Catholic Standard: On Greek Debt

Friday, July 10th 2015 Established 1905 Georgetown, Guyana One Hundred Dollars ($100) Year 110, No. 26

From Saturday 11th - Monday 20th July 2015 I will join a contingent of fifteen young people who will be representing the Diocese at the AEC Youth Assembly in Antiqua. Please pray for the group. In my absence the Vicar General, Msgr. Terrence Montrose, will see to matters on my behalf.

Francis Alleyne, OSB

Bishops Engagements

222 South & Wellington Sts., Georgetown, Guyana Telephone: 226-2195 email: [email protected] www.catholicstandard.webs.com

INSIDE Editorial: Curfew - p2 Letters to the Editor - p2 Old Rosignol Catholic Church being con-verted to children's educational centre- p3 T&T priest urges inclusivity for special-needs Catholics - p4 The Case for Greece: When It Forgave Germany's Debt- p4 A Christian Perspective on Social Issues - p4 Sunday Mass Readings - p5 Childrens Page - p6 AEC Bishops Sunday Scripture reflections - p7 Heythrop College announces closure - p8 Greek debt and the World- p9 Viewpoint: Passion - p11 Saint of the Week: Kateri Tekakwitha - p12

QUITO, Ecuador (CNS) -- Although still thou-sands of miles from his birthplace in Argen-tina, Pope Francis made a homecoming of sorts July 5 when he landed in Ecuador, greeted by cheering crowds and the sights and sounds of South America. After a 12-hour flight from Rome, the pope participated in a brief welcoming ceremony at Quito's Mariscal Sucre Airport, telling government dignitaries, bishops and special guests that his pastoral work before becoming pope had taken him to Ecuador many times. "Today, too, I have come as a witness of God's mercy and of faith in Jesus Christ," he said. Mercy and faith, he said, have shaped Latin American culture for centuries, contributing to democracy and improving the lives of countless millions of people. "In our own time, too, we can find in the Gospel a key to meeting contemporary chal-lenges," the pope said, including respecting national, ethnic, religious and cultural dif-ferences and fostering dialogue. The pope's visit followed a period of public protests over Ecuadorean government poli-cies. Initially triggered by proposed inheri-tance and capital gains taxes, the protests

also have targeted what even some of Ecua-dorean President Rafael Correa's supporters describe as his heavy-handed approach. Christian values, the pope said, should moti-vate citizens to promote the full participa-tion of all people in their nation's social, political and economic life "so that the growth in progress and development al-ready registered will ensure a better future for everyone, with particular concern for the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters to whom Latin America still owes a debt." The program for the pope's July 5-12 tour of Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay was punctu-ated with formal meetings with government officials and with large public Masses, but it also was filled with visits to the poor, the sick and the elderly, and prisoners. Pope Francis demonstrated his knowledge of Ecuador and the country's geography when expressing his hope for the nation. "From the peak of Chimborazo to the Pacific coast, from the Amazon rainforest to the Galapagos Islands, may you never lose the ability to thank God for what he has done and is doing for you," the pope said.

(please turn to page 3)

Coming home to South

America, Pope Francis says

countries owe debt to poor

15th

Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

He began to send them out

CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, July 10th, 2015

We warmly welcome and wholeheartedly support the decision by the authorities to impose that 2.00am curfew on certain entertainment activities across the country. In fact we hope this is just a first step of a more comprehensive plan to tackle the noise pollu-tion which Guyanese have been of for years. Hardly a week goes by without there being at least one letter in the press from some part of the country complaining about blaring, often vulgar music usually affecting people on public transport, in the safety and privacy of their homes, in business places, in hospitals and even places of worship. Recently we were told of a church having to radically alter its program for an Easter vigil service because of the relent-less, deafening, bombardment coming from an entertainment spot about one corner from the place of worship. Somewhat surprising too are the arguments by some which say in effect that they have a right to disturb entire neighborhoods with their mu-sic sets with up to a dozen speakers in some cases. Little wonder that there have also been several reports of violent incidents stemming from disputes over decibel levels. The law is clear. To create a public nuisance by use of a noisy instrument is illegal. The en-forcement of the law seems to be the problem. However this is not just a legal matter. It in-volves respect for your fellow Guyanese and the human rights of all citizens to enjoy undis-turbed peace and rest especially at nights. It is important to note too that many drivers have complained that loud music in areas where there is heavy traffic can be very dan-gerous as it makes concentrating difficult. Not only can excessive noise cause us physical harm but there is a spiritual or emotional downside to it as well. All of the worlds major religions stress the importance of regular (please turn to page 10)

Curfew EDITORIAL

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Son Chapman an example of where hatred, brutality can end

