Catholic tradition and national pride intertwined June 15 as the Archdiocese of Port of Spain celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi.

From Corpus Christi celebrations at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, to those held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in San Fernando, Catholics came out in their numbers wearing red, the colour of the national football team, the “Soca Warriors”.

Fr Jason Gordon, Vicar for the Northern Vicariate, joked as he began the sermon at the Cathedral celebration, that he wasn’t sure if the dates for celebrating Pentecost and Corpus Christi had been mixed up because of the sea of red in the congregation.

He then offered a prayer for “peace and calm” for the Warriors as they prepared to play England later that day at World Cup 2006.

Cathedral administrator Msgr Cuthbert Alexander was chief celebrant in the absence of Archbishop Gilbert; seven other priests joined Msgr Alexander and Fr Gordon for the concelebration.

In his sermon, Fr Gordon said Corpus Christi was our connection to Christ. He explained that when the Church speaks of the body of Christ, it can be interpreted as speaking of not only the physical Christ, but the Eucharist and the Church – the people of God. He said the Eucharist is the connection between Jesus’ disciples of today and the human Jesus Christ.

He wondered that if Christ were alive today, and here in the capital, with “its high crime, disorder… and corruption”, what would he do? He said Christ would speak out about the leadership of today, and in favour of those in society who are marginalised.

The Rosary/Gonzales parish priest challenged “Everything we believe, is what we, as body of Christ, are called to be doing today…We are His hands, His feet, His lips…and called to love His people.”

Fr Rochard carries the Blessed Sacrament in procession.

Participants wear red in support of the Soca Warriors. Raymond Syms photos

He said many were “tired of the preaching and the platitudes” of leaders, adding that the best way to preach was by action, “by laying down our lives for others.”

Fr Gordon said through conversion of our hearts, Christ will be present in this land. “It is easy to point outwards; it is more difficult to look inward at self.”

He ended that only through personal conversion and transformation, the marginalised in society will be no more – people will know Christ by our love, by our example.

The annual procession with the Blessed Sacrament followed the Mass, moving west along Independence Square and then east back to the Cathedral, with one stop in front the Central Bank for Benediction on a mounted stage. The faithful prayed the Rosary and joined in the singing along the way.

Showers during Benediction, after the procession returned to the Cathedral, scattered a few of the hundreds that attended, but did not halt proceedings.

Corpus Christi, a worldwide Church celebration, is a national holiday in Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and other countries around the world where the Catholic Church has a significant presence.
- RS