o u r CATHOLIC c o m m u n i t y Volume 3 No. 4 February 2014 Issue A publication of the Diocese of Roseau, Dominica $2.00 Biblical Animation of all Pastoral Life Reflection on the Catholic Teachers Association Retreat Praise Jesus Almighty Forty Vincentians in Annual Retreat Inside Editor’s Pen Bishop’s Message 03 OUR CLERGY, RELIGIOUS AND LAY ASSOCIATES Interview With Sr. Annita Peter 04 Sisters Of Charity Visiting Dominica 04 Profile: Valencia Webb 05 Life The Congregation Of The Daughters Of Jesus – Part IV 05 uring the month of January each year, OUR DIOCESE the Church remembers the terrible Doccasion in 1973 when the Supreme World Respect Life Day Message 06 Court, in its infamous decision (Roe V Wade) Lent: A Forty-Day Journey To Easter 06 made abortion legal in the United States. Every year, here in Dominica, by the grace of Know Your Faith: God, even though abortion is still illegal, we I Believe.... join in solidarity with the rest of the world to demonstrate our support for life. Liturgy Update: Saying “Amen” To The Body And Blood Today, with the ever increasing incidents Of Christ 07 of murder, violent crimes, abortion, drug and Golden Wedding Anniversary Of Placid & Ellen St. Hilaire 08 child abuse, we as a Christian society seem to have lost ALL respect for life. The degrading of Our Catholic Heritage - The History Of The Chapel Of The the value of life seems to be coming among us Transfiguration In San Sauveur 09 and we seem to have forgotten completely the Fifth commandment: “Thou Shall not Kill”. Legion of Mary 2000th Meeting Anniversary Celebration 10 The Catechism of the Catholic Church Forty Vincentians In Annual Retreat 11 summarizes the chapter on the Fifth ABP First Workshops In The Diocese Of Roseau 12 Commandment as follows: On Respect for Human Life St. John Bosco - Patron Of Lower Penville 13 • Every human life, from the moment of Christian Leadership: Sow And You Will Reap Catholic Men conception until death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for its own Leaders 14 sake in the image and likeness of the living Events & Notice Board 15 and holy God. §2319 Prayer Corner 15 On The Dignity of the Human person • From its conception, the child has the right to Unique Contribution Of Art For Cathedral Fundraiser 16 life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as Reflection On The Catholic Teachers Association Retreat 10 an end or as a means, is a “criminal” practice (GS 27 § 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. OUR CHURCH IN THE CARIBBEAN The Church imposes the canonical penalty AEC Delegates Meet For ABP In Trinidad 17 of excommunication for this crime against Diocesan Clergy Celebrate 30th Anniversary Of Provincial human life. §2322 • Intentional euthanasia, whatever its forms or Association 18 motives, is murder. It is gravely contrary to OUR CATHOLIC WORLD the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator. Mixed Salad Ecumenism In The Caribbean. §2324 Is There A Future 19 • Suicide is seriously contrary to justice, hope, and charity. It is forbidden by the fifth Pope Francis’ Lenten Message 2014 20 commandment. §2325 KID’S CORNER 21 On Safeguarding Peace OUR YOUTH: EDUCATION, RECREATION AND FAITH • Because of the evils and injustices that all war brings with it, we must do everything New Members For The Diocesan Youth Commission 22 reasonably possible to avoid it. The Church Mobilizing Catholic Youth In The Parish Of St. Mark 22 prays: “From famine, pestilence, and war, O Lord, deliver us.” §2327 Praise All Mighty 23 From the very beginning, in the book of 156th Anniversary Of Convent High School 23 Genesis in verse 10 after Cain had killed his Catholic Schools Participate In Opening Carnival Parade 24 brother Abel. God said to Cain “...... What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” Today the Lord says the same to us. We must stop the killing, the violence, the abuse of our bodies & our children’s bodies and most importantly stop pretending that it does not happen. We need to return to our moral foundation - The Ten The Social Communications Office commandments- and Love God with all our Diocese of Roseau, Turkey Lane, P.O. Box 790 hearts, all our souls, all our minds and love our neighbour as ourselves. We have gone so Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica far off the straight and narrow path that the Tel: (767) 448-2837 - (767) 448-8717 obstacles that stand in our way seem almost Fax: 1(767) 448-3404 insurmountable, but if we do this, then, through Gods unending mercy, we may yet Email: [email protected] live.. 02 OUR CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FEBRUARY 2014 