BISHOP’S MESSAGE: Carnival should not be an excuse to lower human dignity

Bishop Gabriel Malzaire

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I address you as the Bishop of the Diocese of Roseau and President of the Dominica Christian Council.

We come once again to one of the most celebrated festivities on our National Calendar – Carnival. It is a time which unleashes the most creative spirit of our people, expressed in the Calypso art from, talent competitions such as the Queen shows and the beautiful costumes; all expressions of our culture.

Also, by its very nature, Carnival engenders a certain freedom of expression, which is in itself very positive. In fact it is necessary for the development of the human psyche. At the same time, Carnival can be used as an avenue for excesses and abuses of all kinds. Therefore, despite the tremendous good that such an activity can bring about in us, it can be deemed unchristian and immoral.

Additionally, having fun and enjoyment is not contrary to the gospel. Carnival should never be used as an excuse to lower one’s human dignity. It should never be used as a time for people to settle their differences through violent means or any form of bad behaviour. It should never be used as an excuse for our people to display all forms of indecency and excessive exposure. St. Paul reminds us in 1Cor 6:19 that the human body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, I appeal to all Christians during this Carnival season; have an enjoyable Carnival festivity, but also have utmost respect for yourself and for others. I appeal to all parents of young children; keep a close watch over these little ones. To the youth; in the midst of having a good time, refrain from the excessive consumption of alcohol and a complete avoidance of the use of illegal drugs. These reduce your inhibition and can facilitate engagement in unsavory actions and promiscuous sexual activities. While little is spoken of HIV-AIDS today, it still remains a reality.

I would like to encourage all participants in Carnival and all Christians in general to enter into the Lenten exercise of fasting, prayer and charitable giving that begins on Ash Wednesday.

A happy Carnival to everyone! Let us work towards a drug-free and an incident-free event. May God bless you all!

Bishop Gabriel Malzaire is the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Roseau. 

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22 Comments

  1. J.John Charles
    February 10, 2018

    There is a special place in hell for those who claimed to be ministers of Christ,and are leading millions of poor lost souls to a Chistless eternity.About 30yrs ago I was listening to a religious program on DBS radio, it was around carnival season,it was named “Christ Alive ” and the preacher was father Tomo, and he spoke so glowing about carnival.How carnival units us.Now if that’s true,why at the same time speaks so negative about it.Can you imagine there is a gospel crusade held at the Windsor Park and warming those who attending.”Do not used it as an avenue for excessive and abuses behavior?
    I will continue.

  2. Bef you like
    February 10, 2018

    I am still waiting on you to condone the thong carnival band outfit displayed in Roseau recently. Please spare me the hypocrisy!!

    • The one and Only
      February 10, 2018

      Hahahahaha wow!

  3. Melech David
    February 10, 2018

    Mr. Malzaire, How can YOU deem something unchristian and immoral? Refrain from illegal drugs? Heroine and Cocain I’ll have to agree with, but if you mean Cannabis then you should have your position as bishop removed. Any bishop should have atleast read the first book of the Old Testament, Genisis 1:29. You consider yourself a Christian? You are looking at the stem of the tree, you should go to the root. Tell the people the truth about prophet Yeshua, and his family, tell them the truth about the bible, and of human origin. Afterall, thou shall not lie, have you forgotten? Reality is that which one percieves it as, and it’s a shame I have to dumb down my conversations by 99% so I don’t sound like a Lunatic. Carnival is nothing more than an expression of culture and has no association to religion. And you still lie and say prophet Yeshua was God? He never said this, in the bible there is a clear difference. As you said, the people wont understand. You have nothing to do with…

    • Nac Vibes
      February 13, 2018

      Like Yeshua said “Many will come in my name saying, I am the Christ”
      If he dared to teach his congregation the correct way to read the Bible (precept upon precept, here a little, there a little line upon line) they would discover the truth that all his religion is against the Most High’s Laws Statutes and Commandments.

  4. Food
    February 9, 2018

    There will be no carnival.

  5. February 9, 2018

    Mr. Bishop Sir, you kept on speaking Christian in your message here, even to point of your last lines, you say :

    “I would like to encourage all participants in Carnival, and all Christians, in general, to enter into the Lenten exercise of fasting, prayer and charitable giving that begins on Ash Wednesday.”

    Sir, I am sure that you know Carnival is a function which calls for all kinds of reveling, none of them is the way of Life according to our God of Holiness. As Christians, we are called to be disciples of Christ Jesus, we are taught to acknowledge that we live in this world but do not belong to it.

    We are called to walk in the spirit so to demonstrate Love in us; we are called to do God’s Love for His Glory. Sir, I ask you, where do the functions of Carnival belong in the Life of Christians–especially for us, who are born again? How do you arrive at your idea that a person of carnival is filled with the Spirit of God–His Holy Spirit?

    • February 9, 2018

      The Apostel Paul advises us “Christians” @ Galatians 5: 16: “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”. May I remind you, Sir, that carnival in the Islands of the Carribean, motivates everything that is of the Flesh–too many to mention.

