Go and learn what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice. – Matthews 9:13
For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. – Hosea 6:6
IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION to write about the Raul Garcia affair, because I am not an attorney-at-law or one who is versed in immigration matters. But I am forced to do so because I am a Christian, a priest and, above all, a human being.
The Cuban-born convicted drug dealer, who was arrested in Barbados in 1994, completed his sentence two years ago, but is still at Her Majesty’s Prisons Dodds. Garcia cannot return to his native Cuba, as laws there state that individuals who have spent more than ten years out of the country cannot regain entry.
The 57-year-old lived in the United States as a permanent resident who did not become a naturalized citizen after his parents went there when he was four years old. He cannot return to Cuba or the?United States. To me, he is a “stateless” person.
The question to be asked is: would our?Lord and Saviour Jesus have rejected him or treated a person the way the Cuban and American governments are treating him?
The answer is “no” for?Jesus is a Jesus of love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion.
We must remember the criminal on the cross who was not a good person, but yet Jesus granted him forgiveness. Do we as a people forgive others?
Garcia has more links to the United States than Cuba – he spent most of his life there. Every human being was born on a piece of this earth and nobody has the right to remove that citizenship.
It is my view that Garcia must be removed from prison and placed in a non-punitive facility.
I am sure that in years to come his plight will be a case study for law students at university.
Patronal Festival
The St Matthias Church Patronal Festival under the theme?The Parish In Retreat, Reflection, Reconciliation And Renewal:
Today at 7 p.m. – Youth Speak – topic: The Way We Are And The Way We Ought To Be. Moderator: Rev Susan Ellis.
Tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parish Fun Day on the church grounds.
On Sunday at 7 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. Back to Church Sunday. At 4 p.m. Prayer Walk and at 5:30 p.m. open air service on the hard court in Rockley, Christ Church. The preacher will be Rev. Michael Maxwell.
Tuesday at 7 p.m. there will be a discussion on the topic The Way We Are And The Way We Ought To Be. Moderators will be Canon DeVere Murrell and Rev. Merlene Lucas.
Wednesday – Ash Wednesday services at 6:30 and 9:30 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 24 (Feast of St?Matthias) at 7:30 mission service. with Rev. Mark Harewood.
Saturday, February 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parish Retreat on the theme The Parish Called To Retreat, Reflection, Reconciliation And Renewal.
Keynote speaker will be Rev. Luther?Johnson.
Sunday, February 26, at 8 a.m. – service of renewal and recommitment.
At 5 p.m. Hymnspeak with worship leader Rev. Coleridge Darlington.
Service of appreciation
St Swithun’s Church in St Lucy, is holding a service of appreciation in recognition of those who made donations, or who by their labour, skill, technical expertise, resources, prayers or general work, contributed to the restoration at the church.
The service, in the form of Holy Eucharist, will be held on Sunday at 10:15 a.m. The preacher will be the Venerable Archdeacon, Eric E. Lynch, Members of the community are invited.
Concert
The young members of the Cathedral Choir will hold a concert at St David’s Anglican Church, St David’s, Christ Church, on Sunday from 6 p.m. Proceeds go towards the restoration of the St Michael’s Cathedral organ.
Organist John Bryan and the Myria Recorder Consort will perform among others.
Tickets are on sale and St Michael’s Cathedral and St David’s Church.
Harvest festival
Dunscombe Moravian Church, Dunscombe, St Thomas, invites you to its annual harvest festival on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Host pastor is theRev. Ezra Parris.
