On Monday, September 29, 2025, the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission (AFLC) hosted another session in its ongoing grief support series, When a Loved One Dies by Suicide. The evening focused on the video What the Church Teaches, which explores the Catholic Church’s evolving understanding of suicide, mental health, and God’s boundless mercy. Facilitated by members of the AFLC’s grief support…
Q: Archbishop J, how do we hold on to Hope in a guava season? In Trinidad and Tobago, we know what a ‘guava season’ means. It is that time when the tree bears little fruit, when the cupboard is light, when ends refuse to meet—no matter how you stretch them. In our local speech, a ‘guava season’ is a time…
Q: Archbishop J, it’s so hard to wait through Advent for Christmas. Why bother? That’s an honest question—and one that echoes deep within many of us. We live in a world that does not like to wait. We fast-forward through commercials, swipe past slow content, and expect results in seconds. So, when the Church asks us to pause, to be…
In response to the rising number of suicides in Trinidad and Tobago, the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission (AFLC) continues to provide compassionate spaces for those affected by suicide loss through its grief support series, When a Loved One Dies by Suicide. The initiative offers hope and healing to individuals and families navigating the deep pain of loss, grounding their journey…
EnCourage is a spiritual accompaniment group for parents, family members, and friends of persons who experience same-sex attraction. This confidential support ministry, sponsored by the Archdiocese, offers a safe space for those seeking to navigate their faith while maintaining loving relationships with family members. At the recent October meeting, Sr. Gilmary, RSM, a member of the Courage Office who serves…
Denise Scott For many Catholics, the start of Advent is the start of Christmas, and we get caught up in the commercialisation of Christmas and miss out on the lessons of the Advent season. In this First Week of Advent, the Church invites us to focus on Hope. Not the wishful, maybe-it-will-happen kind of hope, but the deep, steady, God-rooted hope…
Q: Archbishop J, what are you thinking about for this Advent season? This Advent feels unlike any I have ever lived through. Our nation finds itself caught in the crosscurrents of a global geopolitical struggle between powers far larger than us. The arrival of the US Naval Forces Southern Command—its ships, carriers, and aircraft filling our waters—has shaken our long-cherished…
By Manuelita Gomez Thomas Losing a loved one to suicide brings grief that is often more intense and prolonged than other forms of loss. The abruptness and trauma of suicide can lead to symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, a reality affirmed by many who have walked this difficult path. In the aftermath, the bereaved may find themselves replaying events…
From October 25–26, 2025, the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission (AFLC) hosted a Skills for Sacramental Marriage Building weekend in Point Fortin, welcoming 15 couples for two days of reflection, sharing, and growth in their vocation of marriage. Each day began with breakfast, prayer, centering couples in faith before engaging in a series of activities designed to strengthen communication, deepen intimacy,…
On the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, Saturday, July 26, the Billings Ovulation Method Association of Trinidad and Tobago (BOMA-TT) hosted a Couples Day at the Parish of Our Lady of the Assumption, Maraval. The lead hosts were Dr Brian Phelps and his wife Pauline Phelps. The event was organised to set the context, create the atmosphere, expose reality…
