DEAR EDITOR: I write this because recently some “faithful Catholics”, those who are in the 17% group said to me abortion laws don’t affect them as they have passed that stage and they don’t gamble so they can legalise that. Those comments frightened me and I ask are we serious about God? Is Abraham our father?

In the prayer “Our Father” we say “thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven” can we honestly say that our actions witness to this prayer?
The Church teaches do we obey? Thy will be done only if we make ourselves available.

For this election may I suggest that as Christians we look at:
1. the platform i.e. the candidate’s character/integrity/moral values
2. the party’s manifesto, to see if their plans are in keeping with Godly values/principles?

For example one party says that they will introduce online gambling. The Church teaches that gambling is wrong. Why? Because one profits at the expense of another.

Have we looked at the relationship between high stakes gambling and crime? Online gambling is addictive especially for youths (it is the young who are computer savvy) this addiction has caused many suicides in Canada (cf An estimated 200 compulsive gamblers commit suicide in Canada every year, said Terry Flynn, a director of spiritual care at the Bellwood Health Services facility in Toronto. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2006/10/27/gamble-suicide.html)

Monday, Oct 15, a lawyer on the COP platform said “this election is war, it ain’t have no God in it”. This might be platform talk but could also be an expression of deeper belief.

It is said you can only get out what you put in. You can’t elect the godless and then honestly expect them to follow the will of God. He could very well say “what does God have to do with abortion/same-sex marriage”.

I agree totally with Ms Barcant however when you question the parties as to where they stand on issues don’t take it from the little activist but get the leader to make a definite statement.
Stand for God.
Thomas Wallace, St Joseph

DEAR EDITOR: Every election period, the question always arises “Should Christians be involved in politics?”

Jesus answered this question over 2000 years ago when He was asked “Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar?” Jesus answered “Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” which means, that all His followers must exercise his/her civic duties on Election Day and participate in National Elections, by casting their vote for a candidate whose leader and party are most likely to adhere to Christian principles and laws.

Making novenas and saying endless prayers, yet on Election Day staying at home praying, refusing to vote seems a bit misguided.

Some religions even prohibit their members from participating in the electoral process. They seem unaware that by not casting their vote they risk the possibility of getting a government that is anti-Christ that can pass laws that are detrimental to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

They must be told by bishops, priests, pastors and shepherds that they must go to the polls on Election Day and cast their votes, as no country can exist without a ruler.
George Peters, Maloney

DEAR EDITOR: After reading the letters entitled “Why we do not go to Mass any more” and “Did Church take a wrong turn”, I clearly recalled the old saying, “different strokes for different folks.”

It literally boils down to one’s own perception of what is Church or what Church represents and for many of us Catholics it is not properly defined.

Ask some of the persons making these remarks to attend the talks given on “Experiencing the Mass I & II”, which has started in the Barataria parish and they themselves may find it irrelevant or boring.

The mandate of the Archbishop to get Catholics back in church is definitely not only directed to catechists, as suggested by one writer, but to all and sundry, especially now, the entire laity.

If we as laity ourselves are not catechised and I must add evangelised, we will continue to wait till “thy kingdom come” on the Church as authority and clergy to have it done. They are doing their part and we have to do what is required of us.

I thank God that as a Catholic I myself have come through the period before to post-Vatican II and although having to adjust to our new liturgical format and experiencing some difficulty in regards to reverence at Masses as alluded to by both writers, I finally became aware of the fact (with the help of the Holy Spirit) that I could not judge by outward expressions for God alone looks at the heart.

Since the beginning of time God has continued to challenge us with change – the big difference will arise in our individual approach and response to it.

But what is more significant is the enormous opportunities now being made available in our local Church (I don’t know what transpires in Seattle) to edify ourselves by means of the different programmes and activities being offered on a regular basis.

For me it is unprecedented in this archdiocese, and if we as laity do not want to be a part of this new thrust and initiative especially Synod, then we will have no one but ourselves to blame – do not seek to place blame elsewhere.

On a lighter note, to address “A Non-Practising Catholic”. For a person who does not attend Masses, I found that he/she knows very much about a one-hour Mass (5.30 p.m.) at a church in the west.

Ironically at the Mass I attended in the east one hour later this very weekend (October 21), I had the pleasure of meeting a young man who I observed throughout the entire Mass was extremely enthusiastic (shown by his physical expressions  - for he sat close to me) and having greeted him while the congregation sang “We love you, love you, love you” as he was a visitor to our parish.

When Mass was finished I approached him and enquired what parish he came from and he told me that he was from that very parish that was mentioned above (one hour/5.30 p.m. Mass) and I recalled telling him that he came from far. He left my presence with a big smile on his face.

Maybe for the first time he had experienced a Mass with a difference and which lasted more than one hour.

