Newsletter
for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 7 of December 2013 No. 631
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Dear
Friends,
Closing
in on Christmas day, having passed Santa´s day, 6th of December.
Hope you
are well and manage to pass this month without too many headaches.
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Flyer
No. 3
ABBEY
SCHOOL, MOUNT SAINT BENEDICT, TUNAPUNA, TRINIDAD
REUNION
2014
Please complete and return urgently by email to: idmitch@anguillanet.com
Note:
This questionnaire is essential for determining the level of genuine interest
MY NAME:
1. How sure are you that you will be attending
the 2014 reunion in Trinidad?
a. sure;
b. not so sure;
c. can’t attend.
2. How important is the price of the event to
your attending?
a. very;
b. not very;
c not important at all.
3. If you are a Trinbagoian [only residents of
T&T will fill out this part] would you prefer:
a. to stay with the foreign boys; or would you
b. to commute daily to the events planned; or
c. not decided.
4.
If you are attending from overseas [only non-Trinidad residents fill out this
part] do you think that:
a. spouses
should form part of the affair;
b. should not
form part of the affair;
c. you will
only bring your spouse if that is the general consensus;
d. spouses
would be uncomfortable in this situation.
5. What are the most important things you would
like to do in Trinidad?
a. visit the beach;
b. long visit to the college and the Abbey;
c. meet the old boys of your generation;
d. do some shopping;
e. have a few with the guys;
f. have one big party sometime during the event;
g. list any other event you would like to see on the programme. .
. . . .
List them in order of preference, please.
6. Even if a little isolated, but will offer
transportation to key areas in Trinidad, would you prefer to stay at:
a. the seminary for approximately US 66 dollars a night; or
b. a centrally located hotel where there’s more to do, but may
cost more; or
c. friends or family.
7. How long do you think the event should last?
a. two days;
b. three days;
c. four days;
d. no longer than 4 days;
e. longer than 4 days.
8. Which month is better for you in 2014?
a. September is better;
b. October is better;
c. November is better.
9. What date of the month, due to your
commitments would you prefer to attend the event?
a. beginning of the month;
b. middle of the month;
c. end of the month.
10 Will your significant other be attending?
11 Any other comments/suggestions?
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Don Mitchell
Dec 6
Dear Nigel, Kazim and Glen,
The publicity campaign continues.
Grateful if the attached revised Questionnaire could be
circulated by Nigel and Glen to your Old Boys mailing list.
Kazim, if there is any way you can post it on the Facebook page,
I would be grateful.
If it is too long, perhaps you could post a note to all readers
to go to the Blog and download the questionnaire, fill it out, and return it to
me by email.
I have posted it on Ladislao’s Circulars Blog:
Please let me know if you have any question.
Don
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Glen Mckoy
My Dear Brother, Fr. Harold,
You are a True Monk, what a wonderful story of pure blood, sweat
& tears, my brother, you are a gift to us.
In you we have a Monk, a Father, a Teacher, a Knight, our
Brother.
Father, God has blessed this Club of Knights, for about 16 years
now.
I am so sorry to hear of some of our brothers passing away
lately.
Over the past few years, many of our younger brothers, left us at
such young ages, 30's, 40's 50's, friends my age, quite a few in my group, we
have had some major hits.
Now the older brothers, 67-77 yrs. old, seem to be smarter and
take better care of themselves, also more religious to some extent, also coming
from a more disciplined world, and it shows in this Club.
They are also at a more relaxed stage in their lives.
many retired and enjoying that peace and tranquility we all
seek.
The funny thing in this Club, is the older the brother, the more
intelligent he is, ha! ha!,
The one reunion I've ever been to, was in Toronto a couple of
years ago, not one guy from my time, but I felt like we were all there the same
time, I never met any of these guys before,
Sir Nigel, Sir George, Sir Cornel, Sir Freddy & Sir
Trevor, we were hugging when we were leaving, we never got to discuss any
serious stuff, as Sir Nigel had we laughing for at least 3 hours, ha! ha!
I can't even remember the music that was playing, the food was
good, what a good time, looking forward to doing it again. cheers.
I think you know Fr. Peter?
I don't know much about this Monk, but any time I saw him, I
would always go over and say hello Father, he would always say, God Bless You
My Son, after being blessed by this Monk,
I don't need no more blessings, he was a saint to me, I think
Freddy (Andres Freites) knew him well, I would like to know
more.
Now about the Rome statement I made, I am sorry, but I remember
one year an auditor came from Rome to the Mount, maybe around 1968, well that's
what we were told, is this just a story??
So that's where my statement came from.
Now you know the Benedictines, like the Jesuits Monks, did not always
see, eye to eye with Rome, but that is another story, ha! ha!
However, this new Pope, what a breath of fresh air, I hope he
stays for a long time, he has the vision, and the creative mind, to put a new
paint job on a very old wall, and he is connecting with the young generation
and understand these times, that they live in, as he knows, from Argentina
& South-America.
Father, I always talk too much, so I must stop and thank you now,
for sharing such a personal part of your life with us, in this letter, only
reassuring us, of what it takes, to be a True Knight.
As we walk in the Light, May God Bless Us All,
Amen.
I remain your humble Brother.
Cheers, Mis Amigos –
Adios, Glen McKoy. (A Member Of The Writers Of
Knights).
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Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2013 07:58:44 -0330
Subject: Re: FW: - THE OFFICIAL ANSWER ????
From: frharold12@gmail.com
Thank you Sir Glen, and all of you my Abbey brothers.
The more I write, reflect, and read within our Abbey Blog, the
more I remember.