ISSUE Bishop’s Message Carnival and Lent spent in Church is not more Christian I must admit, with some than a lighter social moment among abhorrence, the changes I have noticed “responsible people.” In fact, if the life in the religious sentiments of our people in Church does not translate to the within the last decade, as regards the social sphere by causing us to be more observance of the season of Lent. No responsible people through our daily one can doubt that it has lost a great conduct, Christianity simply becomes deal of the somber and reflective mood a “pie-in-the-sky.” It does not require it once had. Obviously we have not been a great deal of intelligence for one to helped to any great extent by the social know that the human life is made of media which do not always feel bound varied moments which add to the sum to share the religious convictions of total of what one would regard as a the people. But you and I know that fulfilled life. the modus operandi of any institution From the scriptural standpoint which is established for profit responds also, Qohelet, the author of the Book to the demands of the people whom of Ecclesiastes asserts thus: “There is a they serve. It stands to reason that season for everything, a time for every if a people do not demand from the occupation under heaven....” (3:1-9). In airwaves a “menu” of comparable that regard, therefore, carnival cannot quality to their religious convictions, be approached by the Christian other it obviously says something about the than with a sense of responsibility. state of affairs as regards the people’s Any form of abuse that has crept faith—we just accept anything. into the festivity is nothing but the In the face of all the rapid changes n the mind of the West Indian engagement of the shadow side of our in the religious landscape of our Nature Catholic, especially those from the human nature which, unfortunately we Isle, we are still wondering why there more French and Latin cultural I have learnt to accept and even promote. is an increase in crime among us; we backgrounds, despite the recent These, no doubt, need to be sanitized. are still wondering why, despite the changes to the socio-religious calendars However, one cannot overlook multiplicity of religious persuasions in of some of the islands, Carnival signals the high level of creativity, artistry, our country, the Christian ethos seems in the joyful season of Lent. One might and positive self-expression involved to be waning. The present dearth in the be surprised by my use of the word in the preparation and execution sense of place and occasion is doing “joyful” in this regard when, in fact, of this festive celebration. Carnival no good to the socialization of our the disposition which characterizes the to my mind provides a great avenue young ones. In the Christian scheme period is of a more somber, quiet and for the necessary self-expression and of things there is no Easter without reflective kind. Conversely, carnival communal catharsis (letting off of Lent; each brings its own mode of is often seen as the period of revelling stem) which can avert the many human edification for the proper development and excitement when the “not-so-good” tensions on the domestic, communal of the human person. So too, in the things and maybe the outright “bad” and social levels. traditional Dominican culture, the things are expected to happen. But, is So well did our ancestors tempo of Carnival must be allowed that really what Carnival all about? understand this religio-cultural to give way to its Lenten observance Let me respond to this question movement that Ash Wednesday marked for the proper religious formation of by situating the life of the Christian, a distinct change of tempo which its people. who supposedly participates in the resonated, not only on the airwaves, In conclusion, it is my wish that on festival, within the framework of God’s but also in the entire psyche of the our individual and communal journeys purpose since Creation. When God “Christian” community. Consequently, to our eternal destiny, we will submit created the universe, “He saw that it people did not have to wonder what to a balanced formation of the human was good.” Therefore, anyone worthy of is going on; every child and every conscience through the traditionals the name Christian or anything worthy adult Catholic Christian was aided that have been established for us of the participation of persons of such by the very religious atmosphere to by our ancestors, all of which have designation ought to have “the goods” honour and respect that sacred time survived the test of time and proven as a prime motive.