By ROXANNE STAPLETON-WHYMS Monday, December 31 2007

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Assisted by staffers at Nazareth House St Vincent de Paul, Archbishop Edward Gilbert, third from left, greets residents as he blesses their rooms yest...

“RETHINK YOUR position on crime. Even if you’re not involved in crime, do not become comfortable with it.”

So said Roman Catholic Archbishop, Edward Gilbert yesterday just as this year’s homicide rate reached 385.

Speaking with Newsday just after having lunch with residents at St Vincent de Paul’s Nazareth House in Port-of-Spain, Archbishop Gilbert insisted that it is not good enough to just stand by and watch, as the run-away crime rate continues to surge.

He stressed the need for stronger, more positive family bonding and the building of communities where people actually look out for each other. He said to passively look on as thieves plunder, will get us nowhere fast and will only ensure that our social fabric continues to disintegrate.

“You have to stand up for goodness and wisdom and that’s the only thing that is going to carry us. There are more just, loving people than bad people. But they are not armed and they are not going to organise to fight the bad guys.

“So what we have to do is form communities where we protect each other. We have to trust each other much more than we do. You listen to all the senior citizens who say when they were young they never had to close their doors or lock their windows,” he added.

The RC leader said it is very important that all religious traditions continue to encourage their people to follow values that foster stable families, community and respect for each other.

“These religious traditions, including the Catholic Church, don’t have armies, we don’t have police forces, we don’t have regiments. All we have is the Word of the Lord,” he said.

Archbishop Gilbert also called on the country’s leaders to put aside their differences and find solutions that are wise and courageous to help people not be afraid. He also said we should not forget those who have suffered the loss of loved ones, whose lives were violently snuffed out.

“It’s something they will carry for the rest of their lives and we have to pray for them and be present with them.”

He heaped praise on the charitable groups working along with St Vincent de Paul, including St Gerard’s Commandery, Knights of St John, the Ladies Auxillary and the TT Regiment, who have come to the rescue of the poor and needy, regardless of their spiritual beliefs. Gilbert said these groups have his “unwavering admiration”.