Grenada Today - The National Newspaper of Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique

A Roman Catholic Priest has reportedly run into problems with Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs, Senator Ann David-Antoine while conducting Mass at the Grand Anse Church last Sunday.

Informed sources told GRENADA TODAY that Minister David-Antoine went up to the priest after the 7:30 a.m. Mass and allegedly accused him of being opposed to the ruling New National Party (NNP) administration of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell.

Barbadian clergyman, Father Charles Dominic is said to have angered the Minister on the second day in the New Year while preaching on the topic of humility while delivering his homily.

The Clergyman told the congregation that when people are in places of high position they are put there to serve and there is no need for them to engage in self praises.

According to a parishioner, Fr. Dominic made reference to some of the Christmas messages given by Government Ministers in which they made mention about assistance they rendered to persons during the past year.

He spoke of the outspoken Catholic Priest indicating that talking about this kind of assistance is unnecessary since the role of a politician or someone in authority should be that of service to the people.

It is reported that when Fr. Dominic made the comment, a member of the congregation allegedly shouted out that "they (politicians) rule, not serve". The Churchgoer said the priest also touched on some of the negative headlines that are given full precedence in the local newspapers while other human interest stories are not treated in that way.

According to another parishioner, there was nothing wrong with the Homily, since the start of the New Year was the right time to remind persons of the need to be each other's keepers. He felt that it was rather impolite of the Minister to have reacted the way she allegedly did over the remarks of Fr. Dominic..

This is not the first time Roman Catholic clergymen has gotten into trouble with members of the NNP regime based on their preaching. The sermon of Fr. Gerrod Paul was edited based on comments he made about a Budget presentation by the Mitchell government.

The local churches also downplayed their role in a National Day of Prayers held by government at the Morne Rouge playing field in Grand Anse on October 25 in the aftermath of the widespread destruction of Grenada by Hurricane Ivan.

The government brought in U.S-based evangelist Apostle Gerald Griffith without allegedly consulting the Conference of Churches of Grenada (CCG).