DEAR EDITOR: Fr Travers' letter (March 5) is appropriate and timely. There are many grains of truth in what he is saying. Many of us are overworked and tired, because we try to fit the Church's work into our daily routine of jobs and family life. Our beloved Archbishop Pantin advised us to ensure our duty to home and family come before Church work.

Father's letter raises the questions: Does the Synod need the Church? Does the Church need the Synod? The answers are “yes” to both questions.

We need the Synod because the Church has been a sleeping giant, walking in its sleep without direction, for too long. What do we have here? A people problem or an organisational problem?

The Church is you and I and Fr Travers and all baptised Catholics. The Synod needs the Church. People have to do the work of waking the sleeping giant. But the people are tired! Why? For an answer go to Matthew 9:37:“ The harvest is great but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harves t”. 

There are three major problems with getting the work of the Church done. The first is a people problem, the second is an organisational problem and the third is a people problem.

Today we have the same old people problem identified by Jesus. Not enough people are giving their time and talents, especially men. In my parish we have the same core of people, mainly women, doing most of the work. 

Some are in three and four ministries! Parish priests must ensure that the same people do not over-reach themselves. It is better to do one job well rather than several bad jobs.

We are always praying for vocations to the priesthood. Let us start praying for workers in the ministries. WE NEED MORE LABOURERS, especially men.

The answer to this people problem lies in the Stewardship programme. The emphasis must be on Time and Talent. Get enough people to give their Time and Talent and the Treasure will follow. This brings us to the second problem, organisation. Ministries have been set up without proper organisational structures which could give direction. 

First, ministries must be prayer-based. Maybe this could be the “spirituality” Fr Travers talks about. Ministries must have a mission and know what their function is. They must decide on their objectives and develop action plans for achieving those objectives.

Individual ministers need to know their responsibilities and must undergo training. Such a structured programme makes life easier and the work more satisfying. Try it in your parish, Father.

The third problem is people related. A major obstacle to parish worker recruitment and operating efficiency is the amount of animosity and resentment among members of many Church communities and committees. 

I have been in several organisations and committees in the secular world and have not experienced this problem to the extent it thrives in the Church. Let us not continue to sweep this problem under the carpet. It exists.

Fr Travers discusses the merits of doing (Church work) and being (spiritual). Good point. I do (church work) but am far from being spiritual or “holy” (whatever that is). But we try. What we do , we do for the glory of God. 

As long as we focus on that, the spiritual will follow. There is a minority of Church workers who do it for recognition, especially from the parish priest. That is sad. We must realise that priests will come and priests will go but the parish continues. We must strive to please only the High Priest, Jesus Christ. Nobody else matters. 

I take comfort in the words of James 2:24: “ You see now, that it is by doing something good, and not only by believing, that a man is justified ”. I hope that gets me past Peter! 

Rex Escalante, Vistabella

DEAR EDITOR: Permit me a contribution to your widely read column. Even at school, history as a relevant and important subject is given a short circuit, as many students find it boring.

Our Church history however must given its rightful place to the major achievements of many of our religious sisters and lay people who continue to serve our Church with unfailing dedication.

Today however, I will like to record the work of the Irish Dominican Fathers and give them praise, as we celebrate the feast of St Patrick (March 17).

There are many who don't know the outstanding contribution that the Irish Dominicans have made to planting our Catholic faith in Trinidad and Tobago and in the West Indies.

They have done this without structural selectivity. At all levels they were willing to share the faith.

Dear reader, would you say a prayer for them?

Edward Persad, Santa Cruz