TONY’S TRAVELS
Tony Montfort, Director of Jesuit Missions, was invited to the ordination of the new bishop in Guyana. Tony’s visits are never that simple - much more happened. Just before Christmas I received an invitation to attend the ordination of the Most Reverend Francis Dean Alleyne OSB as Bishop of Georgetown, on Friday 30th January. Bishop Benedict Singh, who had been the bishop in Guyana for the past 32 years, had retired.
I jumped at the opportunity to visit Guyana again, and to meet up with the Jesuits and many other friends.
I set out and stopped off for two days in Barbados to acclimatise in the Caribbean, having left behind a cold, wintry Wimbledon. At the Jesuit parish I was warmly welcomed by my friend Michael Campbell-Johnston SJ, the parish priest. Fr Bernard Brown, now 90 years young, and Fr Leslie Kearney - only 85, were also staying there, enjoying three weeks rest - both in great form.
Then on the evening of January 26th, Fr Andrew Morrison died in the Mercy Hospital on Georgetown, aged 84. He had been unwell for the past two weeks. I had hoped to see him when I arrived on the 28th. Andy was one of the finest Jesuits in Guyana. For the past six years he had been the parish priest of Linden.
His death brought a great deal of sorrow to a great number of Guyanese, and numerous tributes were paid to him on TV and in the press. I was privileged to attend his Requiem Mass at the Sacred Heart Church on 29th, which was attended by thousands, who started queueing to get in some three hours before the Mass started. The President of Guyana, the Prime Minister, government ministers, Mrs Janet Jagan (wife of a former President) , and many of the diplomatic corps, came to pay their respects. The next day saw the installation of the new bishop in the cathedral. Bishop Francis was formerly the Abbot of the Benedictine Monastery in Trinidad. Fourteen archbishops and bishops came from all over the Caribbean. The VIP’s, who had attended the Requiem, were also present. It was a marvellous Mass, and preparations had been going on for the past few months to ensure that the whole diocese gave a wonderful welcome to their new bishop. I have never seen such and occasion. Please remember Bishop Francis in your prayers.
The next seven days gave me an opportunity to meet with all the Jesuits serving in the country, plus the diocesan clergy and the Sisters, thanks to my excellent host, Fr Harold Wong. A great deal of work is being done there and I was so happy that we here in Britain are doing so much to support their work. The new project in Berbice - the Guyana Human Development Multi-Purpose Centre - was officially opened by the President of Guyana on Christmas Day (cf page 6). Father Joe Chira, the Regional Superior of the Jesuits in Guyana, took me to this great new venture which will contribute towards the transformation of Guyana into a nation of reconciliation, peace, harmony and human progress. The centre is sponsored by the Jesuits of Guyana and will offer programmes based on faith, morals and pastoral care to young people, parents, teachers and students. I was very happy to meet Fr Oliver Rafferty, who is working in the interior of the country, with Frs Paul Martin and Peter Britt-Compton. They are doing great work with the Amerindians, and carrying on (and increasing) the efforts of the late Fr Fred Rigby.
The parish of St Pius X, in Georgetown, was one of the parishes I visited. Fr Joaquim de Melo is the Parish Priest, ably assisted by Dominic Tomuseni, a scholastic from Zimbabwe.
My short visit to Guyana came to an end far too quickly, and then I was off to Trinidad to visit the new Jesuit Formation House. It is attached to the large parish of St Theresa, where Malcolm Rodrigues SJ is the, newly appointed, parish priest. Fr Tony D’Souza is Superior of the community, Fr Eddy Bermingham, the Director of Studies, plus the three scholastics studying at St John Vianney Seminary in Port of Spain - Godfrey Veerasammy, Carl Philadelphia and Raphael Gonsalves. Medino Abraham, a second year novice, is also there. I received a great welcome from them all. Finally I returned to Barbados to spend five very pleasant days relaxing with Fr Michael C-J, a great host. There I was able to reflect on all I had seen, and to strengthen my resolve to continue to support the work of the Church in Guyana. Readers of Jesuits and Friends are always most generous towards the various appeals we place in the magazine; may I assure you of the gratitude of everyone in Guyana who remember you all in their prayers.