Dear Editor, 51 years have passed since that fateful day when more than forty of Linden's own were massacred on the Demerara River as they travelled home on the Son Chapman launch at 1600 hours on Monday, July 6, 1964. It has been said that 'To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.' How very true! The men, women, and children who died on the Son Chapman 51 years ago live on in the hearts and minds of their families and friends, and the people of Linden. Many of us alive today never knew the men, women, and children of the Son Chapman massacre. Yet, we remember them and reflect on their experience be-cause - by their deaths - we have an exam-ple of what hatred and brutality can lead to...senseless loss of life and endless suf-fering. Incidents such as the Son Chapman massa-cre and the July18 Tragedy of 2012 must

never again occur. We must take the lessons taught by trage-dies such as these to guide our actions in the here and now. For our society to allow such tragedies to reoccur would be indica-tive of our collective unwillingness to learn and grow as a society. Finally, the survivors of the Son Chapman - 6 crewmen and 26 passengers - must also be remembered for they represent God's never ending mercy and the resilience of the people of Linden. This experience has made us stronger. The people of Region 10 are known for staring adversity in the face and overcoming. To-gether, we will continue to do so in the years to come. May God rest the souls of the men, women and children of the Son Chapman. And may God bless the people of Linden and Region 10.

K. Sharma Solomon

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CATHOLIC STANDARD Friday, July 10th, 2015 Page 3

Coming home to South America, Pope says countries owe debt to poor (From Front Page)

"May you never lose the ability to protect what is small and simple," he continued, "to care for your children and your elderly, to have confidence in the young and to be constantly struck by the nobility of your people and the singular beauty of your country." "Ecuador loves life," Correa told the pope at the airport ceremony, noting that the consti-tution protects life from the moment of conception. "It establishes recognizing and protecting the family as the basic core of society and commits us deeply to caring for 'our common home,'" referring to the environment with the same words Pope Francis used in his encyclical, "Laudato Si'." Correa said Ecuador's was the "first constitution in the history of humanity to grant rights to nature." Twenty percent of the country is protected in parks and reserves, Correa told the pope. Some environmental and human rights organizations in Ecuador have questioned Correa's commitment to environmental safeguards, as conflicts have erupted over plans for open-pit mining and expanded oil and gas exploration and production. Walking the red carpet at the airport, Pope Francis was greeted by dozens of children and young people dressed in a wide variety of traditional clothes. Correa told the pope that his

By Leon Suseran Something special is taking place behind the shabby-looking exterior and surroundings of the now closed Immaculate Heart of Mary R.C. Parish Church at Rosignol Village, West Bank Berbice. A spirited sister in Christ is taking on the humongous task of converting the old church into what would gradually become an education centre for children in the community. Two weekends ago, Parish Priest of the Church of the Ascension, Fr Michael Traher, SFM and the Missionaries of Charity Sisters attached to New Amsterdam visited the site. They were amazed at the transformation that has taken place on the old building as well as its surroundings over the past months by Ms. Jackie Isaacs. The building is currently under transition into a day care and summer school area for children. This venture is being pioneered by retired educator in the area, Jackie Isaacs. Speaking to the Catholic Standard, Ms. Isaacs has a broad and exciting vision for

converting the building into a day-care and Summer Class spot. However, to make the venture a successful one, she is still in need of assistance from the general public to push the venture and is calling for any assistance possible. She can be contacted on telephone # 675-0330. So far she has received lots of assistance and support in various ways especially too from Vicar General, Msgr. Terrence Montrose. Ms. Isaacs also wants to erect a signboard in front of the yard to raise awareness about what is going on in the building. She has over three decades of experience educating children and even has a little bottom-house school where she lives, a few blocks away. Bishop Francis Alleyne OSB is expected to also tour the site and share ideas too with Sr. Isaacs shortly. May God richly bless our sister as she strives to work hard and use her skills to establish such a learning centre at the church building

Old Rosignol Catholic Church being converted to children's educational centre

UPCOMING EVENTS Saturday July 25th

Cathedral Parish Fair The Cathedral Parish will host its Annual Parish Fair on Saturday July 25th 2015 at 3:00 p.m. on the Parish Grounds, Brickdam. Tickets cost $100 each.

All are invited to come and share in an afternoon of fun and good family enter-tainment.

Please let us know of upcoming events by emailing us at:

[email protected] under the heading Upcoming Events

or call 226-2195 .

Popes Intentions

Each month, the Pope releases specific intentions for the World and for Mission. Please pray for Pope Francis intentions in July:

Politics: That political responsibility may be lived at all levels as a high form of charity.

