18.2.06

Circular No 224





Newsletter for Alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 18 of February 2006. No. 224
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Dear Friends,
In my last Circular there was news on the BLOG that Don Mitchell set up in the WEB.
Great job Don! This way if you want to see the full edition of the Circular with photos and all, you just have to get into the Blog and “listo”.
Now I would like to make a short note for those that write, I need your comments to keep the Circular going, so please keep up with the Blog, but remember to write to the Circular.
This is true for you Don, I am a bit late all this year, because of the workload, but because I want to keep the Circular going, I might miss some datelines but you can be assured that until there is news, the newsletter is going to be a weekly affair.
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From: "Don Mitchell. CBE, QC" <idmitch@anguillanet.com>
Subject: circulars
Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2005 17:53:55 -0400

Hello Ladislao,
There is not much of a story in the award of the CBE.
I really do not know the reason for it.
Many others do much, much more and get no recognition at all.
The citation that the Governor read out at the ceremony in September involved a lot of stuff that I did over the years.
It would embarrass me to have to repeat it.
Let us just say that it is the sort of thing the British do so well just before you die of old age.
I do have a photo.
In fact there are several photos.
They are on my photo album website in the album called "CBE Award Ceremony September 2005".
To see it go to the website www.clubphoto.com and enter my email address in the box where you are asked.
You will come to all my albums.
They are listed in alphabetical order and you choose the right one.
[I have been collecting all the better Mount photos gleaned from your Circulars on the same website as you will see.]
As I have previously written, Maggie and I are now retired back to Anguilla.
I do not own a law book and have no office.
I do the odd job for any government department or agency that needs a second independent opinion on some question.
I also help family, old friends and clients who need a little legal assistance.
The only condition I impose is that they must promise me they do not expect a bill.
We have reopened our house that had been shut up since August 1999.
We have moved back in and are busy rebuilding the gardens and making sure everything works.
Our guest shack [two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms] still awaits visits from old Mount boys passing nearby who can make a diversion to Anguilla.
One of the activities that are keeping me busy at the moment is scanning all my thousands of photos into my computer.
I am saving them in .jpg format at a high enough resolution for printing, hopefully, and not just for email purposes.
I am not sure what I will do with them.
I have been vaguely thinking of writing an autobiographical work of some kind.
There is not much to write about in such a book, so I am thinking of calling it "A Life Not Worth Writing About."
It will be mainly pictures and not words.
I have just today come back from Jamaica where I went to speak to a meeting of West Indian lawyers in a regional organisation called the Organisation of Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Associations (OCCBA).
It was good to see the old island again.
I remember your visiting us there so many years ago!
On Thursday I go to Antigua to conduct an enquiry at the request of the Prime Minister into an allegation of conflict of interest on the part of the members of a public service utility.
It is politically a bit sensitive, as you will find for yourself if you Google "APUA Antigua board".
The following week I go to Nevis to talk to some more lawyers in a different organisation about some new developments.
For four weeks over Christmas I have six house guests!
By January I will need a vacation!
All the best,
Don
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From: ladislao kertesz
To: Don Mitchell, CBE, QC
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 11:29 PM
Subject: Re: circulars

Dear Don,
And your dues?? How about a short essay on your CBE??
You have not mentioned it in any of you emails.
I need photos, and the whole story.
God Bless
Ladislao
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"Don Mitchell, CBE, QC" <idmitch@anguillanet.com> wrote:

Hello Rafael,
I have been having computer problems, so have not been in touch for a while.
I have just seen in Circular No 199 that you may be still missing some back issues.
Are there any I can send to you?
Don
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Don Mitchell CBE QC wrote:

I have now posted Nos 218, 219, and 220 on this Blogger site for you to see how they look. All the best, Don
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INSTRUCTION FOR THE BLOG
You have been invited by Don Mitchell CBE QC to join a blog called
Abbey
School, Mount Saint Benedict
Blogger is a free service for easily communicating and sharing ideas on the web.
Next Steps:
1. Please follow the link below. If you do not follow this link, you will not be able to logon to the correct blog.
http://msbtunapuna.blogspot.com/
[Cut and paste the URL into your browser. Alternatively, click on the live link on the email message immediately below. These instructions only work if this invitation has been sent directly to you by Don. They do not work on a mailing list such as this one.]
2. If you already have a Blogger account, you will be asked to either accept of decline this invitation.
3. If you do not have a Blogger account, you can create one for free in less than a minute.
Just click the link and press the 'Create an Account' button.
Thanks!
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From: "Don Mitchell CBE, QC" <idmitch@anguillanet.com>
Subject: Ladislao's circulars
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 22:46:16 -0400

I posted No 217 as an experiment by emailing it to the Blog site instead of copying and pasting it as a Word document as I had done for the previous ones.
I found that allowed the links in Ladislao's text to appear live.
See it at: http://msbtunapuna.blogspot.com/
Any other suggestions for improvement welcome.
Don
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From this exchange there seems to be a need to identify yourself as a Mount boy. You could maybe mention the class year?? Fr Bernard??
I shall look in the Blog as soon as I manage to clean the backlog of emails that I have since Xmas 2005.
Sorry but rest assured that all that have written are going to be responded and placed in a Circular.
The last number taken up is 231 that is going to be on Dion Fakoory.
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From: "Don Mitchell CBE, QC" <idmitch@anguillanet.com
Subject: Website
Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2006 11:03:35 -0400

Hello Ladislao,
Please apologise to Gyuris Attila for my having prevented him from joining, and tell him that if he re-tries, I shall not disconnect him.
I guess that many people will be joining the site now that you have publicised it in the Circular.
Anyone gaining permission to join as a member will be able to post what they choose without my being able to prevent them.
They may post offensive stuff.
I shall be careful to add only persons I recognise to be Mount Boys.
Of course, I shall always be able to delete offensive stuff once it has been published.
All the best,
Don
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From: ladislao kertesz
To: Don Mitchell CBE, QC
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2006 9:37 AM
Subject: Re: website

Dear Don,
It is Gyuris Attila an old boy form California, US.
God Bless
Ladislao
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"Don Mitchell CBE, QC" <idmitch@anguillanet.com> wrote:

Hello Ladislao,
Someone called "guris" accepted your invitation to join the website.
I assume that is not you, and I have deleted it as it must be someone who is not authorised.
If it was really you, I apologise, and please join again, but this time tell me it is you!!
All the best,
Don
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Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2006 08:41:00 +0800
From: "Elspeth O'Connor" peth99@optusnet.com.au
Subject: Cheque

Can you let me know the Mt. St. Benedict address of the bank in the U.S. and the account number so I can send you the cheque to your address.
Thanks.
Richard
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From: "Edward Watson" <edward.watson@perfectpower.co.tt>
Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2006 12:32:10 -0400

HI Ladislao,
I always enjoy the Photos I don’t really have any problems with the size of my “Box”
However I have a dial up connection and any thing over 1-1.5 MB takes forever to down load.
So once the attachments do not exceed 1-1.5 MB I’m cool
Ed Watson
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REMEMBER TO PAY YOUR DUES, 50 WORDS PER YEAR, OR SEND A CHECK preferably from any U.S. Bank, to my address,: sorry but under the new laws of Venezuela, I cannot receive or send foreign currency, if caught I can be placed in jail for 3 years on the first offence, so please sent it direct to the Bank of America account of Ladislao Kertesz 02181 09151, Santa Barbara, California, USA.
For those that prefer this way to cooperate with the Circular and the expense that this generates. It is 52 issues per year.
God Bless
Ladislao
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Photos in this issue:
2005DM0001DMICBE, Don Mitchell CBE ceremony
2005DM0002DMICBE, Don Mitchell CBE ceremony
1961UN0001EDIMSB, New Refectory
2004UN001CGYMSB, Fr.Abbot and clergy
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Posted by at No comments:

