IN his own inimitable way, RC priest Fr Leslie Tang Kai is redefining what it means to be a man of the cloth.
Sure, he wears the elb and chasubles typically seen on Catholic clergymen at Sunday Mass and other special church observances.
But Tang Kai, parish priest of St Joseph RC Church, Scarborough, Tobago, can just as easily don a pair of washed-out jeans and a T-shirt, a trendy, slim-fit suit or an African-inspired outfit, complete with headpiece, if the need arises.
During Tobago’s inaugural carnival last October, Tang Kai, who normally has short hair, sported chest-length braids in keeping with the spirit of the festivities.
He can also be seen walking briskly along the Scarborough beachfront on mornings, enjoying mouth-watering dishes at village harvests and participating fully in the island’s annual heritage festival.
Tang Kai’s homilies have sometimes deviated from what many may consider standard fare within the Catholic community. His sermons have tackled everything from youth alcohol abuse and domestic violence to crime, political turmoil within the Tobago House of Assembly and “caring for the earth and God’s gifts to humanity.”
Tang Kai acknowledged he may not fit the mould.
[caption id="attachment_1004172" align="alignnone" width="768"] Fr Leslie Tang Kai says he is very much involved with all of the cultural activities on the island. - Photo courtesy Leslie Tang Kai[/caption]
“One may say I am a different priest,” the outspoken clergyman told Sunday Newsday. “I am not the traditional priest, and yes, I am very much involved with all of the cultural activities on the island. So you will see me at Carnival, Emancipation, the ancestral walk hosted by the Anglican church. I have visited numerous harvests.
"I am very much involved, and one may think that it’s controversial. But it’s me. It’s natural, normal.”
He believes the “Jesus ministry” is one that engages people at every level, and makes no apologies for his free-spiritedness.
“I seek to be that type of person where I will interact with people on every level.”
Noting there are priests who “may not be as vibrant or as open as I am in my activities,” Tang Kai said others, like him, are also very much involved in the culture and life of the parishes in which they serve.
Assigned to Tobago on September 1, 2016, Tang Kai is single-handedly responsible for building the church’s flock in two parishes comprising eight communities.
In the west, there are five communities: the main church, St Joseph RC, with outstations at Our Lady of Lourdes, Patience Hill; Our Lady of Fatima, Mt St George; St Anthony’s, Mason Hall; and St Peter’s, Castara.
[caption id="attachment_1004175" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Fr Leslie Tang Kai, right, with relatives. - Photo courtesy Leslie Tang Kai[/caption]
The Sacred Heart parish, Delaford, Our Lady of the Assumption, Roxborough and St Dominic’s RC, Goodwood, make up the remaining communities.
Of his tenure in Tobago, thus far, Tang Kai said, “It has been a very rich and rewarding one, someti
