22ND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME YEAR B SUNDAY 29TH AUGUST, 2021
Living in the Presence of the Lord
By Br. James Bonyaah CSSp
How did you react when someone
failed to remind you about an
important ?e v e n t It is therefore & :Q A TRADITIONS
refreshing and awesome when we are CONCERNING THE DEAD
constantly reminded by people who ?What is a Catholic Funeral
’k e e p u s a b r e a s t w i t h l i f e s m a n y A Catholic funeral is a religious service held
?c o n d i t i o n s k n o w i n g o u r l i m i t a t i o n s
,F o r C h r i s t i a n s S c r i p t u r e s c o n s t a n t l y for someone of the Catholic faith who has
remind us about our relationship with .passed away It serves an important
,function for the survivors who believe that
.a n d o b l i g a t i o n s t o G o d T h e F i r s t .the soul lives on after death The Catholic
Reading from the Book of Deuteronomy captures that essence of a reminder funeral is a time to appeal to God to be
by Moses to the Israelites of their obligation to obey all the commandments ' .merciful on the deceased person s soul
( ) . , ’o f G o d b e f o r e m o v i n g t o t h e p r o m i s e d l a n d C a n a a n ?What is the rite of committal
Thus Moses
The final stage of a Catholic funeral is the
: “ , ,s t a t e m e n t N o w I s r a e l t a k e n o t i c e o f t h e l a w s a n d c u s t o m s t h a t I t e a c h y o u
.Rite of Committal It often takes place at
, ,t o d a y a n d o b s e r v e t h e m t h a t y o u m a y h a v e l i f e a n d m a y e n t e r a n d t a k e
the cemetery but may also be part of the
… ”p o s s e s s i o n o f t h e l a n d t h a t t h e L o r d t h e G o d o f y o u r f a t h e r s i s g i v i n g y o u
. ,funeral service at the church Either way
( 4:1-2) .Cf Deut ,this is the final rite where the priest
is potent It is sterling in giving hope and choices as well as
officially commits the body to the earth
.r e v e a l i n g t h e s e c r e t s o f s u c c e s s i f t h e y o b e y e d t h e m
.and everyone says their final goodbyes
’M o s e s i n s t r u c t i o n s a r e c r i t i c a l b e c a u s e h e k n o w s t h e i r s t u b b o r n n e s s a n d
unfaithfulness in their forty years journey in the wilderness and their
. ,p e n c h a n t f o r w a n t o n c o m p l a i n t s a t t h e l e a s t i n c o n v e n i e n c e S o t h e r e f o r e h i s
instructions before their departure are timely to remind them to eschew
these weaknesses and be faithful to God and its attendant blessings so that
“ , “w h e n o t h e r n a t i o n s c o m e t o k n o w o f a l l t h e s e l a w s t h e y w i l l e x c l a i m n o
” ( . 4:6). ’other nation is as wise and prudent as this great nation Cf Deut
God s
commandments shape our crooked ways when we become amenable and
. . ’f a i t h f u l t o t h e m S t J a m e s e x h o r t a t i o n i n t h e S e c o n d R e a d i n g r e i t e r a t e s t h e Can a Catholic funeral be held on a
“ ”f a c t t h a t e v e r y g o o d a n d p e r f e c t t h i n g c o m e s f r o m t h e F a t h e r o f a l l l i g h t ?Sunday
( 1:17). ’Cf Jas ,Traditionally Catholic funerals are not held
He thereafter challenges us to accept and submit to God s
( ) .w o r d c o m m a n d m e n t s a s d i d M o s e s t o t h e I s r a e l i t e s I s o u r C h r i s t i a n r e l i g i o n on ,Sundays although there can be
? . : “p u r e S t J a m e s g i v e s a c r i t e r i o n o f coming to the help of orphans and .exceptions Sundays are meant to be
,w i d o w s w h e n t h e y n e e d i t a n d k e e p i n g o n e s e l f u n c o n t a m i n a t e d b y t h e .reserved for regular church services
.” ,world
He encourages us to exhibit good Christian practices especially
during this pandemic for the poor and the vulnerable as well as relatives and
.f r i e n d s w h o a r e i m p a i r e d o r i n c a p a c i t a t e d B y n o t s h i r k i n g o n t h e s e C h r i s t i a n How soon after death is a Catholic
( 12:28-34);practices of loving God and neighbour Cf Mk our little efforts will ?funeral
.c o n t r i b u t e i n m a k i n g o u r r e l i g i o n a p u r e o n e Funerals take place anywhere from two