11.2.06

Circular No 223





Newsletter for Alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 11 of February 2006. No. 223
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Dear Friends,
Here is a wonderful idea from Don Mitchell and friends.
Please read their interchange:
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From: "Blogger Invites" <no-reply@blogger.com>
Subject: Blogger blog invitation from Don Mitchell CBE QC
Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2006 18:38:03 -0800 (PST)
Don Mitchell CBE QC wrote:
I have now posted Nos 218, 219, and 220 on this Blogger site for you to see how they look.
All the best,
Don
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You have been invited by Don Mitchell CBE QC to join a blog called Abbey School, Mount Saint Benedict.
Blogger is a free service for easily communicating and sharing ideas on the web.
Next Steps:
1. Please follow the link below. If you do not follow this link, you will not be able to logon to the correct blog.
http://www.blogger.com/i.g?invID=6435783724211495802&hl=en
Note: If this link wraps in your email (not all of it is on one line) copy and paste the entire link into your browser's location bar. Be sure to include characters that may have wrapped to the next line.
2. If you already have a Blogger account, you will be asked to either accept of decline this invitation.
3. If you do not have a Blogger account, you can create one for free in less than a minute. Just click the link and press the 'Create an Account' button.
Thanks!
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From: "Jon Golding" <jongolding@tstt.net.tt>
To: "Don Mitchell CBE, QC" <idmitch@anguillanet.com>
Subject: Re: Mount Website
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2006 17:08:49 -0500
Don,
Bravo! Good work following this up!
I have several additional photos for posting when you are ready. A great one of Father Francis conducting the Prep A choir in about 1956 with all the usual suspects looking innocent - but we know better!
By the way Fr Francis died recently.
I have a good article in the TT Catholic News which I can scan and send in.
Regards
Jon
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From: "Don Mitchell CBE, QC" <idmitch@anguillanet.com>
To: "David E. Bratt" <dbratt@trinidad.net>
Subject: Mount Website
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2006 17:26:15 -0400
We can start a brand new free website at no cost to us if we use one of the free hosters such as Google Groups or Blogger. They are idiot-proof and any one of us with the capacity to press a keyboard key could run it [it only took me a year to learn!!].
Of course, they are not as fancy as on of the professionally designed ones that we had before.
The pain would be posting all the pages all over again.
Fortunately, I expected this to happen, and saved them all on my computer.
So, at least we have the data saved.
I am sure many of the others did the same!
Don
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From: David E. Bratt
To: Don Mitchell CBE, QC
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 4:37 PM
Subject: Re: Mount Website
What does it take to start from scratch?
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From: Don Mitchell CBE, QC
To: David E. Bratt MD
From: "Don Mitchell CBE, QC" <idmitch@anguillanet.com>
To: "David E. Bratt MD" <dbratt@trinidad.net>
Subject: Mount Website
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2006 15:56:25 -0400
Hello David,
No, I cannot take over the site as I do not have rights.
A stranger cannot come into the picture and take over someone else's website.
I do not know if anyone even knows who has the rights.
Tony Johnson started it, then de Marothy was going to take it over from him.
But, he never told us if he succeeded.
Some changes were made to the site after he said he would take it over, but only minor ones on the home page, on one occasion several years ago, and then nothing.
I am afraid that in the event that whoever has control will not do anything to rescue the site, we must prepare to start from scratch.
For Ladislao's Circulars, I have added the photos to the blog [now that I have found an easy way to do so].
I have only posted the last No 220, and it has the full circular.
It can be viewed at: http://msbtunapuna.blogspot.com/
I can easily post any others that might usefully be posted.
Don
(Maroth de Marothy has all the WEB´s information as he is the last Webmaster and did pay for the hosting. Ed.)
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From: David E. Bratt MD
To: Don Mitchell CBE, QC
Cc: David
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 2:48 PM
Subject: RE: Mount Website
Can YOU restart it?
I will contribute financially or otherwise if needed,