As His Grace has said on many occasions, Catholics are free to worship wherever they feel “peaceful and inspired”. So to use the excuse of not attending Mass because of what pertains in the “present day Mass” is surely not valid.

There are indeed reasons for Catholics not attending Masses and the reasons are varied, but I believe the reason given by the two writers cannot be sustained.
Catholic from the East

DEAR EDITOR: I read the letter by a Non-Practising Catholic entitled "Why we do not go to Mass anymore" in the Catholic News (October 21) and I felt the urge to respond.

I felt sad, not only because this brother or sister in Christ seems to not understand what the Mass is about but in fact, the views shared may not be uncommon among seemingly practising Catholics.

I must admit that I've found that there are many who go to Mass and are "active" in the Church but who don't have an understanding of what we do in the Mass.

I know that the thrust of evangelisation and learning more about the faith is not just the responsibility of the priest, or a few, but of every Catholic. I am certain that we each have to take the onus upon ourselves to inquire, to investigate, to question, to find out, like any "intelligent" person would do.

Most people, if planning a vacation would get brochures, check the Internet, visit a travel agency, speak to friends to get as much information about their vacation destination, the sites and all other related information that will prepare them to have a beautiful holiday experience.

If you are starting a new job, you research and find out about the company that you are going to join so that in the initial interview, you will not sound as if you have no idea about the organisation.

For so many aspects of our lives we take the time to do the homework but yet when it comes to our faith and gaining deeper understanding of it, so many of us are like our friend saying, “a ten-minute sermon describing the Gospel is all that is needed.”  

Oh how saddened the heavenly accord of angels would be to know that we don't want to celebrate Mass in joyful glory with them, in a spirit of fellowship with fellow Catholics singing and praising God.

What we do at Mass can be found in the bible. Jesus Christ, celebrated Mass with his friends, the disciples. His entire ministry was about reaching out to others. What better way than to do this but in the Mass.

In this day and age of technology, we as Catholics have absolutely no excuse to say that we don't know, or to postulate flippant excuses for not knowing.

We don't know because we don't want to. There are all the different parish groups, the Charismatic movement, fellow Catholics who know more about the faith and are willing to share.

Among the Internet sites there are the following: the Vatican site (http://www.vatican.va), Catholic City (http://www.catholicity.com), One Bread One Body (http://www.presentationministries.com), EWTN (http://www.ewtn.com), the Word Amongst Us ( http://www.wau.org), Spirit daily (http://www.spiritdaily.com) and many more.

All the aforementioned sites point us to daily meditations, books and other informational material that would help to deepen our faith. Practising Catholics have a responsibility even more so now than ever before to share the faith with others in simple ways.

We must know that we have something unique and indeed very special in the Catholic Church. We have the Mass. We have the Eucharist! The next time you go to Mass, check your contents.

Have you prepared yourself for Mass? If so, "at the end of present-day Mass, we should not come out feeling frustrated and upset."

As Mother Angelica says, " A good way to advance in sanctity is to read holy books, holy Scripture, the Fathers of the Church and the Lives of the Saints. It is important to take time out of our busy schedule for God."
Be Blessed.

A practising and continuously learning Catholic

DEAR EDITOR: A suggestion has been put forward to me by an esteemed legal luminary on more than one occasion and I deem it worthy of consideration. It is the view of the aforementioned person that our marriage preparation sessions should include the legal implications of marriage with respect to property especially.

Marriage changes a person's legal status and property owned by the spouses becomes joint property, so for instance, one spouse's acre of land becomes both spouses' acre of land.

So! What's new about this and how does this affect the marriage? As long as the spouses remain together as man and wife there is hardly a problem. Difficulties arise if the marriage should end in divorce or separation.

The legal luminary who has experienced the pain of broken marriages has witnessed bitter and acrimonious battles between "spouses" when property has to be divided and custody of children has to be adjudicated upon.

A recently concluded case in our local courts which centred upon the property owned by a deceased musical maestro has shown us how rigid legal judgements can be.

It is unfortunate that most couples do not have an idea of the legal implications of marriage before they are married and find out too late if things take a turn for the worse.

We certainly should pray and support our married couples but we must give them more complete information. Tragically, so many marriages end up on the rocks, for one reason or another.

I was the priest on an Engaged Encounter weekend recently where there were at least two couples who were attorneys. Just before our closing session, I asked that some information be shared on the legal aspect of marriage.

The information given seemed to startle some of the couples who were just inches away from marriage.

I thought too there is some merit in the concerned legal person's suggestion that we should begin teaching about marriage when we are preparing our children for Confirmation. Please let's consider the suggestions given and act upon them.

On a personal note, I am really happy to be present at Engaged Encounter sessions where there is the joy of happy expectations, but I cry nearly the whole weekend when I have to deal with the Widowed, Separated and Divorced.

Let's give our people both adequate preparation and pertinent information, lest they perish owing to lack of knowledge.
Fr Wilfred John, Cedros