The Poor in Latin America: That, amid social inequalities, Latin American Christians may bear witness to love for the poor and contribute to a more fraternal society.

country is culturally diverse, with a mixed-race majority, as well as 14 indigenous peoples, including two nomadic groups that continue to shun contact with the outside world. Correa said that "the great social sin of our America is injustice. How can we call ourselves the most Christian continent in the world if we are also the most unequal, when one of the most repeated signs of the Gospel is sharing bread?" During the flight from Rome, Pope Francis only briefly addressed the 70 members of the media traveling with him. He thanked them for their work, which "can do so much good." Instead of answering their questions -- his practice usually only on flights back to Rome -- he walked down one aisle of the Alitalia plane and up the other, greeting each person.


I think that there are few who like a good old-fashioned Guyana gyaff more than me; a con-versation about hard issues, philosophy, vi-sion, and the like. There is camaraderie, learning, humor. I also like music in most genres, and at some volume. These are integral parts of rites of passage, maturing, and local culture. The major mile-stones - a new house, new car, new job, or a funeral - are occasions for celebrating and merriment. But for self and contemporaries, it was never at the expense of other citizens. First, there was never enough money to make a gaudy splash, after all it was clean. Second, there was no need for the wanton exhibitionism of arrival, opulence, and self-importance. And third, unlike times past, todays merri-ment sometimes - way too many times - con-ceals the dark, the ugly, and the harrowing. Among these are: financial, physical, mental, and moral dissipation; physical and family abuse; corrupt practices; and drunk driving with all its associated felonies. Some will ar-gue that having an earlier or later curfew would not mean much regarding these socie-tal ills; that it would not contribute to mate-rial change in the quantum of public socializa-tion now chased underground. But already, there are visible, palpable quali-tative changes on Cummings Street, Carmi-chael Street, Camp Street, and lower Brick-dam, to name a few of the more boisterous watering hole vicinities. In these areas residents were perpetually plagued and tortured in the wee hours. And it was in the wee-wee after hours (ex-premises) that the swaggering and uninhibited put on exhibitions of coarse language, public urination, and the detritus of their presence. If only there is a curtailing and then cessation of such obscenities the curfew would be worthwhile. A reduction in the earlier mentioned horrors would be added incentive to tighten the noose even further. The rights of the few must not trample upon the corresponding rights of the many. The debauchery, multi-pronged pollutions, and societal injuries of the past must go. The same must be the fate of previous official involvement at very high levels that were a noticeable part of the swinging, splurging, engorging, corrupting scene that laid low many communities and citizens. Many resisted seatbelts; it has proven benefi-cial. Many have a problem with anti-littering; they will adjust. And so, too, it will be with this long delayed, much needed 2 a.m. cur-few. It is a start in restoring some degree of decency and sanity to this society.

By GHK Lall

A Christian Perspective on Social Issues

That 2am curfew was

overdue Fr Dexter Brereton CSSp of Trinidad and Tobago has urged inclusivity at the table of the Lord, stressing that every human being was created with tremendous dignity. He made the call at a Mass for Catholic families with special-needs members, cele-brated at the chapel of Archbishop Joseph Harris House on Sunday June 28th. Every single human being was created in the image and likeness of Almighty God, said Fr Brereton, and moreover, is created to have a relationship with God and a relationship with other people. When some members of the Catholic community, like seven-year-old autistic Mathaeus, could not attend Mass, somehow the table is not complete, he added. It was Mathaeus mother, Saira Joseph-La Foucade, and Special Education teacher Suzy de Verteuil who lobbied Archbishop Joseph Harris for sensory-friendly Masses in parishes. Archbishop Harris was to celebrate the first such Mass but due to illness Fr Brereton filled in for him. Fr Brereton said Archbishop Harris was very happy to be part of the initiative where we create these Masses for the sensory-challenged so everybody can sit around the table of the Lord. This is just what parents like Joseph-La Foucade have been longing for. She said Every time I go to church I would go with my daughter Laila and I just felt so incomplete not having him (Mathaeus). Sometimes I would look at other children and think my son cant be with me. This Mass really makes it complete for me. I always think if we cant be complete in church, where can we be? She continued: This Mass is for everyone to come and feel welcome. We are com-plete in our Fathers house. Autism is a neuro-developmental disorder and this has prevented Mathaeus from accompanying his family to Mass. Last week Sunday was his first time since being baptised.

