Change the name of the Trinity Cross
By Leela Ramdeen
23/11/04
Recently my Commission issued the following statement which was approved by His Grace: "The Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) strongly urges the Government to take action to change the name of Trinidad & Tobago's highest award - the Trinity Cross - to be faithful to the multi-religious nature of our society, in accord with the provisions of our Constitution, and the spirit of our National Anthem.
Inter-religious dialogue/co-operation is not only a matter of mutual understanding, respect and recognition but is vital for our survival and development. The progress and development of T&T require us to create a culture in which "every creed and race finds an equal place." CCSJ calls upon all citizens to play their part in creating such a culture by speaking out in favour of a change of name of the present title of our highest national award - the Trinity Cross.
The strength of our nation lies in our human resources. The Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue (PCID) stated in 1991 that, inter alia, inter-religious 'dialogue' involves "all positive and constructive inter-religious relations with individuals and communities of other faiths which are directed at mutual understanding and enrichment in obedience to truth and respect for freedom. It includes both witness and the exploration of respective religious convictions “(Dialogue & Proclamation). Such relations are developed and sustained in a culture that reflects religious diversity.
Religious diversity strengthens not diminishes our nation. Over the years citizens from various religious communities and from the secular community have made and continue to make sterling contributions to T&T and to the world. If we are to celebrate their achievements then the name of any award granted by the State must be neutral to show our respect for the fact that our country comprises people from various religious communities.
Members of certain religious communities should not have to refuse to consent to being nominated for our nation's highest award because the name reflects only one religious community, that is, the Christian community.
We must be 'big' enough to recognize when past decisions made were inappropriate and to take action to rectify the situation. We must not be seen to be a people who procrastinate when it is time for action. We need leaders who are decisive, just and fair.
The recent Principles of Fairness launched by Ken Gordon and his team and signed by most major organizations in T&T, including members of the IRO of which the Catholic Church is a member, rightly recognizes that "our cultural and religious differences are an important asset".
If we are truly committed "to building Trinidad & Tobago as a united Nation, with its people, though of different ethnic origins, having common hopes and aspirations" (Principles of Fairness), then it is vital that all our policies and practices reflect such noble sentiments.
Religion is one of the most important aspects of the life of a citizen. To inculcate inter-religious harmony we must ensure that each citizen is treated equally and justly.
The time for action is now. We know that our Government values the rich ethnic, cultural and religious diversity that characterizes our country. We should not have to wait for a court to make a decision on an issue such as this. There is an oriental saying that what you can do today don't put off for tomorrow, and what you can do today do it now."
Inter alia, the draft vision statement of the Vision 2020 Planning Committee states that by the year 2020 T&T will be a "united, resilient, productive innovative and prosperous nation... Built on the enduring attributes of self-reliance, respect, tolerance, equity and integrity, in which: every citizen has equal opportunities to achieve his fullest potential; the diversity and creativity of all its people are valued and nurtured."
How can we hope to achieve developed nation status when we cannot address the legitimate cries by many over the years for a change of name of the Trinity Cross which has clear Christian connotations? As a Catholic, I can assure you that by calling for such a change I have not changed my faith. However, I recall the Golden Rule in Christianity: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (Matthew 7:12)
The PCID, in accordance with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, in particular the declaration "Nostra Aetate", produced the very helpful document referred to earlier. It also states that:
"Dialogue is a two-way communication. It implies speaking and listening, giving and receiving, for mutual growth and enrichment. It includes witness to one's own faith as well as an openness to that of the other.
"The World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, on 27 October 1986, held at the initiative of Pope John Paul II, provides another stimulus for reflection. Both on the day itself and after...the Holy Father ...underlined the fundamental unity of the human race, in its origin and its destiny, and the role of the Church as an effective sign of this unity. He brought out forcibly the significance of interreligious dialogue, while at the same time reaffirming the Church's duty to announce Jesus Christ to the world.
"The following year, in his address to the members of the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Pope John Paul II declared: "Just as interreligious dialogue is one element in the mission of the Church, the proclamation of God's saving work in Our Lord Jesus Christ is another... There can be no question of choosing one and ignoring or rejecting the other. "The lead given by the Pope encourages us to give further attention to the present theme.
