After leading hundreds of Catholics on the arduous journey up the San Fernando Hill yesterday, Monsignor Christian Perreira lamented over the mismanagement of the country’s natural resources. However, in speaking to parishioners of Our Lady of Perpetual Help during the cathedral’s annual Good Friday Stations of the Cross re-enactment, Perreira said the greater concern was the abundance of PALE Gas which continued to deteriorate society.
With rain threatening to drench worshippers, Perreira explained that PALE Gas, an acronym he coined from the seven deadly or capital sins: Pride, Avarice, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Anger and Sloth, leads to the spiritual corruption of people whose life will then be consumed by sin. He said those sins were prevalent in today's society and it is this that is truly destroying our nation.
“As we stand at the point overlooking the great nation and particularly some of the resources of our nation, those resources that have made Trinidad and Tobago economically rich for many decades, the oil and gas that come from under the ground and out in the sea, have been both a blessing and a curse to our nation,” Perreira said.
“We have not always managed the resources properly, as evidenced from the recent and ongoing disaster in La Brea and surrounding areas. We have not always managed the profits of the oil and gas properly, as evidenced by the state of our health, education and housing realities to name a few.
“However, my real concern this morning is not the gas that comes from the earth and the sea, but something far more potent. After my personal exploration within myself and seeking to understand the human landscape, I have come to realise that in spite of the fact that we have been so abundantly blessed, our society continues to deteriorate because of the PALE Gas we produce.”
From as early as 5 am yesterday, Catholics young and old gathered for the annual holiday tradition in remembrance of the suffering that Jesus Christ experienced in the lead up to his crucifixion. Twelve crosses were positioned along the hill and at each point worshippers genuflected and prayed before moving on. Even as the rain came, some whipped out umbrellas while others bore the weather for the sake of their religion.