RC priest: Return to old time teachings

A Roman Catholic priest yesterday called on members to return to the old time teachings, respect and ways of the church.
Delivering the homily at the Our Lady of Perpetual RC Church in San Fernando preceding the annual Corpus Christi procession, Father Godfrey Stoute said: “It is important that we return to our original moorings. It is important that we return to the way it used to be.
“Over the years we have seen a decline and nobody is saying anything because people, the priest don’t want to offend the people because you want people to like you so you won’t correct them.
“Because if you correct they going to get vex and they go bad talk you. I have news for all my brother priests people will bad talk you anyway. You say it, you don’t say it, they will bad talk you still so it is better if they bad talk you for saying and doing the right thing.”
The important thing, he said, is bringing back people back to what is required in church and to restore the respect and the awe they had for Jesus in the blessed sacrament.
He said: “It is important that we do what righteousness demands of us in Christ.”
Touching on the Venezuelan migrant situation in T&T, he said: “We have this situation right now with the migrants many of us are tempted to join with the crowd. We must remember who we are, we are Christian.
“We are members of the body of Christ and so, therefore, we must act appropriately and always care for those in need, 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 also lamented that fewer people were attending confession and communion.
“I have been a priest for 29 years now and all my years of being a priest over the years I can tell I have seen a steady decline in the number of people going to communion.
“It says one of two things—one, either that people are holier now or that people have lost the sense of sin and I think the latter is more true.”
He also took issue with the way members attire for church. While encouraging them to be suitably dressed, he said certain clothes were not proper for the church.
“I have a problem with all these plunging necklines and receding hemlines. When you coming to church dress yourself properly. God gave you all that body, is yours but cover it properly.