"...It is not a betrayal of mission of the Church, nor is it a new method of conversion to Christianity. This has been clearly stated in the encyclical letter of Pope John Paul II "Redemptoris Missio". This view is also developed in the two documents produced by the PCID: The Attitude of the Catholic Church towards the Followers of Other Religious Traditions: reflections on Dialogue and Mission (1984), Dialogue and Proclamation (1991)
"... dialogue and proclamation are graces to be sought in prayer. All dialogue implies reciprocity and aims at banishing fear and aggressiveness. "
Archbishop Pantin's letter exhibited in Dr Wahid Ali's, former President of the Senate, book: Building Bridges in Society (1992) , shows that Archbishop Pantin had no strong feelings one way or the other about whether or not the name of the Trinity Cross should be changed. The tone of his letter could be interpreted to mean that he was willing to consider a change of name.
The social teachings of the Catholic Church provide principles/guidelines that should inform how we live our lives in relation to each other. The most fundamental of these principles is the need for us to recognise the inherent dignity of each human person. This is the foundation of a moral vision for society.
Secondly, we are urged to promote the common good, that is, to create conditions in which each individual can achieve his/her potential. The common good is not served by a national award that ignores the religious diversity of our people. We must promote unity in diversity.
Thirdly, our faith asks us to stand in solidarity with others who face injustices because we are one human family. As Martin Luther King said: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." We cannot be indifferent to the cries of others.
Fourthly, Catholic Social Teaching recognises that each individual has fundamental rights. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities - to one another, to our families, and to the larger society. What affects my brother and sister from other faith communities affects me also.
These rights are enshrined, for example in our Constitution. Section 4(h) of which guarantees as a fundamental human right and freedom the right of freedom of conscience and religious belief and observance. Section 4(d) provides for the right of an individual to equality of treatment from any public authority in the exercise of its functions.
The Mission Statement outlined by the Vision 2020 Planning Committee states: "To recognise the importance of each and every citizen. To acknowledge that our future starts with YOUR aspirations and a shared vision for a better Trinidad and Tobago. To develop a plan through YOUR ideas for moving the nation forward TOGETHER."
The draft Vision Statement of that Committee states, inter alia: "By the year 2020 Trinidad and Tobago will be a united nation built on the enduring attributes of .respect, tolerance, equity and integrity, in which: every citizen has equal opportunities to achieve his fullest potential; there is respect for the Rule of Law and human rights and the promotion of the principles of democracy; the diversity and creativity of all its people are valued and nurtured."
It is said that there can be no peace among nations without peace among religions; and no peace among religions without dialogue between religions. I agree with Gandhi who said that he allowed the winds of all faiths to blow through the windows of his mind but was so firm in his own faith that he was never blown off course.
I am Catholic to the bone and will remain true to my faith, but I recognize the value of inter-religious cooperation/dialogue and I respect other people 's faiths. The current situation in Trinidad also does not augur well for Catholics who are engaged in evangelisation work. Forcing people of other faiths to 'buy' in to what is clearly a Christian symbol may prevent people from being open to Christianity and create more division in a nation/world in which there is already too much tension and division.
We place obstacles in the path of unity when we refuse to open our hearts and minds to the plight of others who have a just cause. We can be more creative as a people; we have the capacity to think 'outside the box'. We are fast becoming a litigious nation. What is the value of the concept of Separation of Powers if we constantly allow our Courts to decide on issues that should be dealt with by Parliament?
We must remember that both this Administration and the last failed to deal with calls for a change of name of the Trinity Cross. In 1997, a Cabinet appointed Committee led by the then Chief Justice, Mr Michael de la Bastide, recommended a change of name of this award either to: The Order of Trinidad and Tobago or to The Order of the Trinity. Over the years other recommendations have been made. Jamaica's highest award is the Order of Jamaica. Why not call the award the Order of Trinidad and Tobago?
One suggestion is that it should be called The Iere Award to recognise the contribution that the first people of this land, the Caribs and Arawaks, have made. I am sure that there are lots more suggestions that could be considered. What is vital is that we take action to change the name in recognition of the fact that our various faith communities contribute much to our society.
Since the Trinity Cross was established on 30th August 1989 66 people have received the award. Of these only 8 awards have been granted to people of East Indian descent and none of these were women. Sadly, I know of many deserving people who, over the years, refused to be nominated for the award because it was an affront to their religion. We cannot build move forward positively as a united nation unless we address issues such as this. As one priest who wrote to me stated:
"I would not be happy if the highest award of the country was the Shiva or Rama award. So I cannot be happy if non-Christians receive a cross as the highest award. What would be good would be to start a dialogue about some possible names that all can be proud of."
Let us embrace, celebrate, value, learn from, and respect religious diversity and build bridges rather than sow discord in a world saturated with religious intolerance.