Dave
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From: "Don Mitchell CBE, QC" <idmitch@anguillanet.com>
Subject: Mount Website
Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2006 09:10:12 -0400
I don't know if anyone noticed.
I attempted to visit the long-dormant Mount website, and found the following message:
"This domain name expired on 01/28/2006 and is pending renewal or deletion."
What a shame!!
Any suggestions?
I am trying to redo the blog site that I started some time ago, but had given up on.
Ladislao's latest Circular is posted on it.
It is at: http://msbtunapuna.blogspot.com/
We must be able to get Ladislao to easily post his Circulars on one site and have everyone visit at their own convenience and download the message and photos or just read it on the site, as they wish.
He could put many more photos up with each message that way.
There would be no limit to how long each post could be.
Best of all, Ladislao would only have to co-ordinate writing the thing, and would not also have to worry about posting it out to us.
Mind you, I would like to think that he has a patient assistant who does all the boring work!
All the best,
Don
(Sorry, Don, I do the work from scratch to the mailing. Ed.)
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From: Art & Val Knaggs <av_knaggs@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 3, 2005 8:22 PM
To: mikeandval@dsl.pipex.com
Subject: Mount Old Boys
Dearest Mike & Val,
Roses (Knaggs) Eckel and I have been exchanging adventures, and she mentioned crossing your paths recently, so I took the liberty of scrounging your e-mail address from her.
Time flies, and here we are in the Autumn of our youth still ploughing along on our fabulous journey of life, and really savouring (as best we can) every moment, and every step of the way.
Every day is not always good day, yet life's voyage is a blend of attitude, aptitude and balance, with a sprinkling of laughter and good humour, and saturated in love and caring (always with our eyes and hearts lifted up towards He who guides us).
As I reflect on those wondrous days at the Mount, I seem to remember a nick name like "Donkey mane" and guess it came from the length of your hair (and no other extremity.
Don't know if you are aware (all the way up in the frozen North Sea, Aberdeen) but the younger generation have taken over the Olympic Easter Candle of the Abbey School, and have continued the race of drawing together and binding the various Years of Scholastic Wisdom, by putting out a weekly Bulletin which covers the goings-on of all the past students they can wrangle together.
Ladislao Kertesz of Venezuela, heads the group of enthusiasts working on this project, and I have taken the liberty of passing on your name so that you can be involved as a recipient of the various individuals that shared the spirit and wonder of the Monastery and the lives of the fabulous Priests and Brothers who dedicated their time, talent and treasure in moulding us into what we have become today.
If you can spare a few moments to update us on a brief synopsis of your journey, it would be a fantastic contribution to all those exposed to it I am sure.
I was at Mount from 1944 to 1949, and am retired now for about 8 years, having moved to Canada in 1978.
We have 6 off-spring, in our alphabetical way, A, B and C are in our area of Nova Scotia; D is in New Brunswick; E is in Sheffield, England; and F is in Tobago (her Husband Iain Mac Kinnon is with High Ropes and works on the Offshore Rigs in the North Sea (or whereever else they send him).
We have 9 Grans and another on the way; and love the snow (especially when we leave it and venture down to the W.I.
So do drop us a line, and if there are any other Old Boys hovering around your area, please 'sook' me onto them so we can make contact.
Just got hold of Vitalis Gomes, Earl Kayne, and the younger Tyrone Soodeen, along with Trevor Evelyn (who is computer challenged - so no e-mail).
Love to Val, and look forward to hearing from you.
Love and fondest regards,
Art & Val
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REMEMBER TO PAY YOUR DUE, 50 WORDS PER YEAR, OR SEND A CHECK preferably from any U.S. Bank, to my address:
Ladislao Kertesz
Apartado 69072
Caracas 1062A Venezuela
For those that prefer this way to cooperate with the Circular and the expense that this generates. It is 52 issues per year.
God Bless
Ladislao
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Photos in this issue:
2004LK0001HAHPLC, Hector Ahow, in Puerto La Cruz.
1954UN0001EDIMSB, Shop.
2002UN0001FHIGRPMBA, Fr.Hilderbrand Greene and Bro. Paschal.
2004UN0001CFEUSF, Chritopher Ferguson 2004
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Posted by at 1 comment:

