(1) A Brief Historical Overview:
The real history of the Church in Grenada can be said to have begun with the coming of Columbus to the island and the subsequent attempts by the different religious sects to “christianize” the inhabitants.
With the changing of the balance of power by the constant squabbles between the colonial powers and the subsequent changing of ownership of the island of the religious in- situations of those powers were extended to Grenada first the English Anglican Church, then the Roman Catholic Church, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches.
All these Churches served the interests of the ruling classes and helped to strengthen the position of the Colonial Governments. While helping the ruling class, these Churches also played a key role in uniting different sections of our society. For example, the Anglican Church traditionally comprised the elite of Grenadian Society while the Roman Catholic Church drew its members from the poor and oppressed classes. This serves, today, to explain why the Roman Catholic Church is the most powerful in Grenada with approximately 70,000 baptized members.
Poor living conditions, poverty and despair during the years of Colonialism served to strengthen the position of the Church among the broad masses of our country because the Church is strongest where there exists poverty, illiteracy and an educational system designed to suit the interests of the Church, where religious knowledge was compulsory at schools controlled by the Church, served to entrench further a deep idealism among our people which today, is one of the main reasons for our people’s deep and strong religious feelings.
To compound matters more a flood of new-fangled religious sects and denominations came to Grenada just after the Second World War. These are the Non-Traditional American types. This flood continues even to this day. Thus, the bases of the traditional religious have been somewhat eroded and the social composition of Grenadian society further subdivided into a multitude of various sects of different shades and creeds.
In conclusion, we can say that the Church, although at periods in its history sometimes played a progressive role if even its own interest, is nothing but a fetter to our development.
(2) The Church As A Threat To The Revolution:
March 13, 1979, forced all Churches in Grenada to take a new look at themselves and to analyze their role in a Revolutionary society. At first they played a wait and see game, but, when it became clear where the Revolution was going and what it stood for, they took up a clear position. It is safe, here, to say that there is no clear “left” religion in Grenada, but, since our Revolution enjoys popular support, then the broad mass of church goers are to varying extents supporters of the Grenada Revolution. This cannot be said about the Leaders of the Churches in Grenada and I contend that we have no support among them, all are to different degrees hostile to the Revolution. This is true even though some are less vocal than others. The following analysis of events taken at different periods up to the present time will suffice to here identify the Church as the main potential source of major internal counterrevolution.
1980-1981 — The main line pushed for this period by the Traditional Churches was the question of the Detainees at Richmond Hill and the holding of elections. The Roman Catholic Church in particular used every forum to push this line. This Church organized retreats, seminars and conferences and at every one of these activities, hostile statements were hurled against the Grenada Revolution on so-called violation of Human rights. Every Sunday at one Church or another priests were heard to ask people to “pray for the detainees” whose rights have been denied.
While the Traditional religious were on the human rights/election line, the non-traditional religions were on a different line. They were preaching the so-called “last days doctrine” and saying that “man has turned away from God”, a subtle attack on our ideological positions. This line was particularly strong among the Baptists and the Open Bible Churches.
1980-1981 period saw the Catholic church making efforts to obtain priests versed in the knowledge of submitting our ideological position, and also saw the Roman Catholic Priests begin to print pamphlets on “civic and Human Rights” and “notes on Marxism.” In reality anti-Marxism/Leninism.
1982 — The first half of the year was relatively quiet as the Churches started to plan new strategy and tactics. In November 1982 the Roman Catholic Church emerged as the No. 1 antagonist of the Revolution.
The Bishop, Sydney Charles, began to push the line that the Church will face its biggest “challenge” in 1983. A new strategy was developed, that of re-organization of all Catholic Youth under the direct control of the Bishop. Two new organizations were formed for this purpose: (a) the Diocesan Youth Commission and (b) the Diocesan Youth Council. The latter organization whose chairman is appointed by the Bishop, replaces the Catholic Youth Congress (CYC) whom the Bishop saw as “too political.”
On 10th December, 1982, 4,365 copies of the Jerusalem Bible arrived in Grenada for the Catholic Church. A very simple Bible, it is written in novel form so as to make it easier for the church masses to read. This indicates the Church’s understanding of the ideological struggle. The call by A. Huges for the church to voice its opinion on matters of human rights, and the statement that it is the main hope at this time. The Bishop speaks of the “challenge” to the Church in 1983 in his Christmas Message.
The situation took on a new turn when Methodist Minister Ledson refused to officiate at the burial of Cde. Demo Grant and had to be kicked out of Grenada. All the traditional churches saw this as “persecution” and hardened their position against the PRG and Revolution.
Future Trends:
• We foresee the continuation of the organization of all Youths by the Catholic and Anglican Churches.
• We foresee stronger unity among all G.C.C. churches.
• We think that the unity among Catholic Clergy will grow steadily.
• Infiltration of anti-Marxist/Leninist from outside.
• The Bishop becoming bolder in his attacks against the Revolution.
• The Catholic Church overall hardening its position against the Revolution.
• More and more foreign Pastors and Preachers of non-traditional religious will want to come to Grenada to work and hold crusades.
Recommendations:
• Ensuring that Michael Roberts continue a permanent and full time way to be in charge of church work.
• Obtaining a second person to work in this area in order to control all churches, their leadership, membership and their activities.
• The establishment of a register of association including churches and all other organizations, e.g., Jaycee, Unions, Association of Professional etc. which will make it necessary when registering to give some basic fact about the Associations or churches, e.g., the knowledge on special and regular activities, counting of members, different posts within the organizations, means of financing activities, etc., and continuing to develop the co-operation in this area with the Cuban Comrades at the level of Party to Party.
• Ensuring that C.P.E. get a majority of working people involved in its classes.
• Build the Mass Organizations — Pioneers, N.Y.O., N.W.O., P.F.U., Militia, to incorporate a majority of working people.
• Organize the community work in the different areas more efficiently, start on time, and actively mobilize to bring out the masses to participate.
• Removing from Primary Schools, all deeply religious head teachers by whatever means most suitable, replacing them with more progressive elements. This should be done no later than the end of this month.
• Introduce Political Education as that or Social studies in every classroom in the Primary and Secondary Schools from this September, use the most progressive teachers within the school system (chosen by the teachers’ committee) to teach these classes. Use Merle Hodge and Didicus to write up the materials for the courses.
• Political Education for all teachers by this September.
• Strengthen Science Education — theory and practical — in every school and in the community through C.P.E. and Film shows.
• Cut back on all religious programs on R.F.G. Substitute on Sunday morning voice cast of the masses on the progress of the projects.
• To promote contacts among Clergymen and members of Laity from Nicaragua and other Latin American countries linked to the theology of liberation and, in general, to the idea of a church commented to Revolutionary positions.
• To implement the visits of Pastors from the Grenada Protestant Churches belonging to the Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC) of which the Evangelical Churches of Cuba in a number, to short annual course, in light that the comrades can solve the language question.
• More dialogue with West Indian Priests, Nuns and Brothers in the Church and schools by the Leadership.
• Opening up M-L Bookshop in different parishes of the country.
• Getting M-L literature into all schools by September.
• Explore possibility of getting Father Martin and La Montague to visit Cuba.
• Step up the systematic monitoring of all Religious manifestation in the state, and position being taken as regard the work permit of way -side Preachers entering the country to preach, and immigration position on these way-side preachers.
• Open Cinemas
• Start Progressive Church (talk with Nicaraguans and Cubans)
(Signed) Major Keith Roberts
Chief of Internal Security
New Jewel Movement