Describing the pilot Mass as a mustard seed being planted, she looked forward to more sensory-friendly Masses. She said about 15 families attended, including a 60-year-old man who is in the care of his sister and mother. The sensory-friendly Mass was no longer than 45 minutes and the congregation was asked to remain seated for most of the liturgy to prevent the sensory-challenged from becoming anxious. Also, no micro-phones were used, fewer hymns were sung and only a guitar provided accompaniment. Another difference was that the children were allowed to move about and express themselves freely, even on the altar and throughout the grounds of Archbishops House. The Mass was a first-time experience also for 13-year-old Gareth Peake, who also has autism. His mother RoseAnna said, When my other children go to Mass he usually comes to the door wanting to come, but I could never take him it would distract other people. So this is the first time he has ever been to Mass. It was lovely for him. Timitra Williams attended the Mass with her husband Anthony and their four chil-dren, including three-year-old Salim, who has Cerebral Palsy. Williams said parents of special-needs children sometimes got looks from parishioners who did not understand the childs condition and who were distracted if the child was noisy. She explained that sometimes her family sat in the back pews because they had to get up and move around a lot with Salim. For us, having this support system through a Mass is a fantastic idea which definitely needs to be repeated. The idea of going to different parishes makes sense because it will create awareness within the parish communities and it allows people to integrate and to come to a place of under-standing that these are parishioners too just like the rest of us, Williams said. (From Catholic News of Trinidad & Tobago)

T&T priest urges inclusivity for special-needs Catholics

Over the last few months, Jubilee USA worked with Associated Press reporters on developing stories around Greece and global bankruptcy. A series of those stories featur-ing Jubilee USA, were released over the last few days. Below you can read The Case for Greece: When it forgave Germany's Debt THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, LONDON Forgiving debt, if done right, can get an economy back on its feet. The Interna-tional Monetary Fund certainly thinks so, according to a new report in which it argues Greece should get help.

But Germany, another major creditor to Greece, is resisting, even though it knows better than most what debt relief can achieve. After the hell of World War II, the Federal Republic of Germany commonly known as West Germany got massive help with its debt from former foes. Among its creditors then? Greece. The 1953 agreement, in which Greece and about 20 other countries effectively wrote off a large chunk of Germany's loans and restructured the rest, is a landmark case that shows how (please turn to page 9)

The Case for Greece: When It Forgave Germany's Debt


FIRST READING Amos 7:12-15

Go, prophesy to my people.

To Amos, Amaziah said, Go away, seer; get back to the land of Judah; earn your bread there, do your prophesying there. We want no more prophesying in Bethel; this is the royal sanctuary, the national temple. I was no prophet, neither did I belong to any of the brotherhood of prophets, Amos re-plied to Amaziah, I was a shepherd, and looked after sycamores: but it was the Lord who took me from herding the flock, and the Lord who said, Go, prophesy to my people. RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 84 Response: Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and give us your saving help.

1. I will hear what the Lord God has to say, a voice that speaks of peace, peace for his people. His help is near for those who fear him and his glory will dwell in our land. Resp.

2. Mercy and faithfulness have met; justice and peace have embraced. Faithfulness shall spring from the earth and justice look down from heaven. Resp.

3. The Lord will make us prosper and our earth shall yield its fruit. Justice shall march before him and peace shall follow his steps. Response

SECOND READING Ephesians 1:3-14

Before the world was made, God chose us.

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ. Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ, to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence, determining that we should become his adopted sons, through Jesus Christ for his own kind purposes, to make us praise the glory of his grace, his free gift to us in the Beloved in whom, through his blood, we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins. Such is the richness of the grace which he has showered on us in all wisdom and insight. He has let us know the mystery of his pur-pose, the hidden plan he so kindly made in Christ from the beginning to act upon when the times had run their course to the end: that he would bring everything together under Christ, as head, everything in the heavens and everything on earth.

And it is in him that we were claimed as Gods own, chosen from the beginning, under the predetermined plan of the one who guides all things as he decides by his own will; chosen to be,

for his greater glory, the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came. Now you too, in him, have heard the message of the truth and the good news of your salvation, and have believed it: and you too have been stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit of the Promise, the pledge of our inheritance which brings freedom for those whom God has taken for his own, to make his glory praised.

GOSPEL Mark 6:7-13

He began to send them out.

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs giving them author-ity over the unclean spirits. And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses. There were to wear sandals but, he added, Do not take a spare tunic. And he said to them, If you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. And if any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the dust from under your feet as a sign to them. So they set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.

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[From: http://www.thecatholicsteward.com ]

M ost scholars are of the opinion that St. Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians while he was imprisoned in Rome. Those who study Sacred Scripture find this letter different from most of Pauls letters, as rather than addressing particular prob-lems which may have arisen in a Christian community established by Paul, it develops a theology, an explanation of what it means to be a Christian. At the end of this particular reading, Paul makes reference to two important aspects of our faith and of our beliefs. St. Paul tells us that we have believed in him (Jesus) and that we are sealed with the prom-ised Holy Spirit. Believing in Jesus, in His

promises, in His redemption of us, is at the core of everything we do. This trust, this belief, is what allows us to take the steps needed to follow Him, to be His disciple, and to practice a stewardship way of living. Note that we believe first, however, and then we are sealed. Yes, we are sealed at Baptism and at Confirmation as those represent our promises to the Lord. We do not need some assurance from God as to His good graces. By believing, by having faith and trust, we are able to be Christs representative. It is worth recalling and repeating that well-known quote from St. Thomas Aquinas: To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary; to one without faith, no explanation is possible.