      I really believe that if you want to speak about Carnival to the people of Dominican, that is your choice; but you need to leave out the sincere Christian family, who ought to the Church of Christ Jesus in general, for the Church is “NOT part of CARNIVAl, in that it belongs to the World

      • Paul Rossnof
        February 10, 2018

        You are not only a Skerrit fanatic but you are also a religious fanatic. Dangerous mixture, but then again I always knew judging from your political comments, that you are short quite a few cents of a dollar.

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      February 10, 2018

      Elizabeth, when I was a little boy growing up in Wesley, the Roman Catholic priests demanded that people attending their religion should not participate in Carnival; on Carnival day they would have members spy on other members who attend, and the hypocritical priest would turn on the persons who attended with outrage!

      While the priest would be in their presbytery (house) drinking rum, and playing their gramophone on Sunday’s listening to what they term good songs, they told us we should not listen to our Calypso because they are satanic.  A so called priest degrading  the late American entertainer Josephine Baker, who lived in France, because of the way she dressed, and dance.

      However, they never mentioned Josephine adapted many underprivileged children from all over the world including France, and took care of them to the day she died! Unless Gabriel repent his evil ways, that man with the staff of sin he holds in his hand, and spirit, and soul will burn in hell!

  6. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    February 9, 2018

    “the most creative spirit of our people, expressed in the Calypso art from, talent competition.”

    “Also, by its very nature, Carnival engenders a certain freedom of expression, which is in itself very positive. “(Some So Called bishop).

    Unless, you can see the hypocrisy in your comments above; by reminding you that Dice and Tasha’s freedom of speech in their 2018 calypso  are not allowed to be aired in Dominica on Radio, neither to be performed: you are either blind, or a deceiver to yourself.

    You are a puppet of the establishment, and a disgrace to even mention the word Christianity, you are not a disciple of Jesus Christ, you serve the establishment, you are in the service of Roosevelt, you are the crown boy bishop, your voice and opinions matters not to Dominicans, especially those of us who are not Roman Catholic, and do not believe in Roman Catholic ideology!

  7. The one and Only
    February 9, 2018

    Bishop G.M,

    Thank you for the best wishes, but let us enjoy ourselves. Again, carnival time is a convenient time
    For you and the church to lash out your moral advice. Dominica has bigger issues.
    You’re welcome to Join if you like, or else chill and stay home.
    I know may mean well but leave us alone. We are adults and we choose how be free at a time like this.

  8. I just love Dominica
    February 9, 2018

    Smh
    Do all bibles have Galatians 5:21?
    Christians enjoy carnival? its an expression of culture?
    Lord have mercy on us please..

  9. Lost Respect
    February 9, 2018

    Sorry Bishop you are one of the too and nothing you can say that will make us think otherwise. You are like one of them and I even wonder if you selling passports too.

    • Lost Respect
      February 9, 2018

      I meant to say Bishop you are one of them too.

  10. Hello
    February 9, 2018

    “Therefore, I appeal to all Christians during this Carnival season; have an enjoyable Carnival festivity”, Are you for real? Christians should not participate in carnival. Any born again child of God (Christian – being like Christ, holiness) will refrain from such revelling activities. I know the truth always offends but it is what it is. If you are a child of God, His spirit bears witness with yours and there in NO way you will have a desire for those activities.

    • Hello
      February 9, 2018

      Real Galations Chapter 5 vs 16 – 24
      16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, cdivisions, 21 envy,4 drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that dthose who do5 such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But ethe fruit of the Spirit is flove, joy, peace, patience, gkindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 hgentleness, iself-control; jagainst such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

    • Too blessed to be stressed
      February 15, 2018

      I agree with you one hundred percent.

  11. Dominican
    February 9, 2018

    Gabriel, for once you have spoken up in you own name and I appreciate that. Not everyone will take heed of your message but you were bold enough to make your feelings known. I wish, going forward, you will be as forthright in addressing other ills and wrongdoings that afflict our society, always in a true Christian spirit of course.

    • Ibo France
      February 10, 2018

      I concur! What I detest about these ‘pious people’ is that the only time they are willing to mouth off is for behaviors they consider to be immoral. There are so many injustices being meted out to so many in society but these said religious nut cases, who profess to be paragons of virtue, remain quizzically mute. They are rapidly becoming irrelevant as they do not offer anything substantive to society.

      • Testimonia
        February 10, 2018

        @ Ibo France

        Hear you…

        Your world is rapidly coming to an end and like a thief cometh in the night your kind won’t even know whats upon them…

        I encourage every true follower of Christ to continue to speak truth and live your lives pleasing to God not man. Remember that THE DARKNESS UNDERSTANDETH NOT THE LIGHT so darkness will talk a bunch of doodoo. The “blind” “sees” everyone of “”us”” as wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are sadly ignorant of the truth so forgive them and their seemingly harsh words.

        @ Mr. Malzaire…..

        Expressions of our culture?? Why use culture as an excuse for reveling when even God is against it? You are leading people straight to the furnace. Carnival is reveling and totally against God’s ways. Dont change your habits and you will just be a branch from the main tree to be cut down on glory day. Smh.

        I pray for you Dominica!

      • The one and Only
        February 15, 2018

        This bishop needs to take a serious hike..Carnival was great! Let free be free stay free lol

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