Letter of the Day | Rum, salt and blessings

THE EDITOR: Madam:

Two events, occurring at different times, caused unease among Christians in Jamaica. On November 17, 2013, The Gleaner reported that Rev Marjorie Lewis used salt to bless offices at the Ministry of Youth (‘Salty Ritual leaves youth ministry staff concerned’). Recently, Minister Daryl Vaz used white rum to bless school buses, prompting the Jamaica Council of Churches (JCC) to distance itself because the action was taken without prior knowledge, and when the JCC representative had moved away.

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches condemned similar “bus blessings”, as reported in The Observer on September 2, 2025.

Why do Christians — many of whom are descendants of enslaved Africans — react so strongly to these practices? Salt and rum are not part of the traditional Christian rite of blessing, but are they inherently evil? Salt has deep biblical roots, symbolising covenant and blessing. White rum, although often associated with bars, drunkenness, and boisterous behaviour, has also been used in Afro-Caribbean traditions such as Revivalism to cleanse, protect, and sanctify. Our adverse reaction may reveal more about inherited cultural biases than about the objects themselves.The Catholic tradition teaches that, when the Church encounters a culture, it should discern carefully: affirm what is good, transform what is harmful, and discover where the Gospel can take root. Christmas itself absorbed cultural customs like evergreens and lights, symbols of hope in darkness. Why, then, dismiss salt and rum outright without dialogue?

Perhaps, part of the answer lies in the Catholic Church’s Mission Month celebration in October, with the theme of ‘Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples’. Pope Leo reminds us that every baptised person is called to be a “messenger and builder of hope” in a world plagued by uncertainty and despair. These debates about blessings can become valuable mission opportunities. Instead of condemning, our churches can engage in dialogue, listen respectfully, and explore how cultural practices might carry seeds of the Gospel.

The synodal journey now unfolding in the Catholic Church also offers a model: intentional listening, mutual dialogue, and prayerful discernment. By engaging culture with openness rather than fear, the Church becomes a true missionary of hope.

Salt and rum are fruits of the earth and the works of human hands. The question is whether we will reject them reflexively or allow the Spirit to reveal how even ordinary elements can become signs of God’s blessing for Jamaica today.

FR. DONALD CHAMBERS

Frdon63@hotmail.com