’s true potential. This is evidenced among many of our bright young students today, who instead of writing six (6) subjects at the C.X.C. will double that number and find success. Their goals are above that of the ordinary person who will calmly and complacently seek success with the minimal level of input and energy. Another example is that of persons who have successfully completed a course of study, then after a brief celebration they move on to acquire further knowledge in a constant search to reach their maximum potential. Writing on Difficulty, W.M. Punshon stated:- “There are difficulties in your path. Be thankful for them. They will test your capabilities of resistance; you will be impelled to preserve from the very energy of the opposition. But what of him that fails? What does he gain? Strength for life. The real merit is not in the success but in the endeavor; and win or lose, he will be honored and crowned.” There is always the learning process in our activities and experiences which enrich our lives. Life is much more than the extremes of success and failure. It is to a great extent the ongoing learning process which is essential for the ambitious and a stimulant to the energetic. You can raise the bar with self-esteem, faith and confidence, while daring to fail. Writing on Knocking down the high bar, Robert Schuller stated:- “Oftentimes faith meets success at the point of failure. For example, the pole vaulter who runs and then vaults over the bar a little higher each time never really knows how high he can jump until he fails to scale the bar. He succeeds when he fails! For failure isn’t a matter of not reaching your goal! Failure is failing to give your project all that you’ve got! SUCCESS IS ACHIEVING THE MAXIMUM OF YOUR POTENTIAL IN THE SITUATION YOU ARE IN. When you honestly have attempted your ultimate best, then you have been successful, in spite of failure. The people who are really failures are the people who set their standards so low, keep the bar at such a safe level, that they never run the risk of failure. Faith is daring to face an embarrassing failure. It’s only after the pole vaulter knocks down the bar raised to its highest level that he knows he’s jumped as high as he can---today! Success comes at the point where we can’t do any better than we are doing at this moment. The applause doesn’t come until you’ve given all you have to give. Spectators love the winners and they love the losers, as long as both give it their best!”

It is my view that we owe it to ourselves to always do our best, never seeking mediocrity and to put all our energies with purpose and commitment into what we have to do. Higher level of achievement awaits us.

Mgr Montrose appeals for vocations, more involvement as parish marks feast “The young ones must take over and bring the church into the age in which the live. Old people can’t do that; young ones must. The work of the church must go on”. This was the core of the message given by parish priest of Church of the Ascension, Monsignor Terrence Montrose in his sermon at Mass last Sunday as the church celebrated its Feast Day. In the house of worship jam- packed with regular parishioners who were joined by visitors from Springlands, Black Bush Polder, Port Mourant, Palmyra, Hopetown, as well as Georgetown, Father Monty as he is popularly known appealed to the young men and women of the Church of the Ascension to surrender their lives to give total and complete service to God by becoming priests, nuns, sisters and brothers. He said that it high time for another vocation to come from New Amsterdam. He noted past vocations such as Father John Persaud, Ursuline Sister Shelly Jhetoo among others who have given their lives to the church. Msgr Montrose said that he hopes to hand over the baton to someone else as soon as he becomes 75 and that he wants to enjoy his old age. “I am hoping that from this parish, some of our young men are brave enough to say, ‘Here I am lord, I come to do your will’, he stated. He urged people to give of their best to the Lord. “Does God make a difference in our lives? Our work must move from mere charity to liberation”, he added. “It’s very important that we liberate people as Jesus did”. Msgr Montrose said that everyone has a responsibility to be a part of the national conversations around us about elections, injustices, and the problems we face. “We leave a lot of work to politicians, educators and other people. Hardly do we get involved”, he said. The priest urged the faithful gathered to pray for the diocesan priests in the diocese, few as they are. He asked that young men respond to the call and give their lives to the priesthood, even if it means just giving it a try. He encouraged those gathered to read about the social teachings of the Catholic Church and how each Catholic is called to seriously examine his or her relationship with God. He recalled Pope Paul VI who sold his crown and said that he was going to give the money to the poor. “That was to give us an example of how we must give our lives”, he said. He said that the works of the church must involve more young people. He challenged the St Vincent de Paul Society to have a younger arm engaged in its work. “St Vincent de Paul is not the work for old people only but new individuals can take it to a different level so that the people of today can understand and become more aware”, he said. Lunch and a cultural programme at the St Therese Pastoral Centre followed the Mass. The first Catholic Church was built in Berbice, some 15 miles up the West Bank of Berbice. The Church of the Ascension was established at 26 Main Street, New Amsterdam in 1836. It moved to Lot 20 Main Street in 1838 and in 1885, the presbytery was built. The Ursuline Convent was built in 1889. Two huge towers were added to the façade of the building in 1902 and the famous ‘Ascension’ stained- glass was unveiled in 1958. The two towers were dismantled in 1993. The church building was renovated quite a number of times. Today, the current structure is the pride of New Amsterdam, with its Romanesque wooden architecture. One of its kind in Guyana.

