DEAR EDITOR: What a fantastic send-off. I attended the funeral Mass of Ellis Frank Chow Lin On, “Uncle Ellis”, as many called him. He was loved by the artists whom he managed. Love was very evident from the way the artists talked about him.

There are many things I would like to say about “Uncle Ellis” but that is not my focus today. You know how we are always saying how truly talented we are. The Church felt like a soca-opera house. The music was fantastic.

Hearing the voices singing praise to God was exhilarating. I was praying that God would open the gates to “Uncle Ellis” just because of the love his friends had for him. They made you understand that he was a man who recognised talent and took you where you needed to go to develop that talent. I have always felt that if you use your talent well you glorify God, the one who gave you the talent.

Soca artists came to Mass and they glorified God. WOW!
Whatever talents we use, voice, creativity, agility, (to beat pan), musical, etc., to celebrate Carnival we should be uplifted and encouraged to do good.

Carnival is not of the devil. We choose to glorify the devil if we use our talents to incite crowds to violence (get on bad). We choose to glorify the devil when we wear too little bits of clothing.
Who do you choose to glorify?
B ChinLee, Port of Spain

DEAR EDITOR: At the Commissiong funeral the officiating Minister, the Rev Fr Reginald Hezekiah made the observation that Trinidad and Tobago was in the throes of a spiritual warfare. I do not think that many Catholics would disagree with the assessment of the state of the country today given the daily evidence of so much evil throughout the society.

As in all situations of warfare however we need to determine the strategy and tactics to be employed as we move to engage the enemy in combat. And it is to the General in overall command that we would normally turn for this level of critical decision-making.

We already know that Almighty God has selected such a commanding General to lead us into battle. That General is Our Blessed Lady and she has already developed and laid out her strategy and tactics when she addressed her troops at Fatima.

She indicated as well the extent of her weaponry and her prime objective as we move to defeat the enemy.

Her prime objective is peace. And her basic strategy is conversion hrough repentance. Her principal tactical manouvres involve prayer and fasting, penance and sacrifice. And her most formidable weapons are the Eucharist and the Rosary and the Act of Consecration to her Immaculate Heart.

So there we have it. Let us proceed in battle formation under this mighty Commander as we once did at the Battle of Lepanto. Let us resolve now to defeat this legion of demons descending on our beloved country.

We are led by a mighty General, we have the strategy and tactics, we know our objectives, and we have a most formidable arsenal of weaponry at our disposal. The time has come for speedy deployment of our troops to engage the enemy in the battlefield.
Hollis Malins-Smith, Woodbrook

By Sue Jerome-Scott

If you obey God and do the right,
You will always have his guiding light.
If you always remain meek and mild,
You are forever God's blessed child.
If you are willing to lend a helping hand,
God blesses you in this precious land.

If you feel something is bothering you,
Just ask God what to do.
If you feel dispirited and want to confide,
God - Jesus Christ is right by your side.

If you feel lonely and sad,
Believe that God will make you glad.
What I am trying to tell you, my dear,
God never fails us so have no fear.

By Marjorie Alfonso

No black shadow falls.
On this bright land,
Of “sun and sea”.
No shadow of doomed sceptre falls.
On this La Trinity.

We won’t describe this land as cursed.
Though it is stained with blood.
We’ll ever say good will prevail
After this evil flood.

This evil spell must end we know.
Murder and strife just have to go.
No more kidnapping, rape, suicide or theft.
God’s healing grace will flow.
All these will cease.

We must not fear,
Peace will appear,
Like sunshine after storm and rain.
Our island will rise up again.
Triumphantly from crippling pain:

Though babies die,
And mother’s cry
Reach to the ear of God
Though youths are attacked
Shot at and killed,
Their young lives crushed.
Half-opened buds,
We’ll pray and hope.
For this our land,
So full of crime and fear and tears
Still belongs to God.