DEAR EDITOR: I send my deep appreciation and heartfelt thanks to the organisers of “Lectio Divina and the Future - A Theological Tribute to Fr Michel de Verteuil”, held on Indian Arrival Day, 2007.

See Thank you, Fr Michel

Thank you, organisers of the conference, for making it accessible to an ordinary working wife and mother. It was indeed good to spend eight full hours listening to such challenging and life-giving insights from our Catholic tradition.

Thanks especially to my husband Kurt and son Yoseph-Anthony for affording me a whole day of learning and reflection.

Thank to Fr Michel, who, in the last 10 minutes of the day, for me, once again summed up all the brilliant ideas and rich studies of the Word with the familiar gesture of raised right forefinger, gently incessant that all our benefits in Lectio Divina and relationship with God must allow us to be more human, more human to all peoples, all religions and all cultures in our country and beyond.

For me, indeed, Fr Michel’s reminder brought me back to earth from all the lofty ideas filling my head, that I am called to be more human to all living creatures, and not least, the environment.

It was truly very good to be part of that day and I especially appreciated the enthusiasm and conviction of Pearl Lezama, the honest and personal sharing of Ronald Tagallie and Andrew Cromwell, Fr Brodie’s making the great mystery of the origins of the bible appear simple and within ordinary grasp, Paba’s (Msgr Patrick Anthony) dynamic presentation of the use of Lectio Divina as an evangelisation method in conjunction with Catholic Social Teaching in St Lucia and Fr Stephen’s lesson in what truly distinguishes us as humans: our linguistic capability, for symbol and for word.

I also thank the gentleman sitting next to me in the back row for his question posed to the panel in the afternoon session. “As we gather here today, in our middle class-ness, what word can we speak to the very poor in our country, those in our society who are marginalised, dispossessed?” This for me is de question!!! One with which I am haggling to work our over my adult life; one with which I need to help our son begin to answer in his life.

Thanks to the Jesuit priest on the panel who answered, first with the question: Do we have a word? Who are we to have a word? What word?

Then with a story from his experience, of living in a community of five, in what I take to be a very tough area in London, and of the Gospel story which spoke most to them: of John the Baptist’s father being struck dumb at the angel’s announcement of his (John the Baptist) conception.

Of being struck dumb for two years as he lived in community with the people. Of living two years with them before they, as a community of believers were able to begin to speak a word to the ones they had gone to serve. Struck dumb. How human.

Thank you, Lord God of the Universe for all that you have taught us, and for all that we have yet to learn.

Thank you, Father God, for your son Jesus Christ who died and rose again, so that we may all have life in you.

Thank you, O Spirit of Truth, as you lead us to the complete truth, for your call to us to be more human

Thank you, Lord for the men and women who study and work to bring your life-giving word to us all.

Thank you Jesus, for your call to each of us to be human, to be your presence, your work, your authentic symbol in our world today.

Mary, Mother of God, and all the saints pray for us as we continue in the midst of our frailty and vulnerability, to do the work God has called us to do.
Monique Miles-Sargeant, Tacarigua (Holy Trinity parish, Arouca)

THE EDITOR: With regard to the homeless now encroaching on the Savannah, I feel the need to say something. It is almost five years ago since this Government was given several million Euros, by the European Union expressly to alleviate poverty, yet we have not seen even one night shelter for the homeless, one hostel for the poor, one orphanage for the numberless street children built in any part of the country in the last four years.

These facilities are needed all over the country, outfitted with properly trained staff. Just think of the number of people who would eventually become gainfully employed!
Are they waiting for the NGOs to do it, then why did they not give the NGO's some of the millions so they can get the job done.

Don't tell me “Administration” is still working on it, how much of the money would be left after Administration has received their payment?

Are we seriously thinking of 20-20 vision with a view to enhancing the quality of life for everyone or are we seeing our country turning into one big Labasse with vagrants sleeping every and anywhere, garbage strewn all around where they last slept? Are there no more spaces in the University of Woodford Square or are all the benches taken, are all the sidewalks too crowded?

Think of the sanitation and health woes, which are sure to develop. Think of the litter with discarded cardboard boxes. Some will soon be bold enough to erect a small shelter from the rain in the Savannah, after all it's space for the taking? Who cares?

I have seen a vagrant sleeping on a bench with a cardboard box over him and another sleeping under the bench, talk about double-decker benches?

PLEASE, oh caring Government, please help the unfortunate, the homeless, the street children. The NGOs cannot do it alone. I can't hold my breath any longer waiting for this Government to show they care.
Elsie Bose, NGO worker

DEAR EDITOR: I wish to express my deep gratitude to the people of San Fernando for their prayer and generous support over the past five years. This period was one of grace and growth that allowed me to deepen my understanding of church and priestly service.

 I particularly thank Frs Clyde Harvey and Allan Ventour for walking with me in this time of pastoral formation and discovery. I thank every parishioner for the way they have loved me into being!

As I leave our shores for the Eternal City my prayer for you and for me is that we grow into an awareness of and appreciation for the caritas in our lives and that in turn we may generously share this with others, especially the fragile and the broken.
Much love and blessings,
Fr Matthew d'Hereaux – Trini en route to Roma