4.2.06

Circular No 222




Newsletter for Alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 4 of February 2006. No. 222
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Dear Friends
I am taking this opportunity to again include a few notes, maybe old but from these you might note the life at, Benedictine Monastery in Bartica, Guyana, they need your help.
As I always say, the Circular´s Forum is open to all, so use it.
I know everyone wants to be in the next issue but that is impossible because of the organization that I have set up.
All news that is long enough and interesting is given a consecutive number and that might be two months on the run. As of now the next free number is the No. 238. That would carry some of Andres Larsen´s memoires on his stay.
If I can insert a small story, yes, there is always space.
Since I have no plans to retire, and the situation stays the same, after work I sit down and relax while I try to make the Circular as interesting as possible.
It is good that some of those that have been prolific writers in the 2002 have taken some slack, this way they have let the new kids take some weight as to the stories. Now do not take it wrong, I need at least a once a year intervention of at least 50 words. So be nice and make comments or amplify the stories that are being told.
Help with the name of the oldboys in the photos! Some do not remember how they looked when young.
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From: "Guyana Benedictines"
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 18:16:56 -0300
Dear Lazslo,
Peace!
Thanks for your on-going articles about the Mount.
Two notes:
1. Fr. John Chrysostom Lee Sing (notice, no 'h' in the spelling of Sing; it's Chinese not Indian).
2. Bro. Robert (Wilfred) John left the monastery, got married, fathered a family.
Then his wife died of cancer and he went back to the Seminary and was ordained a Diocesan Priest two years ago.
Isn't that something?
All the best,
Bro. Paschal Jordan, OSB
(Joined 17 Aug. 1964; professed 08 Sep. 1966; sent to Guyana to open a new monastery, 16 Dec. 1988 together with Fr. Maurus Superville - who has since left and married an Amerindian lady, and returned to Trinidad.)
(Thank you for the information, please keep us with the news. Ed.)
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Date: Sat, 16 Oct 2004 16:08:49 -0700 (PDT)
To: "Guyana Benedictines"
Dear Friends
I hope Tony Vieira has cruised up to the Monastery this year?
I have taken note on the names.
I would like you to comment on the clergy that was not in the photo.
Also a two liner on the whereabouts of those mentioned in the photo.
I believe that the Anniversary issue should be revised, please do.
I need a similar resume for the Guyana Monastery, where can I get the information??
Please send the latest photo of the congregation for that article!
I need the date of the Anniversary celebration.
God Bless
Ladislao
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De: Tony Vieira [tandjv@networksgy.com]
Fecha: 18/01/ 10:56:19
Cheers Laszlo,
Some months ago when I visited the new Benedictine Monastery on the Essequibo River in Guyana, I was introduced to the Abbot of Mount St. Benedict at the time, father Francis Alleyne, photographed here on my left.
On my right is father Hildebrand Green the former Abbot of Mount St. Benedict a Guyanese who left Trinidad to establish a Benedictine Monastery here in the Guyana hinterland.
Notwithstanding that I was happy to meet and speak to the current Abbot of MSB, and incidentally he is younger than I am, I did find his presence at this remote area strange, and neither he or Fr. Hildebrand told me that he was here to get a first hand look at the country he was soon to be made Bishop of.
I was reminded of this incident and the photograph when I read the interview with the new Abbot of the Mount in circ. 115.
Anyway I want to welcome Bishop Alleyne to Guyana, and I hope to take part in some significant way in the ceremony, soon to be performed, making him so.
Sadly as is the case with the monastery in Trinidad, which now has only 13 monks, the Monastery in Guyana has been unable to attract any new Monks in the 13 years they have been operating here.
Just as sadly is the fact that the new Abbot in Trinidad in his interview with Catholic News is predicting that the monastery there will in all probability soon fold up due to its inability to attract new members.
The school has gone and now it appears that the monastery itself is in danger of following the school into oblivion.
