In an article entitled, A Reflection on Carnival 2023, His Grace Archbishop Malzire ended with a call for an open discussion with stakeholders on the way forward for St. Lucia’s Carnival. Such a forum, he perceived, will be the rightful place to forge appropriate answers to questions he posed, namely, what do we really want for our nation? What would Carnival 2024 and beyond be like? Will we continue to be copycats on the road to further moral and cultural decadence? Or are we going to set different standards towards a morally and spiritually healthy nation? Truth be told, the Honourable Minister of Tourism responded to that call by having an audience with executive of the Saint Lucia Christian Council on the matter.
In that discussion, recognition was given to the rightful role of the church in setting the moral compass of the society and the necessity for the church and state to work together in this endeavour. Way’s last year’s article was a reflection on Carnival 2023 after the fire, with its clear expression of dissatisfaction about the conduct of revelers and praise of a few bands, which it judged reflective of the true spirit of Carnival. This year, Saint Lucia Christian Council offers this message ahead of the season with a view to encourage and challenge the Christian conscience towards a more wholesome celebration of this aspect of our culture. It has long been established that the celebration of our people’s culture, of which Carnival is a part, is a worthy exercise.
Its many positive attributes such as the unleashing of the creative genius of the people expressed in the calypso compositions and their entertaining execution, the creative costumes portraying many great aspects of our culture, as well as the creation of avenues for collective release of the emotional, physical and psychological tensions created by the stresses of everyday life and the likes. On the other hand, it can and has been an occasion for licentious behaviors which only serve to degrade our human dignity. Our challenge, therefore, is to respond truthfully to the questions posed above. We often regard ourselves as a Christian nation. The Holy Scripture and the Church’s documents are replete with reminders of the conduct required of us in recognition of the dignity we possess as human beings.
Here, I reiterate the quote from the pastoral constitution on the Church in the modern world, Gaudium et Spes, which says, though made of body and soul, is a unity. Through his very bodily condition, he sums up in himself the elements of the material world. Through him, they are thus brought to their highest perfection and can raise their voice in praise freely given to the Creator. For this reason, man may not despise his bodily life, rather, he is obliged to regard it as gold and to hold it in honor since God has created it and will raise it up on the last day. His very dignity, therefore, requires that he should glorify God in his body and not allow it to serve the evil inclinations of his heart.
This text reminds us that our lives are not meant to be lived in compartments. In other words, we are not Christians one moment and pagans in the next. The principles and values by which we live of necessity must be expressions of who we are. As such, carnival is not meant to be that time when we permit ourselves to be loosed beyond recognition and return to normal living in its aftermath. In light of this truth, here is some advice which the Saint Lucia Christian Council wishes to offer as we approach this carnival season.
- Everything we do as a person, a Christian, should be worthy of human dignity.
- What we do today determines tomorrow for succeeding generations.
- Our women and menfolk must never allow themselves to become victims of social circumstances, demeaning themselves to the whims of their counterparts.
- Carnival must never be seen as an excuse for licentious and loose behavior.
- Remember, What is dishonorable in the privacy of your lives is dishonorable in the public sphere.
- Always be conscious that we have a nation to build and our individual contributions through self-respect and respect for others is indispensable.
My dear people, let us hold firm to the words of St. Paul which remind us, “Your body, is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you since you received him from God. You are not your own property. You have been bought and paid for. That is why you should use your body for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 6, verses 19 and 20).
Therefore, using our bodies toward a positive end will not only enhance us personally, but also benefit the entire culture, bringing growth and dignity to the human community.
A happy, safe, clean and peaceful carnival season to everyone.