,I n t h e G o s p e l J e s u s r e i t e r a t e s t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f o b e y i n g t h e c o m m a n d m e n t ,days to one week after death but typically
.occur within three days or so
( ) . ’o f G o d a n d n o t o f p e o p l e P h a r i s e e s a n d s c r i b e s B y b e i n g o b e d i e n t t o G o d s
, “c o m m a n d m e n t s t h e P s a l m i s t w i l l a p p r o v e u s a s b e i n g j u s t a n d l i v i n g i n t h e
” ( 14:2).presence of the Lord Cf Ps
As we prepare eagerly for the reopening of our churches in the wilderness of
, , ,t h e p a n d e m i c J e s u s a s d i d M o s e s t o t h e I s r a e l i t e s w a n t s u s t o b e f a i t h f u l t o
God and experience sincere inner conversion so that in celebrating the
;E u c h a r i s t w e w i l l b e c o m e w o r t h y o f i t a n d n o t h y p o c r i t e s l i k e t h e P h a r i s e e s
“a n d S c r i b e s f o r t h e t a x c o l l e c t o r s a n d p r o s t i t u t e s t o g o a h e a d o f u s i n t h e
Kingdom of ”God (Cf Mt. 21:31).
SUNDAY 29TH AUGUST, 2021 COMMUNITY NEWS - PAGE 2
Independence is more
than freedom
by Dr. Kyle Antoine
Holy Trinity Parishioner
Member of the Music Ministry
It has been 59 years since the flag was first raised As young women and men, independence and
and Independence is still a word with much free will allow us the right to watch whatever we
weight. Independence is more than the annual like, go wherever we like, and do whatever we
marching of polished boots, trumpeting of the like, but without self-discipline, these freedoms
National Anthem or festooning of red, white, and slowly become addictions, robbing us of time and
black on every available surface. It is a force, a energy, wasting our potential. One addiction I
succumbed to in the vacuum presented by the
weight, requiring as much as it imparts.
lockdown was the infinite scroll of social media,
From a young adult’s perspective, independence where every story is eye-catching, every video
has a recurring theme in my life, whether designed to draw you in as being worth the
financial, parental, or otherwise. It is both an watch. It was months before I realized exactly
aspiration and an apparition, something to be how much of my waking hours were being
desired. But it also something to be feared as sucked into my phone. My chosen way to
free will, itself a cherished celebrity, never comes entertain myself had not become a choice at all.
alone. Members of its less acclaimed entourage
include responsibility, the requirement for How then, do we discern, do we use the
discipline and discernment, and in their absence, freedoms of choice and ability we have been
granted, to serve our best interests? I have found
the lucid weight of consequence.
prayer has given me a way to approach this. The
In our mad dash to independence, overlooking daily act of prayer and bringing to God my
these attributes often leads to less-than-ideal problems, my successes, and failures, charting
situations. No better analogy for this exists than my day and praying for self-discipline and self-
the current global scenario, wherein the inability accountability, has forced me to practice both. It’s
of persons to follow simple hygiene rules has the discipline of building the routine of daily
brought disease and demise to so many. Even as prayer, and the self-accountability that comes
new tools arise with which to combat this deadly with having to rehash your every action and how
foe, many have opted to bury their heads and it affected your life.
cover their arms, gambling with the lives of the This awareness has led me to the point of setting
nation. Being free to choose does not always daily limits on my social media intake which has
mean you choose right. freed up my time to pursue more rewarding
endeavours, such as this article.
As the Chaconia blooms, and the National
Anthem booms, let us never forget the role of
prayer, honest self-reflection, and accountability
hold in ensuring our independence serves to our
positive development, and not our detriment.
