Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School,
Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 12 of June
2016 No. 762
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Friends,
Again the same subject with a different
name The Mount as I see it. The topic is about the sour
relationship between the Abbot and his spirituality campaign and the
oldboys and their business savvy, but with new actors.
Nobody mentions the Incorporated Trustees
of Mount Saint Benedict, the ruling body of the Monastery, they have the
financial control as mentioned by the Abbot in a conversation that I had a
couple years back with him, when I wanted to make a contribution.
I suggest that future conversation should
be with this rector, made up of august persons. I have tried to find some
information in the internet but there is no mention as to the members of the
Incorporated Trustees of Mount Saint Benedict, so it is up to you ASAA to clear
the resistance.
-----------------------------------------------------
On Sun, Apr 10, 2016 at 9:17 PM,
Glen evelyn <gevelyn1@bellsouth.net> wrote:
Fr Abbot stated that the main purpose is for all
Catholics to tighten-up and polish the spirit not only in hard times.
"The Abbey was a special school but the main
direction now is towards supporting and selecting mediatory agents between
humans and God"
----------------------------------------------------------------.
On Apr 10, 2016, at 1:34 PM, Harold Imamshah
1:34pm Apr 10
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...
(Yes I back the motion, and would approach
the governing body of the Monastery, Incorporated Trustees of Mount Saint
Benedict, EDITOR)
----------------------------------------------------------------.
1:24pm Apr 10
Sorry I disagree,
if you don’t say something not nice but TRUE and necessary - say it!
-------------------------------------------------------------------.
12:36pm Apr 10
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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------.
12:28pm Apr 10
My simple
suggestion is that we can help lift the burden from his shoulders and offer to
help...?
humbly,
Fr. Harold
--------------------------------------------------------.
1:22pm Apr 10
Thanks Fr Harold
For the supportive
words for the Abbot.
All my mom always
said if you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all.
Nuff said.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Nigel Boos <nigelboos@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2016 1:13 PM
We might have lost
the momentum which we once had, a few years ago, when various approaches were attempted,
unfortunately without any specific indication of support from Fr. Abbot. I fear
now, that such interest as once existed, in trying to do something positive to
help the Mount, may have seriously waned. I know that I, for one, am tired and
feeling my age more and more, with each passing day.
But where there is
life, there is hope. And so I believe that there is still hope.
First and foremost,
however, I believe that Fr. Abbot needs to exert his leadership role, not only
among his diminishing head count of monks, but also among ourselves, the former
students of the Abbey School. You have asked us to offer our assistance and
support to Fr. Abbot, but I as yet do not know whether he even wants our
help and advice. There has been no such request emanating from his desk, and I
would sure like to see one.
Only then, I
suggest, shall the Old Boys of MSB feel motivated to act. Only then will we
take up the cause with some determination. But we do not know and we are not at
all sure that we’ve got his backing.
I believe that it
would be very much to the point if Fr. Abbot can be open with us. Let him
invite us, as a group (I’m in Canada and I cannot be there) to come together at
the monastery to discuss the future of everything pertaining to MSB, and to see
whether we can TOGETHER formulate a plan to come to the assistance of the
community, in areas related to perhaps, spirituality, finance, buildings,
vocations, tourism, management, etc. Let him show willingness to work with us,
and work alongside us, together as one, to rebuild, to develop, to initiate and
to share responsibility. If he fails to do this, then, I suggest, the
unfortunate possible demise of Mount St. Benedict may, to some extent, fall on
his shoulders.
Nigel
(Maybe the Abbot has his hands tied to the
will of the Incorporated Trustees of Mount Saint Benedict, Editor)
------------------------------------------------------------------------.
Father
Harold Imamshah <frharold12@gmail.com>
Apr 10 at
3:09 PM
I'm willing to sit
on any Pre-planning/brainstorming about such a School Concept as soon as we
can.
Fr. H
------------------------------------------------------.
Father
Harold Imamshah <frharold12@gmail.com>
Apr 10 at
3:01 PM
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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
<bermentmcdowald@yahoo.com>
Apr 10 at
2:59 PM
I believe that the
monks haven't quite come to terms with how special and relevant the kind of
education that they provided in my time is and how deeply under served and
important to society’s proper functioning the niche is.
The Abbey School's
approach unique to a centre of excellence (a model that the Dutch have great
familiarity with and is embedded in their culture) where multiple approaches to
teaching and education were evident and the multiple human intelligences were
nurtured (Arbour, the International School, Maple Leaf -- only to a degree)
with the context of the British boarding school developed further in the mode
of the "recently discovered" French residential academy -- a response
to the Marseilles Riots of 2009: creating extraordinary performers out of even
the poorest and slowest.
