After months of revelry culminating in Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Christians now enter a season of prayer and fasting with the start of Lent.
Vicar General of the Roman Catholic Church, Father Martin Sirju, says the Lenten period provides an opportunity for the nation to reflect.
He urges citizens to look deep within themselves for solutions to the societal issues facing Trinidad and Tobago.
“The challenges we face today cannot be dealt with by any one denomination or one group. We can make the country better by doing it together,” Sirju said.
During Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Reverend Roland Joseph encouraged primary school students to make sacrifices during Lent.
He suggested they give up watching their favourite TV shows or engage in acts of charity. However, he also gave them a special task: attend Mass more regularly and encourage their parents to do the same.
“Ashes are a symbol of mortality, our way of entry into this period and a mark of repentance. So, you need to come to church during Lent every Sunday,” Joseph told them.
The 40 days of Lent begin today and end on April 17, marked by preparation, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
With the holy month of Ramadan being observed and Hindus preparing for Navratri later this month, Father Sirju emphasised that social challenges, including crime, cannot be addressed by any one group alone.
He called for a collaborative effort between law enforcement and people of all religious backgrounds.