Live out our faith through love
’Our readings today call us to pause for a moment and consider how we respond to God s love for us
. .each day Our Gospel recounts a dialogue between the Pharisees and Jesus The Pharisees questioned
’ .why Jesus disciples did not practice the ritual washing before eating a meal
’ ‘ ?’ ’ ?Jesus response reminds us to ask ourselves why Why do we remain faithful to God s commands
? ? ?Why do we pray or go to Mass Why do we participate in the sacraments Why do we love others
, , , .Often we are living our faith a certain way out of obligation fear or duty But Jesus reminds us that
.the greatest way to live out our faith is through love Our faith has obligations to provide us
, , .opportunities to love honor and praise the Lord They are meant to aid us in our personal journey with
. .Jesus Christ St James reminds us that every moment of each day is an opportunity to respond to
’ .God s infinite love for us with love and gratitude in return If we approach our relationship with Jesus
, ,with this in mind then we begin to realize that the gift of the Mass is an opportunity to worship God the
sacraments are ways to draw us closer to Him and His commandments are opportunities to love Him
. - - ,more faithfully And if we approach our day to day moments with this in mind then we begin to see
.just how many blessings God has given us Looking at life through the lens of gratitude helps us to see
.each moment as a gift with endless opportunities to respond in love This is how we ought to live our
—lives as Christian stewards by recognizing our lives as a gift and an opportunity to love God and
.others in response to how He has loved us
?Is Stewardship important to you It is to our Parish and we are looking for men and women seeking to become
. , : 315 4695/ 681-4878/ 680-7382Stewards If you are interested please Contact Maria
Carol Ann Beverly
- @ . .Or email stewardshiparouca gmail com For details on electronic payments please contact the Parish
, , .Office Carol Ann Maria or Beverly
LIVING ALTAR
CHRISTIAN SERVERS ARE
HOSPITALITY LIGHTS OF THE
Our challenge is to share with others the message that WORLD
' .Christ s love cures all ills Using the example of Christ .TThe altar server has a privileged place in liturgical celebrations
,meeting his disciples on the road to Emmaus John Paul
,Those who serve at Mass present themselves to a community they
II links our reception of Christ in the Eucharist with a
experience from close at hand that Jesus Christ is present and
: " ,call to serve others Like the disciples of Emmaus
,believers supported by the living presence of the risen .active in every Liturgy Jesus is present whenever the community
,Christ become in turn the traveling companions of .gathers to pray and give praise to God Jesus is present in the
,their brothers and sisters in trouble offering them the .words of Sacred Scripture Jesus is present above all in the
.”word that rekindles hospitality in their hearts , .Eucharist under the appearances of bread and wine He acts
through the priest who celebrates Holy Mass and administers the
The early Christians relied on the older Jewish and [ ].Sacraments in persona Christi in the person of Christ
Gentile conventions of hospitality to find food and "Therefore in the liturgy you are far more than mere helpers of the
'lodging while teaching about Christ s Words of ". , ,parish priest Above all you are servants of Jesus Christ the
.welcome Made pilgrims by their desire to share the
.eternal High Priest Thus you altar servers are called to be young
Gospel and in political exile because of their faith in
.friends of Jesus Strive to deepen and foster this friendship with
,Christ the early Christians probably thought often of
.the Israelites in the desert Peter urges the followers of . .Him The altar server often holds a candle in his hand How can we
Jesus to behave well so that their actions will : "not think of what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount You are
: "evangelize the Gentiles Maintain good conduct among " ( 5,14).the light of the world Mt
,the Gentiles so that in case they speak against you as Your service cannot be restricted
,wrongdoers they may see your good deeds and glorify . :to the inside of a church It must shine out in your everyday life at
." (1 . 2:12). ,God on the day of visitation , ,school in the family and in the different social contexts for those
Pet Later he
urges them to remember that love requires serving who want to serve Jesus Christ in a church must be his witnesses
: "others Above all hold unfailing your love for one .everywhere
.I have spoken of friendship with Jesus How happy I would be if
, .another since love covers a multitude of sins Practice !something more sprang from this friendship How beautiful it would
!be if some of you could discover a vocation to the priesthood
" (1 . 4:8-9).hospitality ungrudgingly to one another
Pet
,Like the early Christians we must also rely on and offer Jesus Christ urgently needs young people who generously make
.hospitality as a means of sharing the Gospel With
, , "further insight John Paul II writes Welcoming our . ,themselves available to him without reserve Furthermore might
brothers and sisters with care and willingness must not not the Lord also be calling some of you girls to embrace the
be limited to extraordinary occasions but must ?consecrated life in order to serve the Church and the brethren
,Also for those who would like to be united in marriage an altar
become for all believers a habit of service in their daily 'server s service teaches that an authentic union must always
.include readiness for reciprocal and gratuitous service
lives."