When I was a monk, I did the brave thing and made it known that I
enjoyed teaching at the Abbey School and studying at the Seminary, since at
that time, the Community felt that these 2 tasks pulled the monks away from the
more inward looking and contemplative life.
I had been a Teacher before I entered Monastic Life at St.
Anthony's College and was the Dean of Form 4 there, so I brought experience and
was honoured to be asked by my Novice Master (and surprised) to join the Abbey
School Staff to help in the continuance of the School.
I set about building an Art Room and chose the room at the top of
the Building (above the Staff Room) where the Boarders would use the sinks
there to brush their teeth or wash their hands. I treasured this room because
there were windows on all sides and we had a wonderful view of the Caroni
plains, St, Augustine and besides we could see right into the Royal Palms in
front of the school.
I employed the help of a former Abbey student Fidel Rampersad who
joined the community the same year 1981 and together we created benches the
height of the sinks which we had now covered with 3/4 inch ply desk tops using the
taps below to create a slant, with a raised edge strip to the desk tops to
prevent pencils or paintbrushes from sliding off. The interior of the Art Room
was painted a bright yellow that really lit up the Room along with the
brilliant Art work of the young talented artists who also helped me form the
Annual Parang Choir that sang for the Prize giving in Benet Hall. (in their
resplendent red Parang shirts).
At that first time we sang and won the hearts of the Parents, the
Abbot President was visiting from Belgium and told the Community that he had
seen the new life and exuberance injected by the younger monks into the School
and he saw every reason to continue the school and encouraged us to keep
pouring new life into the School !
I had begun my Degree in Theology at the Seminary and Fr.
Augustine, our Sacristan had gone to Holland for almost a year and as his
Assistant, I had the job of opening and closing the Church, and putting out the
vestments for 10 - 12 Priests late at night or early in the morning, not to
mention, sweeping and cleaning the Church every Saturday with a Ministry to the
Poor.
My Seminary classes included some late Evening classes at UWI,
after which, since there was no transport running up and down the Hill after
6pm, if there was no fellow monk who could borrow an available car, we would
find ourselves walking up the Mount and getting home around 8:15pm to eat the
cold Supper that was left for us (thank God), cold or warm it was very welcome.
After several times at a UWI evening class, nodding and feeling
too exhausted to concentrate during the lecture, I finally went to Fr. Odo
(Assistant Novice Master and Dean of Studies at Abbey School) and said to him
that I just could not continue with Seminary classes each morning and Abbey
classes late mornings and afternoons and University classes on evenings, I had
to drop something and it would have to be the Teaching at Abbey school!
Fr. Odo urged me not to pull out that quickly, just bring him my
3 schedules, Seminary, Abbey and University. Fr. Odo, the Mathematician he is,
he very patiently merged all 3 schedules and expertly managed to re-locate my
Abbey school classes (Art and religion) (occasionally replacing Fr. Vincent's
Form V English, he was by now often absent and very ill with a debilitating
white blood cell difficulty).
I continued teaching Art and brought the boys into Form IV Art
and beginning the O' level course which by now had changed since I had sat it at
GCE. Fr. Odo paid for me to be trained during the Summer with other Art
Teachers, so that we could prepare the boys for the new Student based Assessment
Projects (like course work).
After 3 and a half years of this, I got an ulcer and could barely
stand in the classroom to teach religion (which was being supervised in the
classroom by a Seminary professor) (I got an A by the way); early in the Form
IV term I realized that I was being called to be a Diocesan Priest, but I would
not leave the boys stranded and went to see Sr. Anne Marie Rodriguez, the
Principal of St. Joseph's Convent, St. Joseph to ask her to let her Art Teacher
work part time with our boys when they got into Form V. Sister Anne Marie
agreed (generously) and when I left the Mount (ulcer and all) in July 1984, I
was happy that the boys were well prepared and were now in good hands.
I would miss the many hours I limed with the boarders after
school each day, to improve their prison-like days, with the occasional canned
coca-colas and pizzas. I am gradually re-connecting with some of them in Petit
Valley and their beautiful families and some on Facebook.
By the way my ulcer bled twice between 1996 and 2001 and was
finally and miraculously healed in 2009 without the very expensive purple pill
(Nexium). I worked and suffered for the small period of time of the History of
this great Alma Mater of yours and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Sincerely,
Fr. Harold
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From: amickiew@att.net
Subject: 1956-1962 THOSE FAMOUS SISTERS
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2013 06:03:55 -0500
Hi Ladislao;
Trying to add a bit of levity to the Circulars hoping that your
readers will add their memories.
In truth, these ladies played a great part in our imaginations,
hopes and dreams:
David Bratt – Carol and Julie?
Howard Ho – Pam, Gwen & Bernice and cousin Beatriz Fernandez
Farfan – Priscilla
Bernard Fontaine – Michelle
Azars – Venus
Nigel Boos - ????? I personally was infatuated with this
young lady whom I met in St Augustine at Howard Ho’s home
Nigel....Should we add them to the Database?
Glen....Perhaps you can create new stories about “The Ladies of
The Realm”....They need to be pure, clean and real!!!!!
THE BIG QUESTION: WHICH “BOYS” ENDED MARRYING A SISTER OF
ANOTHER “BOY”?
Trying to add a little spice, a new theme and a chain of future
letters.
May God bless all,
George
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Ladislao Kertesz at kertesz11@yahoo.com,
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Photos:
MSBAP21MI6512, Mount Inside
13LK7504LKEGRP, Dinner in Caracas, the
Arreazas
30614LK13FBRFA, Richard Farah
40073LK12FB, Manuel Prada
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