Circular No 753

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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Harold Imamshah                                      

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

Glen G. McKoy

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.

Harold Imamshah

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.

Harold Imamshah                                      

10 April 19:38

Jon Golding,

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.

Harold Imamshah                                      

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...

Jon Golding                                   

10 April 19:24

Sorry I disagree, if you don’t say something not nice but TRUE and necessary - say it!

Jon Golding                                   

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!

Glen Schaefer                                    

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.

Harold Imamshah                                      

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.

Harold Imamshah                                      

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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Salvador Coscarart

5 April 18:25

HELLOOOOOO, HOLAAAAAAAAA

Andres Freites                                

8 February 17:15

Hello my brothers, all Mount Boyers.. HeHe!!!

Glen G. McKoy                                

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.

Rafael Echeverria G                                 

8 February 16:48

Hello guys, long time I didn't 'hear' from you....

Glen G. McKoy                                

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.

Kazim Abasali                                

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

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Dear Old Boys,

Ladislao’s Circulars for the new year have started to go up.

http://abbeyschool2016circulars.blogspot.com/ 

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

Circular No 752

Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 3 of April 2016 No. 752

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Dear Friends:

dbratt@trinidad.net

Mummy + money = madness

In our increasingly psychotic society, the worth of a person is measured more and more by his or her assets. So everyone now works outside of the home.

The woman who works at home doesn’t get a pay check or a pension plan. We may say otherwise but the truth is that she is not looked upon as being of much value to society, despite the fact that the effects of her mothering on her child’s development makes an enormous contribution to that same society that rejects her. Rejects her for not having a life of her own, ie for staying home and taking care of her children.

Unfortunately, children from homes where the mother works outside the house, develop more behavioural problems than do children whose moms work at home. Behavioural problems that seem to make the child at risk for developing criminal behaviour.

In psychological terms, the primary need of an infant is to trust his environment.

This is completely dependent on a secure attachment to either his mother or father, as the main caregiver in his life. A baby who trusts his mother does not have to parent himself or to spend emotional energy looking for a parent. He can devote his time to developing his skills to enable him to become a reasonably effective human being.

A baby is at huge risk for not reaching his full potential developmentally if he is insecure in the arms of his mother or father.

Separation from the mother and, to a lesser degree, the father creates a tremendous sense of loss in the child until about the age of two to three years. Most people know this. Think back to how you felt when your mother left you at school for the first time. I was four years old and I promptly got up and ran home crying. Luckily I lived just down the road. How much worse it is for a six-month-old who has just attached firmly to the person he has shared an intimate physical and emotional bond for at least nine months. Talk about tabanca!

Under the age of two or three years, children are unable to understand the temporary nature of separation. For them there is no tomorrow. They live in the present. Every second of separation from the loved one is agony. This can create insecurity, hurt, anger and ultimately detachment. Insecure, hurt, angry and detached children can easily grow up to be dangerous men and women, because they have never learned to trust anyone.

How ironical that in this day and age when we are afraid to leave our home because we can no longer trust our fellow citizens, we cannot understand that lack of trust begins in childhood.

A working mother hires another woman to take care of her children, either at home or in a nursery. When she comes home to find the woman holding her baby, she feels reassured. What would she say if she came home to find the woman holding her husband?

This is not as unusual or infrequent as it sounds. Both relationships, mother-child and wife-husband, have many things in common: attachment, trust, physical intimacy, love. Both also suffer most from outside involvement.

You cannot pay someone to love your children. Mothers cannot be replaced by employees. Forget “quality time”. If “quality time” really counted, a husband could spend all day out with the boys and a measly half hour with his wife and she would be satisfied. And vice versa.

Mothering or fathering cannot be scheduled. Children have unexpected periods of stress and they need their parents then and there.

In our society where most children are mainly brought up by mothers, some special and dedicated women find ways to continue working outside their home and continue to be very involved in their children’s lives, either by taking the child with them or by visiting them, wherever they are, as often as possible. These women should be honoured in society.

Just like women who decide to stay at home for the first two years of their child’s life.

But women who work outside their home and take good care of their children are truly special. Not everyone can do this. Initially children, and later society, suffer the consequences of maternal deprivation.

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To:       kertesz12@icqmail.com

Subject:           Skinner

Date:   8/2/2004 4:50:06 PM

Dear Ladislao Kertesz,

I am John Skinner, My wife is Gill

John Edgar Martyn Skinner Career:-
1948 - 1951   Apprentice & Shift Superintendent
                         Sevens Ltd, Jamaica, West Indies
1951 - 1956   Premium Apprentice
                         Geo. Fletcher, Derby, England
1956 - 1959   Assistant Engineers
                         Grays Inn Certral, Annotto Bay, Jamaica
1959 - 1960   Assistant Engineers
                         Sevens Ltd, May Pen, Jamaica
1960 - 1963   Assistant Engineers
                         Ste Madeleine (Tate & Lyle), Trinidad
1963 - 1964   Technical Estimator
                         Fletcher & Stewart, Derby, England
1964 - 1965   Assistant Installation Engineer
                         Bacita, Northern Nigeria
1965 - 1967   Contracts & Projects Engineer
                         Fletcher & Stewart, Derby, England
1967 - 1071   Quality Engineer
                          Rolls Royce, Derby, England
1971 - 1977    Senior Project Engineer
                          Fletcher & Stewart, Derby, England
1977 - 1984    Senior Quality Engineer
                          Internation Combustion, Derby, England
1984 - 1985    Senior Project Engineer
                          Scomack Eng. Ltd. England
1985 - 1987    Inspection & Quality Audit Engineer
                          Renniks Q A Services, Derby, England
1988 -              Suffered a Stroke in February 1988
             Right sided was weak &  Speech difficulties (I could speak)

