RC priest calls out sinners

RICHARDSON DHALAI

As protests against Venezuelan migrants seem to intensify, especially on social media, Roman Catholic priest Fr Godfrey Stoute has urged Catholics to remember they are part of the body of Christ.

He also called on them to assist those in need.

“We have this situation right now with the migrants...Many of us are tempted to join with the crowd, but we must remember who we are. We are Christians, we are members of the body of Christ and so therefore we must act appropriately and always care for those in need,”he told scores of Catholics as he gave the Homily at Corpus Christi mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help RC Church in San Fernando, yesterday.

“We must always reach out to those in need, remember what the bible says- whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers that you do unto me,’ he added.

Fr Stoute said the church had to return to its original moorings, and call sin for what it is.

“I have been a priest for 29 years now and in all my years of being a priest, over the years, I can say I have seen a steady decline in the amount of people going to communion.“It says one of two things: Either people are holier now or that people have lost the sense of sin and I think the latter is more true.“What we used to call sin long time is no longer sin, so we have justified our sinfulness and so, therefore, if everybody else is doing it then it’s the norm, then it’s ok, it acceptable.“Sin by any other name is still sin and we need to be called out of sin because we are not living righteously or doing the right thing.”He also took a swipe at his fellow priests who he said did not want to “offend” anyone and failed to correct their congregation.“Over the years, you’ve seen a decline, and nobody saying anything because the priests don’t want to offend the people because you want people to like you, so that you won’t correct them, because if you correct them they will get vex and they go bad talk you.

“I have news for all my brother priests, people will bad talk you anyway. It is either you say it or you don’t say it. They will bad talk you, so it is better if they bad talk you for saying and doing the right thing.”“You and I are the body of Christ in the world and we must represent Jesus by righteous living, by doing the things that are required of us.”After mass, the congregation participated in the tradition Corpus Christi procession through the streets of San Fernando, praying at various points along the route before they returned to the church yard at Harris Promenade.