I am not sure, what, if anything, can be done since clearly we cannot force anyone to take up that hard, thankless, lonely life but it will be tragic if they do not find a way to sustain the Abbey by attracting new vocations.
I gave you the web site www.tonyvguy.com so that someone who was asking for my commentary on Egypt/Venezuela can see it in its entirety.
I think that it might have been be Manuel Prada.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and all the old mount boys a happy new year.
Tony Vieira
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Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 09:33:31 -0300
HI my name is Simone Vieira and I am married to Anthony Vieira's brother Eddie....don't know how I ended up with your email but I did....they are all home numbers ... will find their email addresses and send them on to you saw you were looking for a Clive Vieira ... I think he lives in Canada ...sometimes I get FWs with his name on it will send on to you when they come again.........
Terry John is an uncle and lives next door to me .....
If you can’t get through to them on the phone email me letters to them with your contact address etc and I will have them delivered to their homes............
(Dear Simone, I have lost contact with
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From: Tony Vieira
To: ladislaokertesz@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 06:31:59 -0700
Cheers Ladislao,
I have been given an email which I found quite astonishing, after all of these years, imagine a couple of old mount boys attempting to communicate with each other.
I have virtually lost track with everyone, we came from every part of the compass anyway didn't we? I did go back to the Mount in 2000 august and found that the school no longer existed, and was now a rehabilitation facility for drug users, the pool was empty, the field and tennis courts were unkept, there were huge gates presumably to keep the druggies in, so I did not even get the opportunity to walk around the place.
Just as well perhaps, it was depressing enough to see the place in that condition, my new born baby was very sick at the time and she was in the mount Hope Hospital so I went into to the Abbey to say a prayer, they have kept that well, I ran into this old priest Father Benedict [says that they named the place after him] he told my wife that he used to teach me science, but I did not make the connection until we were driving down the hill, then the old bulb came on "of course" I said to my wife Jewel "Father Voosh".
Over the years I have met Joe Azar, Puds Laquis and Brendon Gurley.
I go to Trinidad quite frequently now two, three times a year I have a business association with Ken Gordon CCN and I have a friend Dr. Omar Khan who is head of the radiology department at Mt. Hope hospital.
Does anyone know where Edward Lloyd is? he was the closest thing approaching a friend I had at the place and Enrique Manuel Castells where is he? and what happened to Joel Guy Blandin?
I am very interested in what you are doing and I would be very happy to take part.
Let me know if I can help in any way.
As far as the scout band is concerned I think that I vaguely remember most of the boys especially Stephen Clark, Pablo Figuera, Manuel Prada and Nigel Boos, Boos I remember for his name it is such an unusual one.
Tony Vieira.
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Another resume by Anthony Viera 1 June 2002
Ladislao,
I read your circular, nice piece but no award.
It´s my turn now, one of my not so fond memories of the Mount, was the teasing I got, especially from the Trinidadians about my naiveté about so many matters and I have to tell you, that I had lived such a sheltered life that my ignorance was profound, of course BoBo telling me that I will never amount to much did not help, does anyone remember that I got expelled for telling one of the cooks in the refectory that the boys don't mind the horse meat, but they object to the saddle.
The best book in the library was "The Last Frontier" written by I think Dennis Weatley about the Duc De Richelieu, and "Reach For the Sky" about the British pilot during WW 11 who had no legs, the Germans are still trying to figure that one out, "The Great Escape" was also in there.
All have been made into movies.
The library was a 4ft by 8 ft operation [located where you said it was above the driveway and opposite the entrance to the big dorm] which was filled with Agata Christie, Dennis Weatley, St. Francis of Assisi, nursery rhymes etc, guess any book worth reading would have had the boys heading for the nearest toilet, anyone remember Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple. etc from those books.
