With just a few days to go before we celebrate the golden jubilee of the country's Independence, the Roman Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago is professing deep patriotism with a slew of activities to mark the auspicious occasion. Its celebrations were initiated last April, when, on the urging of Archbishop Joseph Harris, a series of cultural concerts-Make a Joyful Noise-were staged throughout the archdiocese starting off in Port-of-Spain at the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) and continuing on stages in the north, south, central and east of the country, including Tobago, with a grand finale at the Queen's Park Savannah.
Just last Sunday, Roman Catholics braved inclement weather to gather at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva to participate in a special celebration to mark the anniversary, which, apart from a concelebrated Holy Mass with Archbishop Harris being the chief celebrant, included some cultural acts designed to fit into the special spiritual occasion.
But even at the parish and religious community levels, Roman Catholics are showing their great pride of national consciousness by either organising or becoming involved in many of the smaller celebrations to mark the occasion, like the Marian Procession last Wednesday evening.
Hundreds turned up at the Grand Stand of the Queen's Park Savannah to take part in the Marian Procession around the Savannah, organised by the Living Water Community. Participants, many wearing the national colours in their various modes of dress, walked with their lighted candles while praying for peace in the country and thanksgiving for the nation's golden jubilee. The procession also marked the celebration of the Feast of the Queenship of Our Lady.
Plans have also been completed for celebration of a special midnight mass on August 30 at the pro-Cathedral (Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Harris Promenade, San Fernando). The service begins with an hour's vigil from 11 pm with the church bells coming to life joyfully at midnight followed by Holy Mass celebrated by Archbishop Harris.
In the spirit of the golden jubilee and wrapped up in the display of Catholic culture and identity, the Santa Rosa parish in Arima plans to celebrate its patronal feast-Santa Rosa de Lima-with a grand parade through the streets of the Borough on September 2 following a concelebrated Mass at the historic Church, with chief celebrant Fr Urban Hudlin.
The ceremony will begin at 8.45 am at the church followed by mass and then the parade. But before all of that, parishioners and visitors are being encouraged to attend a special six-day novena which began on August 23 and ends on August 31 (Independence Day). While the first five days the novena will be held in the evening, it will end with mass on Independence morning at 7 o'clock.
Santa Rosa de Lima, apart from being the patron saint of the parish, has long been regarded as the patron of Arima as well as all first peoples of the country. This is significant because the Carib nation has had its main home in the Borough for decades and the nation's Queen and her court, has always been an integral part of the street procession, complete with her attendants.
The Roman Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago, under the astute leadership of our effervescent Archbishop Joseph Harris, is truly expressing its unadulterated patriotism, while fully displaying its Catholic culture and identity.
Vernon Khelawan is the media relations officer of Catholic Media Services Limited, the communications arm of the Archdiocese of Port-of-Spain.