I jumped at the opportunity to visit Guyana again, and to meet up with the Jesuits and many other friends.
I set out and stopped off for two days in Barbados to acclimatise in the Caribbean, having left behind a cold, wintry Wimbledon. At the Jesuit parish I was warmly welcomed by my friend Michael Campbell-Johnston SJ, the parish priest. Fr Bernard Brown, now 90 years young, and Fr Leslie Kearney - only 85, were also staying there, enjoying three weeks rest - both in great form.
Then on the evening of January 26th, Fr Andrew Morrison died in the Mercy Hospital on Georgetown, aged 84. He had been unwell for the past two weeks. I had hoped to see him when I arrived on the 28th. Andy was one of the finest Jesuits in Guyana. For the past six years he had been the parish priest of Linden.
His death brought a great deal of sorrow to a great number of Guyanese, and numerous tributes were paid to him on TV and in the press. I was privileged to attend his Requiem Mass at the Sacred Heart Church on 29th, which was attended by thousands, who started queueing to get in some three hours before the Mass started. The President of Guyana, the Prime Minister, government ministers, Mrs Janet Jagan (wife of a former President) , and many of the diplomatic corps, came to pay their respects. The next day saw the installation of the new bishop in the cathedral. Bishop Francis was formerly the Abbot of the Benedictine Monastery in Trinidad. Fourteen archbishops and bishops came from all over the Caribbean. The VIP’s, who had attended the Requiem, were also present. It was a marvellous Mass, and preparations had been going on for the past few months to ensure that the whole diocese gave a wonderful welcome to their new bishop. I have never seen such and occasion. Please remember Bishop Francis in your prayers.
The next seven days gave me an opportunity to meet with all the Jesuits serving in the country, plus the diocesan clergy and the Sisters, thanks to my excellent host, Fr Harold Wong. A great deal of work is being done there and I was so happy that we here in Britain are doing so much to support their work. The new project in Berbice - the Guyana Human Development Multi-Purpose Centre - was officially opened by the President of Guyana on Christmas Day (cf page 6). Father Joe Chira, the Regional Superior of the Jesuits in Guyana, took me to this great new venture which will contribute towards the transformation of Guyana into a nation of reconciliation, peace, harmony and human progress. The centre is sponsored by the Jesuits of Guyana and will offer programmes based on faith, morals and pastoral care to young people, parents, teachers and students. I was very happy to meet Fr Oliver Rafferty, who is working in the interior of the country, with Frs Paul Martin and Peter Britt-Compton. They are doing great work with the Amerindians, and carrying on (and increasing) the efforts of the late Fr Fred Rigby.
The parish of St Pius X, in Georgetown, was one of the parishes I visited. Fr Joaquim de Melo is the Parish Priest, ably assisted by Dominic Tomuseni, a scholastic from Zimbabwe.
My short visit to Guyana came to an end far too quickly, and then I was off to Trinidad to visit the new Jesuit Formation House. It is attached to the large parish of St Theresa, where Malcolm Rodrigues SJ is the, newly appointed, parish priest. Fr Tony D’Souza is Superior of the community, Fr Eddy Bermingham, the Director of Studies, plus the three scholastics studying at St John Vianney Seminary in Port of Spain - Godfrey Veerasammy, Carl Philadelphia and Raphael Gonsalves. Medino Abraham, a second year novice, is also there. I received a great welcome from them all. Finally I returned to Barbados to spend five very pleasant days relaxing with Fr Michael C-J, a great host. There I was able to reflect on all I had seen, and to strengthen my resolve to continue to support the work of the Church in Guyana. Readers of Jesuits and Friends are always most generous towards the various appeals we place in the magazine; may I assure you of the gratitude of everyone in Guyana who remember you all in their prayers.