Suspended Grenadian priest turns calypso stage into platform for Gaza and abuse critiques
Father Gerard Paul, barred from priestly duties in Grenada, is using calypso performances at the Spicemas carnival to denounce the Gaza conflict and clerical sexual abuse.
Gerard Paul, a Catholic priest from Grenada who has been barred from celebrating Mass, funerals, weddings and baptisms, has shifted his advocacy to calypso music. Following an April 2024 suspension by Bishop Clyde Harvey for persistent attacks on the church, Paul entered the Spicemas carnival’s calypso finals, performing as “Father Paul” against ten other singers. His repertoire includes “Oh Gaza,” which condemns the Israeli offensive, and a satirical song demanding a U.S. radar to uncover clerical sexual abuse, even invoking President Donald Trump.
Paul, who first tried calypso in a 1988 seminary contest, says the genre serves as a broader pulpit than the parish. He maintains that his suspension is not a dismissal from the priesthood, but it remains in effect two years later. The bishop emphasized that Paul’s mockery of authority, not his Gaza comments, prompted the disciplinary action. Paul hopes his music will amplify calls for justice within and beyond the church.
Why it matters
It shows how a suspended priest uses popular culture to spotlight global conflict and internal church abuse, reaching audiences beyond traditional religious settings.
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