By: The Diocesan Stewardship Council of Guyana

Visit us on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/guyanastewardship

Sunday Scripture July 12th 2015 - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B


Childrens Page

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Dear Girls and Boys, When he was on the earth, Jesus traveled around from village to village teaching, healing people, and casting out demons. One day, he called his twelve disciples to him and said, "I want you to go out two by two. I am giving you all of the authority you need to cast out evil spirits." That sounds like a pretty big task, doesn't it? That meant that they would have to travel from town to town just as Jesus had been doing. I imagine the disciples thought to themselves, "Wow! I had better go home and start packing!" But then Jesus gave them further instructions. "Take nothing for your journey except a walking stick -- no food, no traveler's bag, and no money. You can wear sandals, but no extra clothing." No food, no money, no extra clothes -- how could the disciples possibly make this journey? They found people who would welcome them and they stayed with them in their homes. These people fed them and gave them every-thing they needed for the journey. The Bible tells us that the disciples went out telling every-one they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. They also cast out many evil spirits and they healed many sick people. In other words, they did exactly what Jesus told them to do and he gave them the power to do it. Jesus told us to go and make disciples. Some-times we delay following his command because we think we aren't ready. If we would just go, like the Twelve did, he would give us the ability to share the Good News with others. What do you think? Let's go! Father, we know that many people need to hear the Good News. Jesus has told us to go and make disciples. Help us to be willing to go. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

[Sources: http://www.sdc.me.uk , http://www.sermons4kids.com & http://www.salfordliturgy.org.uk ]


Reflections for July are by Most Reverend Gabriel Malzaire, Bishop of Roseau, Dominica.

D ear sisters and brothers in Christ, the readings of this 15th Sunday of the Year focus on the Church's missionary vocation. It is very clear in all three texts, albeit in different ways, that the Church exists for that very purpose.

The call of Amos in the first reading is quite intriguing. It displays the extent to which the one who has been caught by God can go for the sake of His word. There is an obvious fearlessness on the part of the prophet; thus serving as a type or model for prophetic calls. As we saw last week with Ezekiel, Paul and Jesus, their ministries were exercised in the midst of great opposition. Amos' response to Amaziah is a clear indica-tion that he believed himself to be a man on a divine mission, and that nothing could come in the way of that charge: "I was a shepherd, and looked after sycamores: but

it was the Lord who took me from herding the flock, and the Lord who said, "Go, prophesy to my people Israel." Amos, there-fore, epitomizes the prophetic role - he was truly a mouthpiece of God.

A similar vocation is being cultivated in the disciples by Jesus in today's Gospel text. However, the focus of this version of the apostolic/prophetic call is the resistance to the luring of material thing that could come in the way of the word of God and its mission. Worldly comfort, from Jesus' per-spective, should always be secondary to the salvation of souls. It seems to indicate that the effectiveness or efficacy of the word is dependent of the lack of encumbrance in the path of God's word. The text tells us that by obeying the commission given them by Christ "they set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them."

The second reading, which is one of my favourite texts in the Pauline corpus, is most liberating in its evangelical thrust. Paul is affirming in Christians their place in the

scheme of God's predetermined plan; meaning that no one is accidental. What a privilege the Christian enjoys in knowing that he/she was thought of by God from the very beginning! However, that privilege comes with a responsibility. It means that this choice of God in our regard commis-sions us to be "the people who would put their hope in Christ before he comes ... bringing freedom for those whom God has taken for his own to make his glory praised."

If the glory of God is the mission of the Church, then the words of St. Irenaeus, which states that "the glory of God is the human person fully alive" makes every rea-sonable and spiritual sense. Let us therefore strive to do just that.

Heavenly Father, Lord of all prophets and teachers; you called your Church and its ministers to witness to your glory by a life worthy of their vocation. Help us to emulate the zeal of Amos, the conviction of Paul and witness of Jesus your Son, who is Lord for ever and even. Amen

AEC BISHOPS SUNDAY SCRIPTURE MEDITATIONS July 12th 2015, Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B


Located north of Bishop's House, entrance via Brickdam Presbytery

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Heythrop College in London - where the vast majority of Jesuit priests and brothers who have worked in Guyana over the past 150 years were trained - has announced it is to close as a higher education institution after more than 400 years.

