Archbishop: Trinidad and Tobago facing pain from poverty

News Janelle De Souza 4 Hrs Ago

Lisa and Nigel Charles couldn't resist taking their photo at the creche at Archbishop's House, Maraval Road, Port of Spain on December 13. - Faith Ayoung

Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon says it’s important to keep Jesus central during the Christmas season, despite the busyness and challenges of the world.

Speaking to Newsday after the blessing of the creche at the Archbishop’s House on Maraval Road, Port of Spain, on December 13, Gordon said this Christmas is a special one.

“The society is experiencing pain from poverty like we've not seen for a while. We have all the tensions with the geopolitics landing at our shores and surrounding us. But when Jesus Christ was born, we had the same kind of drama happening in the world at that time, where Herod as a false King, as a puppet of Rome, inside of Israel and the oppression of Israel. All the tensions were there.

“But Jesus came, and he changes everything. This Christmas, with all the things happening around, pull to the inside of your heart and find Him who is the Prince of Peace, who wants to enter your heart and be born there this Christmas. God bless you. Happy Christmas.”

Before he prayed to bless the creche, he urged people to give one gift to Jesus who has blessed his people in so many ways, by reaching out to or doing something for someone.

Entertaining the audience seated in the courtyard, the story of the nativity was told through song. Members of Holy Name Convent, St Francis Boy's College, Sacred Heart Boys' Roman Catholic School, the Seminary of St John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs from Mount St Benedict, and Providence Girls Catholic Seconday School sang carols and parang to the enjoyment of the crowd.

Gordon thanked God for the opportunity to focus again on the Nativity and what it meant for the world, and asked that He bless all who were present.