News from the Pakaraimas

A lot has happened in Karasabai since the dawn of this New Year 2011. We had a Jesuit Novice Penn Dawson from New Orleans Province for about 3 months from January to April. In his short stay he morally educated the Ka-rasabai primary school children and assisted Fr. Paul Martin SJ and the community in various ways. He loved the place and indeed was loved by the people . Some still remember him and do miss him. One of his achievements was to kill about 12 scorpions, 1 per week and people do call him as scorpion charmer as Fr. Poulose SJ of Ku-rukubaru is known as snake charmer. It has been about 5 months since the arrival of 2 Ursuline sisters: Sr. Divya Gulab Sanai OSU and Sr. Serophina Kerketta OSU . It is a real blessing and significant up-ward movement for the history of church in the South Pakaraimas. Initially for about 3 months they adjusted themselves to stay in the teachers quarters while the new convent was being prepared. On March 13, Bishop Francis Alleyne OSB blessed the new convent which is known as St. Angela House. It is the first ever convent to be built in the Pakaraimas. Sr. Roshini OSU, the Ursuline Provincial of Ranchi Province and Sr. Clara OSU one of her consul-tors were the special guests all the way from India. Fr. Tony Desouza SJ of Berbice, Fr. Varghese SJ and the Ursu-line sisters of Aishalton together with Sr. Mary Peter OSU from Georgetown added joy and colour to this sig-nificant event. It was a great moment for the people of Karasabai. Since then the presence of sisters makes a lot of difference. When Fr. Brit SJ was very sick , Sr. Sero-phina, a trained nurse from Karasabai went to assist Fr. Varghese SJ and Sr. Leonarda OSU to take care of him. It was very kind of her to render service to Fr. Brit and he him-self appreciated it very much. After that to-gether with Sr. Divya, she went to Georgetown to extend their work permit. In Georgetown, Sr. Serophina was also able to make her annual Retreat with Fr. Bob Bar-row SJ as her Guide. During the Holy week we had a youth semi-nar for about 60 youths from all our nearby parish communities. Fr. Paul Martin togeth-er with Sch. Britto and the two sisters taught the youths the values, meaning and importance of the sacraments and feasts and festivals. It was a successful and fruitful one. In a way, an eye opener for the many of our youths. (From the May issue of the Diocesan Newsletter)

Letters to the Editor

Imported apples cheaper than mangoes

Dear Editor, I was shocked during a visit to the Bourda Market this week to discover that imported apples were selling cheaper than locally grown mangoes! Many people were selling six “Extra Sweet” apples which were shipped thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean from the USA, for $300. On the other hand five ripe buxton spice mangoes which were most likely from Essequibo or Berbice were being sold for $400. Is this where the much touted agricultural drive, etc, etc has brought us.? ROHIT SINGH Observing rules of worship Dear Editor, The frequent innovations in the liturgy nowdays, ostensibly to animate it and make it lively, have led many to believe that the liturgy is ‘the work of the people’, or that it is man-made. However, the Church has always taught that the liturgy is ‘the action of Christ’. Vatican II says, “In the liturgy full public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by the Head and His members” (SC, no. 7). To ensure that the people actually perceive that the liturgy is the sacred action of Christ Himself, the words and actions to be used in the liturgy are carefully laid down in the missal and other sacred books. These are not left to individuals or groups to improvise as they please. They are not to be altered even by the celebrant, except with the permission of the competent authority. It was recently reported that a new book titled, “How to Go to Mass and Not Lose Your Faith”, published by Fr. Nicola Bux, a consultant to the office in charge of papal liturgies, says that, “A weakening of faith in God, a rise in selfishness and a drop in the number of people going to Mass in many parts of the world can be traced to Masses that are not reverent and do not follow church rules.” Speaking at the launch of the book, in Rome, on March 2, US Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, head of the Vatican’s Supreme Court, said, “If we err by thinking we are the centre of the liturgy, the Mass will lead to a loss of faith… Liturgical abuses lead to serious damage to the faith of Catholics. Unfortunately, too many priests and bishops treat violations of liturgical norms as something that is unimportant when, in fact, they are serious abuses.” When the celebrants and the congregation, humbly and obediently observe the directives given by the Church in matters of worship, they do the will of Christ and such worship is sure to be ‘Spirit-filled’. JOSEPH M. DIAS,S.J. Kalwa (W), Mumbai.