A statement last week following a gover-nors meeting said: The college in its cur-rent form, as a constituent college of the University of London, will come to an end in 2018, although its mission and work will not. The Jesuit-run institution, which specialises in theology and philosophy, has been strug-gling with a budget shortfall following the rise in student fees and increasing admini-stration costs. Heythrop has been in merger talks with St Marys University in Twickenham for more than a year. Those discussions, which never reached the formal negotiating stage, have now ended. Heythrop, formerly in Oxfordshire but now located on a residential square in Kensing-ton, London will continue to teach courses until 2017 and had already made the decision not to accept undergraduates this September. The college has around 650 students and had developed a reputation for excellent pastoral care and teaching of theology.

400-year-old Jesuit-run Heythrop College in UK announces closure

Laudato Si': On the Care of Our Common Home

Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si' is a call for global action as well as an appeal for deep inner conversion. Each week, we will provide one of the Pope's suggestions, with the paragraph numbers to indicate their place in the Encyclical.

Do not give in to denial, indifference, resignation, blind confidence in technical solutions. (14, 59)

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By Mike James [email protected]

S hould the rest of the world be con-cerned about the outcome of the current crisis negotiations between Greece and the rest of the European Union + IMF?

The case for Dont Worry 1. Greece is small by European standards. Its 11 million population is only 2% of the EUs 500 million.

Its current government foreign debt of $360 billion is equivalent to US$33,000 per capita and about 170% of its annual GDP. This is high in comparison with Guyana which, following significant debt write off under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPIC) initiation has averaged over the last five years a foreign debt of $1.2 billion, equiva-lent to about 60% of annual GDP.

However, Greeces foreign debt is far smaller than that of many developed coun-tries and way below the worlds most indebted nation the US which owes $58,437 per capita.

2. Greece is still relatively well off. Despite the relatively harsh austerity programme of the last 7 years its per capita income is cur-rently estimated in the region of $20,000. This compares very favourably with other developing countries such as Guyana, $3,700 and Barbados, $16,000. Its standard of living is still very much higher than its neighbours such as Macedonia, GDP per capita $10,000, Kosovo $7000, Alba-nia10,000 and Turkey, $15,000. Even with a chaotic exit from the Euro and from the European Union, Greeks well still be much better off than most.

3. If Germany and the rest of Europe opt to give the Greeks the requested write off of 30% of the debt and a 20 year grace period for the repayment of the rest, this will not be a huge strain on the wealthier countries of the EU. The total debt of Greece to Ger-

many is under $80 billion. When the reunifi-cation of West and East Germany took place at the end of the Cold War in 1990, the West Germany government exchanged worthless East German for West Germany marks as part of a massive bailout which is estimated by the Wall Street Journal to have cost West Germany between 1.5 and 2.5 trillion dol-lars. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, her-self from the former East Germany, is a ma-jor beneficiary of West German generosity to brothers and sisters in distress which has more than paid off for a united Germany, now the European powerhouse, and the worlds fourth largest economy after, US, China and Japan. Similar European generosity to Greek brothers and sisters in distress could provide huge dividends for a stronger, more democratic and just Europe.

The Case for Plenty Worry The Greek Prime minister Alexis Tsipras in calling the referendum and for a No vote on the donor conditions declared that these included measures that will further de-regulate the labour market, pension cuts, and further reductions in public sector wagesas well as an increase in VAT on food, restaurants and tourism, These proposals - which directly violate the fundamental rights to work, equality and dignity -- prove that certain partners and members of the institutions are not inter-ested in reaching a viable and beneficial agreement for all parties, but rather the humiliation of the Greek people.

Greece, the birthplace of democracy, should send a resounding democratic message to the European and global community he concluded.

The current Greek government was elected in January and won a landslide referendum vote last Sunday on a platform calling for a radical change in the way that European and world economics and politics are conducted.

The major temptation facing the EU and the world is that donor elites will insist in defending the status quo of their domina-tion of the world economy through IMF traditional debt solutions, worsening the gap between the worlds rich and poor, including by the expulsion of Greece from the Euro and the European union, as a lesson to the world.

If this happens, the result could be a massive European and world wide loss of confidence in the international financial system, the very opposite of what the economical pow-erful hope for, with a subsequent global recession worse that the 2008 crisis that followed the US government decision to let the giant financial institution Lehman broth-ers go bankrupt. The whole world, including developing nations like Guyana could face major crisis.

Alternative Last week Wednesday Pope Francis urged prayers for Greece and its people, saying the country was weathering a "keenly felt human and social crisis."

Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said in a statement that the dignity of Greeks must be paramount in any decisions that emerge from the crisis. He added: "The Holy Father wishes to convey his closeness to all the Greek people, with a special thought for the many families gravely beset by such a complex and keenly felt human and social crisis."

Pope Francis himself in his homily in Quito on Tuesday this week, urged Ecuadorians and the world that we need to put an end to exclusion of other in all its forms. He urged that giving means not only material response but the giving of self for others in the example of Christ. The challenge to other Europeans to solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Greece is a challenge to the world.

