Catholic clergy in Saint Lucia say the sacred observance of Lent is no longer being respected as it once was, warning that the solemn season of prayer, fasting, and reflection has increasingly been overshadowed by ongoing festivities and modern distractions.
As the Catholic faithful enter the Lenten season on February 18th, the Church is calling on believers to rediscover its spiritual significance, even as Saint Lucia continues to embrace its vibrant carnival traditions.
Parish Priest of the Babonneau Good Shepherd Parish, Father Albert Aaron, explained the reason behind a special activity organized Tuesday evening, to help parishioners transition from Ordinary Time into Lent and to restore awareness of the season’s importance. “So tonight we are having an activity to kind of bring down the curtain on ordinary time into the Lenten period and so usually in the olden days we had carnival to usher in Lent and we want to keep that culture because many people are saying that they do not know what is happening or they do not know when Lent is coming in, so we want to do that and try people to make that transition into the holy season of Lent.”
Historically, carnival marked the final period of celebration before Ash Wednesday, ushering in 40 days of fasting, penance, and spiritual reflection. However, Father Aaron says that sense of reverence has diminished over time. “I think so on all fronts. You know, now during Lent you hear music like anything else. There’s no solemnity, parties, boat rides, all kinds of things happening.
Lent used to be a 40 day period where the country went on pause, the country went on slow to reflect on our lives and to reflect on what was happening and how we could have been better people. It is like during Lent we throw God out and you know we continue with our normal lives and as good as it was.”
Father Aaron is appealing to Saint Lucians to return to the traditional observance of Lent, emphasizing its importance for both personal and national spiritual renewal. “Well, I would really want to say to all Saint Lucians, you know, to let us go back to the whole aspect of Lent. Let us observe the 40 days, and it is a period of fasting, praying, and as a country, we need a lot of prayers. As people, as families, we hear all that is happening, and you know, I would really appeal to them to let us go back to those days where Lent was a sacred period for all of us.”
As part of its outreach, the Babonneau parish is also promoting Christian values rooted in compassion and peace, encouraging parishioners to embrace the fruits of the spirit. “We are portraying the fruits of the spirit. You know, joy, love, peace, kindness, you know this kind of thing. So we are speaking against violence and all of those kinds of things. And you know, to be able to bring people to that awareness for the fruits of the spirit. What the fruits of the spirit are and that these things will help us become better human beings.”
While carnival remains an important part of Saint Lucian culture, the Church is reminding believers that Lent offers a sacred opportunity for reflection, spiritual growth, and renewal, a time to pause, reconnect with faith, and seek unity within families and communities.