Abbot Pereira,
mistakenly points that the need no longer exists and is being adequately served
-- a mistake.
Learning by doing,
learning by mentoring, learning by playing, learning from experience -- sport,
scouting, recreating with one's tribe in the brush, gardening, woodwork, the
school plays, theatre, gardening etc. And not to forget some truly excellent teachers
inspired to serve --dedicated servants, lay and religious
I understand that
previous generations may have had a different experience and may not be able to
relate to all of my claims. I am certain that all needs and experiences can be
reconciled and served.
I want to repeat my
promise to be amongst the first to contribute $200,000.oo the cause of
the establishment of a new institution with the same mission as the Abbey
School and ask you all to make a pledge today in keeping with your individual
circumstances.
A new institution
with some connection to the community may contribute substantially to the
energising the monastery and I wonder if the call of the religious life and the
possibility of vocations are not better now than it ever was?
Yours sincerely,
Joe
Joseph
Berment-McDowald
------------------------------------------------------.
1:23pm Apr 10
Glen,
You summed it up
very well and I speak from personal experience of creating an informal
committee around 2005/6to 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 he 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
Abbott looks more tired and less interested then ever until he retires.
We don't money as
Fr HI says but I say we need LEADERSHIP.
Voila!
-------------------------------------------------------------------.
10:20am Apr 10
Dear
brothers,
I was a monk at MSB
and an Abbey School Teacher in the years when the large number of Venezuelan
boarders had been reduced to 3 in my time. There were still about approximately
40 + boarders and the Monastic Community were at pains to find ways to keep the
school open for the 100 or so boys. One solution was to employ more monk
teachers and pay out less in salaries; Br. Theodore already taught Technical
Drawing in both St. Bede's and Abbey School, Bro. Ronald took over the Library
from Fr. Edward Theunissen who was also a Seminary Professor (his cousin Fr.
Christopher had been Parish Priest in Mon Repos, then Carapichaima), both
cousins were the nephews of Fr. Bede who had originated the Tech- Voc School of
St. Bede's.
Bro. Dennis Hamid
came in to teach Gen. Science and Bro. Symeon Faria taught Geography and I
taught Art in Forms 2,3 & 4 as well as religion in Form 3 as well as led
the Choir which sang annually at the Prizegiving.
While I lived and
ministered in Louisiana over 13 years, I became aware of the loss of the Tapia
House, first seminary and monastic buildings before later wooden corridor when
the Tapia Buildings had to be demolished amid the public furore and outcry at
the loss of these heritage buildings. Finally I was to discover in
conversations with monks, that there was a lot of public outcry about the
demolition of these fragile and historic buildings. When I returned to Trinidad
(over 3 years now) and continued to visit the Mount and witnessed the decline
of some of the monastic property including the swimming Pool.
It would appear
that the monks had leased the Pool to an entity without much use or upkeep. The
Mount was more successful in securing the help of the Ministry of Education in
up grading St. Bede's and continuing the use of it as a Tech-Voc School.
One Abbot tried
with a Family for the Management of the Pax Gift Shop and when that couldn't
continue, another Abbot succeeded in remodelling and relocation a much finer
and well managed Pax Books and Gift Shop.
Is the Aqua Lads
and Lasses Pool something that Abbey Alumni can take on? we surely have the
interest, nostalgia...the Monastic Community numbered 36 in my day, now 9? 3
from other Monastic Communities?
Let's keep the
concern and this blog going with newer and fresh suggestions for improvements
for the re-building and refurbishment?
Abbot John
Perreira, current Abbot has spent months and months with WASA's astounding
assistance in the installation of new iron pipes bringing water from the hills
to the Monastery, Guest House and Seminary. Now he begins work this week for
the other Buildings at the Mount, the St. Peter's Home, the Carmelite Convent
and the houses below the Seminary who are tenants of the Mount with newer pipes
for water to their houses.
Please think of
lending supportive words (financial and moral and physical) assistance to Abbot
John, for all that he has achieved in his first and second terms as Abbot.
Sincerely,
Fr. Harold Imamshah
------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------
Photos:
11LK7266FBEDE,
Errol Dean
12LK2387FBDDV,
Dennis de Verteuil
48UN0001ABBOTELECTION, Fr Abbot´s first election
11LK0006FBCWH, Christopher Whiteman
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.