- .Pope Saint John Paul II CatholicCulture org
.CatholicCulture org
SUNDAY 29TH AUGUST, 2021 IN THE SPIRIT - PAGE 3
Happy 59th Independence
"The first responsibility that devolves upon you is the protection PAGE 4
and promotion of your democracy. Democracy means more, much
more, than the right to vote and one vote for every man and every
woman of the prescribed age. Democracy means recognition of
the rights of others....
Whatever the challenge that faces you, from whatever quarter,
place always first that national interest and the national cause.
The strength of the Nation depends on the strength of its citizens.
Our National Anthem invokes God's blessings on our Nation, in
response to those thousands of citizens of all faiths who
demanded God's protection in our Constitution.
Let us then as a Nation so conduct ourselves as to be able always to
say in those noblest and most inspiring words of St. Paul,
"By the Grace of God we as people are what we are, and His Grace
in us hath not been void."
- Excerpt from Dr Eric Williams' Independence Day Address in 1962
SUNDAY 29TH AUGUST, 2021
HOLY TRINITY PARISH OFFICE CLOSURE COMMITTEE WITH THE POOR
ANNOUCEMENTS Members of the Committee with the Poor will not be at the
Please be advised that the Parish Office
will remain closed until further notice Pastoral Center until further notice. For Emergency
assistance please contact: Ingrid Henry @ 473-1161.
’based on the Government sextension of
the Lockdown period and additional
7 .restrictions announced on May
:Please contact the following
-For cemetery matters Paula
353-9128Sanchez at
,For funerals prayer requests or
-Mass intentions Sandra De Boulet
at 796-9699 or
56@ .sdebou
gmail com
Interested iin getting the SALLTO newsletter via We are committed to ensuring that
email? Contact us at [email protected]
everyone remains safe while continuing to
.serve our parishioners
Please continue to pray that God will
.deliver us soon from this pandemic
Keep safe and continue to observe all
. .protocols May God bless you
SUNDAY 29TH AUGUST, 2021 ANNOUNCEMENTS - PAGE 5
HOLY TRINITY REST IN PEACE FR. MAKHAN REST IN PEACE MATILDA
ANNOUCEMENTS
Fr Michael Makhan was ordained in 1963, in the MATILDA LE BLANC OF PARK LANE, AROUCA,
third batch of seminarians to be trained at PASSED AWAY ON AUGUST 19.
Mount St Benedict, and the only one of his
year to have made final vows. His movement Born on February 19, 1925,
to priesthood reveals the subtle work of God she was the mother of five
in taking this man from humble beginnings in (Terry , Errol, Felix , Judy
Chaguanas to become one of the and Dianne); grandmother
most-loved priests. ([email protected]) of 12; great grandmother
Fr. Michael Makhan died peacefully at The of 13.
Living Waters Hospice on August 25. His funeral Mass took Mama, as she was affectionately called, loved
place on Friday at The Cathedral of The Immaculate Conception her flower garden and spent a lot of time
and burial at Lapeyrouse Cemetery, Woodbrook. tending to her plants. She was an avid reader
Fr. Makhan served the Communities of Holy Trinity Parish for and follower of current affairs.
many years. We pray God's healing on his family at this time Mama was loved by many. She was an
and ask that Fr. Makhan rests in eternal peace. exceptional homemaker, seamstress and a
May he inherit eternal life and joy. Amen devoted Roman Catholic who worshipped at
Our Lady of Lourdes Community.
Her funeral service took place on August 27 at
Lee’s Funeral Home Chapel and burial at Holy
Trinity Parish Cemetery.
Holy Trinity parish family extends
condolences to Matilda’s family and friends.
Interested iin getting the SALLTO newsletter via Join The Franciscan Institute, Grenada, St. Lucia, and Trinidad
email? Contact us at [email protected] & Tobago for our annual Season of Creation Challenge .
Parishes & Schools are invited to participate.
SUNDAY 29TH AUGUST, 2021
ANNOUNCEMENTS - PAGE 6