Roman Catholic Archbishop Edward Gilbert says Genesis 1-Creation, the Carnival band being produced by parishioners from St Anthony's RC Church, has his approval and is part of an evangelisation outreach by the local Church."Evangelisation is not just about praying for others and witnessing to authentic values. It also means being visible in the very competitive pastoral arena, taking prudent risks in the name of the Lord and offering uplifting entertainment alternatives to society," he said.
The Archbishop's endorsement of the mas band was contained in a statement released yesterday by Catholic Media Services Ltd. (Camsel). The release noted that Roman Catholics in T&T have always participated in Carnival celebrations and the move to produce a mas band is "an effort to impact the festivities in a different way." "The Church has never condemned Carnival. What it has ceaselessly criticised is the degradation brought to the celebrations by lewd and vulgar dancing, dirty calypso lyrics and the over indulgence in alcohol."
Camsel said the band "is an opportunity for Catholics to extol family values-making it possible for an entire family be part of the fete-something not easily accomplished in the present Carnival environment." The statement continued: "The Catholic position cannot be that Carnival is of itself evil. The Calypso art form, the steelband and its development has long been associated with the pre-Lenten festivity. "In the Trinidad and Tobago setting, Carnival has demonstrated the skill and artistry of its people in the depiction of traditional and contemporary characters and in the ole mas' bands.
"The Church, as an avid supporter of the arts, has always encouraged participation in calypso, pan and mas' as is manifested in the carnival productions in its primary and secondary schools. "The carnival band can, therefore, be seen as an extension of that support, providing opportunity for the development of the society's cultural mores."