Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict,
Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 10 of April 2016 No. 753
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Dear
Friends,
Before
you read the exchanges, ask yourself the following question:
Who is
in trouble?? The Old boys (individually
or as a group) or the Mount (as an entity)
Here I
reprint the on-going exchange on how to save the Mount.
Of
course this Circular is about The Abbey School, but the Mount is what I call
the entity envisioned by those who were in charge of safekeeping and make it
grow during my time at the school.
I envision
that the Mount is going to be lost, maybe continuing to be dismembered as it
has, but to whose benefit??
Maybe
there is the reason?? Or just bad luck??
Why?? I
ask, because when in trouble those in the problem are the ones that ask for
help.
And no
signal has been received, at least since I am the Editor of this Circular.
All
these years we have tried to access Fr. Abbot one way or other to no
avail. Always the answer was the same,
if you want to help, there is the Alms box in front of the church.
I
personally asked Fr. Abbot to give me an insight on how we the Old Boys could
help?
The
answer was that those that wanted to help should go to the Ruling Committee of
the Monastery.
Write a
letter with the proposal so that it may be studied.
I
further asked on who were the members of the committee and where were they
meeting so to be able to write to you my readers information straight from the
lions mouth.
Got no
clear answer that would satisfy my curiosity and thus I have not written
anything in this humble Circular.
So, I
also believe in that we cannot do anything until there is a business way of
conducting the problem.
And also
believe that Fr. Abbot is not in control of the future of the Mount. I
sincerely hope that this is not true.
Harsh
words but maybe Fr. Harold can reply, and I promise that it shall be published
as soon as I get it.
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10 April 20:42
Thank you Nigel;
I am clear now of the goodwill, willingness and loyalty on the
side of the Abbey Alumni to see the continuation of the Mount and to contribute
in many ways possible and I am also aware of what appears to be either caution
or guardedness with some groups/individuals outside of the Monastic Community.
I say some, because I've observed that some
groups and individuals have developed a relationship of offering care,
spiritual and financial assistance to the Mount.
I will do whatever I can to facilitate,
because I believe an Alumni connection is a valuable one and beneficial to both
sides.
Sincerely,
Fr. Harold Imamshah
10 April at 20:03
Sir Jon Golding,
Thank you for just replying,
I can only listen at this point before I can even make any
comments,
Sir Ladislao Kertesz & Sir Nigel Boos have said it all
before.
Sir Harold Imamshah, give them a sign and maybe they can reopen
such a discussion,
We have a proper organized international group, we will study any
reasonable idea, that is presented but we are very cautious, as we also have
been burnt before.
Cheers
Glen.
10 April 19:43
Perhaps if I as a monk might have asked for the School to be used
as a Music School or as a Drug Rehab, I might have been shot down...maybe
not...but those whom I encouraged to approach the Mount did succeed...
I'm not sure what's the answer for each era...but I'm glad I had
the courage to plant the seeds I did.
By the way, when I left the Mount before I became a Priest, I
started the Reunion of Fatima's Class of 75 and here we are 40+ years later
actively meeting monthly and raising funds twice a year...
Maybe the seeds we plant now as an Alumni (given the
discouragements of the past) may sprout when we cannot see it...
I am certainly going to share all of this online with those that
I taught between 1979-84...they too need to step up, b/c it is they who saw the
school finally close.
10 April 19:38
I am sorry that things didn't go well then...they didn't go well
for me either, when I appeared to be in the minority that wanted the
continuation of the school.
I twice sent delegations to ask for Buildings as a Music School
and then as a Drug Rehab Centre.
The Music School was very successful and soon outgrew the
Boarders' Dormitory and now the Drug Rehab Centre is still there.
10 April 19:34
Thank you Jon Golding
Time has moved on and not all that we would like, but if we ALL
are part of the Abbey past and present and what we tried and suggested did not
work...
Let’s not give up on past or present leadership, let's try
different approaches...relate differently...new strategies/suggestions...
If we give up or decry what did not work or those who
didn't...???
Couldn't we try again? and try differently?..
Believe me, I myself have not given up...after all the Mount has
changed for me too...I urge you not to give up...trying at least...
10 April 19:24
Sorry I disagree, if you don’t say something not nice but TRUE
and necessary - say it!
10 April 19:23
Glen,
You summed it up very well and I speak from personal experience
of creating an informal committee around 2005/6 to examine the state of the
Mount (using TT leading architect firm led by ex old boy, Brian Lewis).
We had a few committee meetings with Fr Benedict, Fr Odo and
others and the Abbot once.
But Fr. Abbot seemed to resist our plan and not even the free
offer to survey the entire place and get an idea of the danger of the old
uninhabited buildings like the old chapel and dormitory and abandoned pool and
sports field.
Brian would have come up with a schedule of what needed to be
demolished/rebuilt and estimated costs.
Our rich TT Syrian brothers I spoke to were very interested in
upgrading the place with added facilities to attract more churchgoers and most
of all to appeal to potential MONKS to join the empty ageing monastery.
10 years later the Abbot looks more tired and less interested
then ever until he retires.
We don't need money as Fr Harold says but I say we need
LEADERSHIP. Voila!
10 April 19:22
Thanks Fr Harold for the supportive words for the Abbot.
My mom always said if you can't say anything nice then don't say
anything at all.
Nuff said.
10 April 18:36
I am a former Teacher of 2 Schools in St. Vincent and 2 in
Grenada and 2 in Trinidad and an alumnus of one in Trinidad and I don't have to
do anything to help raise funds in support of those 6 schools.
I work monthly however, with my Alma Mater in Trinidad and we
raise hundreds of thousands of dollars which we divide in the support of our
Alma Mater as well as other local charitable causes annually.
So I know that we as Abbey School Alumni/Teachers can pour our
heart and soul into an Abbey Project..
I hear and read about so much passion and love for Abbey School
from Alumni, that I believe this is the time for us to channel it all into
something beautiful for Abbey.
10 April 18:28
My simple suggestion is that we can help lift the burden from his
shoulders and offer to help...?
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TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT ISSUE
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5 April 18:25
HELLOOOOOO, HOLAAAAAAAAA
8 February 17:15
Hello my brothers, all Mount Boyers.. HeHe!!!
8 February 16:53
Sometimes it may seem the channels are disconnected, but trust
me, the lines are open at all times, its just silent.
Muchas Gracias.
8 February 16:48
Hello guys, long time I didn't 'hear' from you....
8 February 16:38
Thank you, Sir Ladislao Kertesz, looking great,
love the circulars, it’s the only reason I got involved,
Great Grand Master Knight.
Cheers Glen.
8 February 11:24
Dear Kazim,
First Venezuela, now Trinidad.
The internet servers are beginning to reject my emails informing
the Old Boys about new Circulars.
I suspect the servers are programmed to look out for spam and to
reject it.
That means that now none of my updates to either of those
countries may be getting through.
Could I please trouble you to post the notice below on the Group
page?
That way, the news might get through to some of those whose
servers have blocked my emails.
Don
-------------------------------
Dear Old
Boys,
Ladislao’s
Circulars for the new year have started to go up.
Keep
well.
Don
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EDITED by LadislaoKertesz, kertesz11@yahoo.com, if you would like to be in the
circular’s mailing list or any old boy that you would like to include.
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Photos:
73LK3851LMI, Llewellyn McIntosh, teacher
14LK0662FBDDV, Dennis de Verteuil in Juan
Griego Margarita
15LD0002LDO, Luis Dominguez, would
like to contact his brother
62RE0001RECGAN, Rafeal Echeverria and Gerald
Anderson
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