Page 9

The Case for Greece: When It Forgave Germany's Debt (From Page 4) effective debt relief can be. It helped spark what became known as the German economic miracle. So it's perhaps ironic that Germany is now among the countries resisting Greece's requests for debt relief. Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis claims debt relief is the key issue that held up a deal with creditors last week and says he'd rather cut off his arm than sign anything that doesn't tackle the country's borrowings. The IMF backed the call to make Greece's debt manageable with a wide-ranging re-port on Thursday that also blames the Greek government for being slow with reforms. Despite years of budget cuts, Greece's debt burden is higher than when its bailout began in 2010 over 300 billion euros ($332

billion), or 180 percent of annual GDP because the economy has shrunk by a quarter. Here's a look at when Germany got debt relief, and if such action might help Greece.

FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS 1953's London Agreement, hammered out over months, was generous to West Ger-many. It cut the amount owed, extended the repayment schedule and granted low interest rates. And crucially, it linked West Germany's debt repayment schedule to its ability to pay tying repayments to the trade surplus it was running and expected to run. That created an incentive for trading partners to buy German goods. The deal effectively blocked claims for reparations for the destruction the Nazis inflicted on others.

But it wasn't a one-way street. "The London Agreement gave Germany sweeping debt forgiveness and protection from creditors, in exchange for pro-market reforms," said Professor Albrecht Ritschl of the London School of Economics. West Germany was able to borrow on inter-national markets again, and, free of onerous debt payments, saw its economy grow strongly. Development activists cite that case when arguing for easier terms for troubled coun-tries today. "The same opportunity should be given to Greece that was given to Germany in 1953," said Eric LeCompte, executive director of debt relief organization Jubilee USA.

Greek debt and the World
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By Maryann Brijlal, Volunteer at Catholic Indigenous Students Union

It gives me upmost joy to share about my involvement as volunteer in the ministry for the Amerindian students of our nation. I have been accompanying them for about a year now.

It was joy for me to see these children happy despite their struggles in a big city like Georgetown. While I am always given accolades from so many people, I feel I not doing anything extraordinary but a simple work for God through these children who need our love and care. I have tried to extend that love and care for these children. I am grateful to God for the gift of these lovely students in my life.

These children are far away from their par-ents and other family and yes they too have challenges. What I have noticed about some of them is that they learn from either negative or positive experiences and be-cause of this Leah and myself try to connect with what they go through.

Being away from their families can make them feel that they are abandoned. Over the months the spectrum of emotions can span from painful tragedy to ecstatic happi-ness, it is certainly an enormous privilege when they continue to include me in their lives.

One of the main activities they are involved in is the freedom to express their emotions. By doing this we are able to bring their emotions into our worship services so help-ing them to become mature adults.

My favorite part of working with these chil-dren is not only to learn their culture but also hearing from them about their villages, schools and more.

Over the months Catholic Indigenous Students took part in a number of activities in the church and they are gearing up for a few more.

Fr. Jerry Dias SJ, Leah and myself encourage these children to be productive in both school and Church as both their academic and spiritual life are essential for their holistic growth.

Our recent outing was to the Enmore Sugar Estate and Packaging Plant where the children were curious to know how sugar was made and wanted to learn a little more about the industry.

I would like to thank all those who are supporting these children especially the Jesuits, Mother Teresas sisters, Fr. Jerry Dias and the other volunteers along with the members of our community for wel-coming them into the various parishes.

Working with Catholic Indigenous students

Editorial: Curfew (From Page 2) periods of complete silence in our lives. There's a passage in the Old Testament that Christians especially love to quote. It's about "God in the gentle breeze!' That passage is about Elijah's encounter with God. "There was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before God, but God was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but God was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle breeze. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle..!' (I Kings 19:11-13). God wasn't in the heart-pounding experiences. Instead God spoke in a gentle whisper, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"--just a quiet question that cut Elijah to the bone. God is a God of surprises. But if we expect to hear the gentle whisper of God, we must be silent. We must quiet our lives, our voices, and our thoughts so that we can hear. Often our inability to hear God is not about God's failure to speak but our failure to listen.

being self proclaimed hot-tempered persons, to that of mature individuals, where reason flourishes and flying into a rage is suppressed.

Many crimes including domestic violence and even murder emerge from situations where talking and discussion problems may not be entertained. Some persons simply refuse to listen or hear and will only respond brutishly. Persons can change and they need to strive to curb bad traits such as being hot-tempered.

Those panting, hostile persons shouting and glaring are not suffering from any hereditary disease.

They typify their own values and often can be considered as just lacking manners.

It is my view that we can curb feelings of passion and with mental strength choose a path of peace, by suppressing fits of anger and passion, with its dangerous potential to destroy happiness which we seek.

