Author Archives: donalddeanchambers

Creation – A Grain of Sand

We are like grains of sand on the long stretch of the Manzanilla Beach.Manzanilla Beach is but a tiny fraction of coastal Trinidad.Coastal Trinidad is but an island in the archipelago of Caribbean islands.Caribbean islands are but a tiny fraction of the Caribbean Sea.The Caribbean Sea is but a tiny fraction of water sandwiched betweenContinue reading “Creation – A Grain of Sand”

New Ways of Praying

I learnt to swim in a swimming pool at high school. Since that time swimming has been a regular part of my exercise regime. After decades of swimming alone, I joined a swimming class with a professional coach. From those sessions, I discovered that science, research, and experience have inspired advanced swimming techniques. Acquiring theseContinue reading “New Ways of Praying”

No sidewalks on Irwin Road expose students to danger

THE EDITOR, Madam: The quality of construction, management and sustainability of a country’s public social institutions and physical infrastructure is a mirror of the mentality and perception of the government towards the people who elected them.  Around the time of the dismissal of schools, I drove along the Tucker main road in St. James, andContinue reading “No sidewalks on Irwin Road expose students to danger”

Synodality – Graced Journey

I have vivid memories of my first road trip to the Cumana Retreat House of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, Cumana, Trinidad and Tobago. I was generously gifted with clear instructions to locate it. “Pay keen attention to the concrete milestones along the roadway. The most important one is milestone number 33.5”. DrivingContinue reading “Synodality – Graced Journey”

Synodality – Historical Listening and Kairos

In a group conversation during the synod retreat for the clergy of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago two concepts and insights related to the synodal journey emerged.  The first is historical listening. This type of listening is an awareness of the historical wisdom of the Church that it passes on throughContinue reading “Synodality – Historical Listening and Kairos”

Synodality and Trust

Writing in The Sunday Gleaner, September 25, 2022, Cedric Stephens remarks on the trust deficit as a big problem in Caribbean and Latin American societies. His source is the 2022 book published by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) entitled Trust: The Key to Social Cohesion and Growth in Latin America and The Caribbean.  Quoting theContinue reading “Synodality and Trust”

Morning after Ian

It’s early morning.Ian’s tail is in the distant horizon,On its onward Caribbean pilgrimage. Ian unlocked the vaults of heaven,With a cavalcade of waterCaressing and slapping the face of the earth. The morning is now incredibly silent,The orchestral sound of birds silent,Few fine-tuning their vocal cords. Leaves of trees like statuesDripping with remnant water,Overwhelmed by hoursContinue reading “Morning after Ian”

Contemporary Crucified Mother and Aunt

The reward for unconditional love is suffering and ‘death’.  It’s a hard pill to swallow. The lead newspaper story of the Jamaica Gleaner, September 23, 2022, reports on the sentencing of Rushane Barnett.  According to the article, Rushane Barnett and his brother were unemployed and in a financial bind when they telephoned their aunt, GwendolynContinue reading “Contemporary Crucified Mother and Aunt”

Building a Synodal Church

In building magnificent engineering structures such as bridges, skyscrapers, ocean liners, and bullet trains, human beings have learnt and applied some fundamental lessons. One such basic lesson is that development is a painstakingly slow-moving process devoid of shortcuts. Furthermore, the journey towards completion entails challenges that, once embraced, stimulate creativity and innovation.  Throughout history we’veContinue reading “Building a Synodal Church”