Surprising libel Dear Editor, How note worthy is the fact that the one person that Guyanese of all ranks, races, religions look toward to be a living example of tolerance, understanding and forgiveness will file a most punishing law suit because they felt offended. Even more frightening they did so even after a most public apology had been made. AMAZED

Faith Renewal Dear Editor With much discontentment, I pen these few lines to point out that many Catholics have been “trodding their own paths“ in recent decades, locally . Over the years, Catholics have migrated from church to church in the quest for a more “enlightened Christianity”… and they are still seeking. How appalling! Needless to say, these former Catholic s are still not encountering solace in their quest. Why can’t these “modern” Christians realize that Christ is the “Rock of Ages” and he prays for one united and apostolic church. One that is unified, holy and concerned about the unity of all Christian communities. I earnestly hope that these “former” Catholics renew their faith, and shine their light for all to see. In this way the glories of His kingdom be illuminated, exemplified and manifested on Earth, in their lives,. Their lives will then be an example for others to follow in upholding the pristine norms of the church, amidst its ever – present critics. Moreover, it should be noted that Parish Lay Assistants, Counsellors, Catholic Priests and other religious leaders cannot give us faith or inject morality or Christianity into us! We have to practice what is preached to render ourselves a greater leap of faith. I applaud the divine offices of both local and foreign priests practicing their vocations in our Dear Land. May their priesthood never be forfeited, as we aim for perfection each day , even as Christ is perfect. May God Almighty richly bless and continue to illuminate their paths, amidst trials and upheavals in our sinful localities here in Guyana. What an awe- inspiring world of good and bad natures; of vices and good virtues! May we always pray to have the light by our side which is Christ in whom we abided from eternity past to the infinite eternity. May God richly bless. BROTHER KENNY, St. Paul’s, Mahaica.

Echo targets littering

Dear Editor, During this World Environment Week, the Environmental Community Health Organisation (Echo) will continue to advocate for good environmental stewardship to preserve and protect our natural environment and the integrity of our local communities. A source of serious concern for Echo and all Guyanese is the culture of littering which appeared to have developed in almost every community, in our beloved country. Litter is an important environmental issue. It is amazing that many people identify litter as a major environmental problem and yet people still litter. Carelessly discarded garbage affects every member of society: it causes harm to people and animals, damage our waterways, costs money and suggests that we do not care for the environment. However, we can do something to help prevent and reduce litter. Here are some things we can do to help: • Use garbage cans properly if provided. Make sure your waste goes in the garbage cans, not beside it. • Take your litter home when visiting parks and gardens and other open spaces • Pick up garbage, do not flush it away. Sweep paved or concreted areas and pick up garbage, rather than hosing it down the drain or the gutter. • Pack a garbage free lunch with reusable plastic containers and water bottles rather than bags and drink boxes. • Wash cars on the grass, never on the road or hard surface paths where it will wash detergents into the drains. • Always dispose of unwanted chemicals responsibly; never pour them into gutters or drains. Gas, paints, thinners, pharmaceutical drugs, and garden pesticides and herbicides are poisonous to wildlife • Use a reusable cloth bag when you are shopping or choose cardboard boxes instead of plastic bags whenever possible. On Friday, Echo will conduct a signature campaign against littering in Guyana. Echo is encouraging everyone to sign on to it and commit to creating a litter free environment. The campaign will be conducted by Echo-club members in regions 3, 4, and 10. This part of a wider awareness and education campaign on the environment and the role citizens ought to play in preserving its health. SHELLON SIMON Communication Director, ECHO

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