Robert David Marc Skinner was my Son.
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Father Harold Imamshah

Dec 21, 2013

The Exorcisms and minor exorcisms (deliverances) continued in my days as a monk and I did witness one or 2 episodes when asked to be part of the Prayer team.

I learnt much from Fr. Leo Van Lleuwen before he died and put much of his advice (and that of Bishop John Mendes who was trained by him) in later years in this Exorcism/Deliverance Ministry in Ohio, Louisiana, Michigan and Mexico and in one case in Haiti.

Guys, let me invite you this Christmas to put aside 10 minutes starting from the time you read this email, each day for the next 9 days at Noon or 6pm to pray for an increase in vocations to the Monastic Life, so that our dear Monastery could continue to be a Centre for prayer for the Trinidad and Tobago and the rest of the Caribbean.

God bless you and your families this Christmas; I will remember you in my Christmas Masses at the Church of the Nativity, Crystal Stream and St. Anthony's, Petit Valley. 

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From: "Gittens, Peter W."

Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 10:49:11 -0600

Greetings, fellow alumni of the Abbey School:

I attended the Abbey School from 1956-1961. I was one of the (junior) seminarians.

I did not become a priest, but I was ordained a permanent deacon in 1984.

From 1970 to 2001 I worked in Canada in Catholic Education both in the Hamilton and Guelph areas.

I retired in 2001 and moved to warn and spicy Louisiana, only to become busier than in my previous life in Ontario.

Today I live in Harvey, Louisiana (a suburb of New Orleans), and work full-time as an associate professor of Philosophy and Theology at Our Lady of Holy Cross College in New Orleans, Louisiana.

I also teach Philosophy at the local Seminary (Notre Dame Seminary) in New Orleans.

It was good to view the photos on the web pages, rekindling many fond memories of some of our "beloved" Benedictine teachers.

Sincere best wishes to all,

Peter Gittens.

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Date: Fri, 8 Nov 2002 15:14:09 -0600

Dear Ladislao,

Sorry about the delay in replying to your e-mail. The last few days were very hectic and disruptive with a lot of travel to other cites, which caused me to neglect e-mail correspondence.

My exit year from the Abbey School was 1961. It seems so long ago, that I have forgotten a lot of the people I was in class with. Unfortunately, I have not kept in touch with any one. When he was alive, I would run into Ernest Castillo in Toronto, and now and then someone would mention the name of Robert Elias, and his music.

I was in class with Robert Elias.

I may have some old black and white pictures at my house in London, Ontario.  When next I am in Canada I will rummage through them so see what I can find, and will certainly scan file them to you.

Meanwhile, thanks for the Circulars.

Sincerely,

Peter Gittens

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On 2-Apr-09, at 12:22 PM, Gittens, Peter W. wrote:

Nigel,

I am retiring from teaching in the  USA and will be living in  Burlington,  Ontario .

I took possession of our new house in  Burlington on Feb. 27 and ever since I have been commuting every week from  Burlington to  New Orleans (weekends in  Burlington) until the end of the academic year at the end of April.

I will resume my old position as an adjunct professor of Theology at St. Augustine Seminary in  Toronto .  I am scheduled to teach a Moral Theology course starting on July 7.

When you update the Data Bank, my new address is

4625 Simmons Road

Burlington  ON    L7M 0J3

Home phone: 289 313-0648

e-mail:  pgittens1@gmail.com

 NB:  I think my years at the Abbey as shown on the data bank are not correct.  I was there from 1956 to 1961

He can be reached at the Diocese of Hamilton for any questions on becoming a Deacon., or how to implement a program similar to what Peter is working to attract new and retired followers

pgittens@hamiltondiocese.com

(905) 528-7988 x2258

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Permanent Deacon Dr. Peter Gittens PhD

He is responsible for the Permanent Deacon Program in Hamilton Diocese. He was born in St. Lucia and educated in a minor seminary in Trinidad before going to Rome to finish his formation for the priesthood.

Before being ordained, Peter decided against ordination and left the seminary. Later he married and when the opportunity to become a deacon arose this was a natural fit for him.

Deacon Peter has been a professor at the St. Augustine Seminary and is now in charge of the education of those studying for the class of 2016 in Hamilton.

The deacons in training go to Hamilton once a month for their studies, often, along with their wives.

We wish Deacon Peter all the best in his new role in the Diaconate program in Hamilton Diocese. God Bless You!

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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz, 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:

14PG0001PGI, Peter Gittens new photo, the elusive Deacon

86PG0001PGIPOPE, Peter Gittens and Pope John Paul II

05PZ0001PZE, Paul Zeven, the elusive businessman

09LK8993FBAL, Allen Keith