Fr Roger Paponette says family life is very important in today’s world, not only in the Church, but also throughout Trinidad and Tobago. He was delivering the homily during the Gran Couva Parish’s annual family day on July 15, at the Tabaquite Roman Catholic School, Sand Hill Trace, Tabaquite.

Murders and reckless driving are being committed as though it is the norm Fr Paponette noted as he called on Christian families to make the difference by choosing right from wrong.

“Faith distinguishes us as a family because it is faith that continues to challenge us and allow us to grow,” he added. “Faith can be a unit of help through pain and difficulty and a unit of support in difficult times.”

Later in the day, he expressed pleasure with the excellent turnout saying: “Everyone was blessed and can’t wait for next year.”

The annual event brought together the Roman Catholic communities of Brasso, Flanagin Town, Gran Couva, Los Atajos and Tabaquite.

And as the older people from the various communities showed off their culinary skills with a wide variety of food, which included pelau, curried chicken and dhalpourie roti, the youths expressed themselves in song, dance and acting.

During the cultural show three Tabaquite community leaders were recognised for their various contributions to the village.

Lay Minister Bernadette Badal, 66, was recognised for her pastoral work, David “Mr Vivi” Luke, 60, for his contribution to sports and Henry Pereira, 62, for his contribution to culture.

Students from the Early Childhood Centre in Tabaquite with help from one of their teachers, Lynette Pino, perform a parang dance in honour of parandero Henry Pereira.

Badal, fondly called “Aunty Bunny”, has done it all from administering communion and caring for the sick, to assisting the underprivileged and conducting communion service or funerals when a priest is not around, to blessing of homes and vehicles, to the celebration of thanksgiving services.

Aunty Bunny who continues in her service to the Church and wider community, celebrated her 49th wedding anniversary with her husband Bridglal “Sonny” Badal on July 13.

Former Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) worker, David Luke or “Mr Vivi” as many call him, has trained two generations of footballers and continues to work with the Sporting Clinic under the Ministry of Sports.

In the early 1990s he was the coach of the Tabaquite football team called the “Bomb Squad”, which competed in the various Central leagues and won every match they played over a two-year period.

The community leader is still very active in the St Anthony’s Church, Tabaquite where he is now the leader of the Altar Servers Group and continues to work in the Meals on Wheels programme.

Cultural icon, Henry Pereira was one of the founding members of Los Muchachos del Agua parang group, which won the National Parang competition in 1981. After a short split and reformation in 1987 the group called itself Los Reyes parang, which again won the National Parang titles in 1988 and 1989 with Pereira copping the lead vocalist title.

Pereira, along with members of the group, has composed approximately 30 original compositions. The parandero, who has been battling with Parkinson’s disease for the past five years, was also a Spanish/English Language teacher at the Tabaquite Composite School from 1978 to 2000.

The family day ended with a knock-off football match with the parish youth.