This is false, George

This is false and in the Middle Eastern context dangerous. With very few exceptions Syrians and Lebanese who came to Trinidad and Tobago were either Maronites (a rite which is Catholic even if not the Latin rite) or they belonged to the Catholic Church of the Latin Rite. They were, before coming to Trinidad and Tobago, part of the oldest Christian communities in the world in some cases, eg, Saida or Sidon, tracing their conversion back to Our Lord. It must be quite hurtful having kept the Catholic Faith inspite f Islamic and Ottoman rule, sometimes persecution, as was the case of the first Lebanese to arrive here in 102 years ago, with some families having known martyrs in successive generations, to be considered Muslims who "assumed the mantle of Roman Catholicism which to them was more socially acceptable." It smacks of the Muslim contention that Syrian and Lebanese Christians were Muslims converted by the Crusaders or the contention of some Jews that Palestinian Christians are not descendants of the Early Church but converted by the Crusaders.

On another point, schools belonging to X or Y religion and assisted by Government are set up in the first instance in order to transmit their religion to the next generation of believers. It is this which makes them different from government schools. It is therefore ridiculous to ask them to treat all religions equally. Catholic children may go to mass at the chapel at Fatima or St Mary’s. I cannot see the chapel being turned over to, say, Hindus for the use of their students, or the other way around.

What is expected is that children of another religion will not be forced to go to religious services, RE classes or take part in prayers of the religion of the school. Catholics as far as I know keep this. I know of instances where schools of other Christian communities do not since according to their belief all Christian religions are the same.

MARION O’CALLAGHAN

Woodbrook