Viewpoint: Passion (From Page 11)


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Your Soul is often times a battlefield, upon which your reason and your judgement wage war against your passion and your appetite, would that I could be the peace-maker in your soul, that I might turn the discord and the rivalry of your elements into one-ness and melody. But how shall I, unless you yourself be also the Peacemak-ers, nay, the lovers of all your elements. Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul.

KAHLIL GIBRAN

A calm voice in speaking in any circum-stance; the ability to listen and in cases of provocation to stay unruffled; and the hu-mility to withdraw when attacked, reflect those wonderful qualities of maturity, tol-erance and peace.

Our world will certainly be a better place if persons avoid conflict situations and sup-press explosive emotions associated with being hot tempered and easily angered.

The question of self-control often arises, especially when we witness events which sadly demonstrate the dangerous paths and consequences of explosive tempers.

So many times we hear persons in their quiet moments of reflection, admitting that there are certain situations which make them lose their temper.

In certain circumstances, their reactions are a manifestation of hostility and aggression. Reason takes flight, and there is no limit as to what depths they may go to satisfy the fury within.

The admission by some persons that they are hot tempered, and may easily fly into a passion given certain situations, seems more a request for others to tolerate and accommodate them it is also a sort of pas-sive warning that others must beware, as their anger and frenzy are a natural outflow.

So beware! Stay clear! Accept the outbursts, threats, abuse and assaults, even be forgiv-ing why? Why should this be? Because they seek to have their outrageous anger

categorized as an inherent characteristic and weakness of themselves. They suggest that they are really good persons.

To my mind when an adult talks about lack of self-control and/or demonstrates that it is an admission of immaturity. Possibly re-lated to impatience, lack of tolerance and lack of manners. Those passionate people are self-destructive and are their own ene-mies. They need to be censored, and be held accountable. At all times for their ag-gression and hostility.

The uncontrolled temper surfaces in a vari-ety of ways and causes psychological and sometimes even physical injuries to the per-sons targeted. There are cases of parents who in dealing with typical parental prob-lems, demonstrate a total lack of reason. Rather than examining and discussing the issues and seeking to counsel, they simply hit the roof. Children may then be insulted, threatened and ambushed in a blaze of tem-per.

There are similar cases of husbands who even in speculation and suspicion and within discussion may violently assault their wives in a temper. The explanation or ex-cuse, may be that they lost their temper and in that process, their reason rioted.

After the outbursts and in moments of ap-parent repentance, they automatically ex-pect forgiveness, acceptance and restora-tion of normal relations.

Those who claim having that attitude to anger easily need to look at themselves criti-cally. What claim can those persons make to being,

Human-being they are incapable of reason-ing!

If their best approach to dealing with most issues which surface is to explode, assault and or abuse.

You and I may conclude that there are many brutes in our society. You may certainly recognize such persons. They need help to lift themselves from (please turn to page 10)

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Published by the Catholic Standard Ltd. 222 South & Wellington Sts., Lacytown, Georgetown Telephone: 226 -2195 email: [email protected]

Page 12

On the Lighter Side

July 14: Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Kateri was born near the town of Auriesville, New York, in the year 1656, the daughter of a Mohawk warrior. Kateri became converted as a teenager. She was baptized at the age of twenty and incurred the great hostility of her tribe. Although she had to suffer greatly for her Faith, she remained firm in it. Kateri went to the new Christian colony of Indians in Canada. Here she lived a life dedicated to prayer, penitential practices, and care for the sick and aged. Every morning, even in bitter-est winter, she stood before the chapel door until it opened at four and remained there until after the last Mass. She was devoted to the Eucharist and to Jesus Crucified. She died on April 17, 1680 at the age of twenty-four. She is known as the "Lily of the Mohawks". St. Kateri Teckakwitha is the first Native American to be declared a Saint. She is the patroness of the environment and ecology as is St. Francis of Assisi.

Saint of the Week

A group of youths from St John the Baptist Church, Plaisance last Sunday spent the day at Marudi Creek, reflecting on team building and increasing trust among themselves and with others. Fr Justin Prabhu SJ guided the group through the experience.

Plaisance youth reflect on trust, team building

On Sunday June 28th Bishop Francis Alleyne OSB conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation on 9 young people of St. Pius X parish: Yolanda Benn, Dredae Blackman, Brian Henry, Marvin McLeod, Tia Moore, Rashida Murray, Reginald Murray, Nicholas Narine & Petrola Todd (photo: Romeo Abrams)

Students on a recent outing to the Enmore Sugar Estate (please see article on page 10)

Working with Catholic Indigenous students

Confirmation at St. Pius X

Catholic Standard: On Greek Debt

Documents

Transcript of Catholic Standard: On Greek Debt