Reading a book per month is no big deal, reading that lot at the mount was pure torture.
Of course my favourite mount story were the showers, 16 boys at a time, 2 minutes to get wet [turn off] one minute to soap up [turn on] two minutes to wash off, the five minute pause that refreshed.
Up to this day I don't spend more than 6 minutes in the shower.
Where is Leon Alves, I don't see him listed anywhere, that moron and my brother Joe Vieira pushed the entire Pax honey bee hive installation down the hill into St. Agustin, we did not get our weekly movie for one month.
Hildebrand Green who was the very tall priest and who became Abbot is back in Guyana and has started a Benedictine order on the Esequibo river.
Tony
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Here is an old one, the first email from Tony Vieira
From: Tony Vieira
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 07:10:24 -0400
Cheers Ladislao,
I am Tony Vieira, I live in Guyana I saw the photograph with Enrique Castells do you have his email?
I have been in contact with Don Mitchell, it would be great to communicate with Enrique.
The years have been kind to me, I have however not been kind to myself, I am probably the most obnoxious character in the country,
Unfortunately for the government who are the ones which consider me so, I am very resourceful, pretty fearless AND the most important media man in the place, if not the most controversial.
Vieira Communications Ltd. which I founded in 1982 pioneered television in Guyana, we now have a television network an FM station and an Evening News, not to mention my personal political commentaries, one of which I am attaching to give you an idea of what this country has become after years of mismanagement.
Tony.
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Old letters written 20 years ago.
St. Hyaninthes, April 22nd 1983.
Dear Arthur
Thanks for sending me O.A.S.I.S.
It´s really nice to hear about you and many of the old boys and the priest from Mt. St. Benedict we knew so well 30 years ago! (Time can really fly away).
I have been working for the past 18 years with the ministry of agriculture, Quebec government, as a plant pathologist involved in research work on plant diseases of major crops.
Research is fascinating and one cannot do otherwise than enjoy doing this type of work.
I hope we’ll have a chance to meet soon (if ever I recognize you!.) when ever you get a chance to come back to Montréal at Raymond’s or J.D.´s homes.
Best regards
Allain
P.S. Enclosed is my check for subscription to O.A.S.I.S. and congratulations with the wonderful job you are doing for all of us.
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April 27, 1983.
Dear Bro. Rusald
Thank you for your continued support from the correspondence line.
Your last letter missed this bulletin.
Have enclosed letters for:
Fr. Mendes
Fr. Compton.
Fr. Alimus
Where are they now, do you their addresses.
Send photograph of new Abbot Hildebrand with sting made up.
Must of us did not know of his appointment.
Any great college successes in Sport that I can record?.
Art.
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REMEMBER TO PAY YOUR DUE, 50 WORDS PER YEAR, OR SEND A CHECK preferably from any U.S. Bank, to my address,: sorry but under the new laws of Venezuela, I cannot receive or send foreign currency, if caught I can be placed in jail for 3 years on the first offence, so please sent it direct to the Bank of America account,
Ladislao Kertesz
Apartado 69072
Caracas 1062A Venezuela
For those that prefer this way to cooperate with the Circular and the expense that this generates. It is 52 issues per year.
God Bless
Ladislao
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Photos in this issue:
2004LK0001GHOIFAAFR, Gabriel Hoefle, Isaias Farcheg, Andres Freytes
1961UN0001ALTMSB, Altar Church
2004TV0001HGRGRPBCA, Fr.Hildebrand Greene and group.
The garden of Eden .doc
ATTACHMENT
A GARDEN OF EDEN IN GUYANA: BY FELIX EDINBOROUGH
As you glance to the west, across the two-mile wide Mazaruni River, you espy the setting sun gently dipping behind the Guyana State Prison, where, on every second Sunday morning, Fr Hildebrand Greene shares spiritual reflections with the eager inmates. To the south up river, you look toward a wide expanse of rusty-coloured fresh water; and that mound you discern in the distance is an island in the middle of it all.
Swing your gaze in the opposite direction and you witness the tidal flow of the vast Essequibo River wending its sometimes choppy way towards the sea, widening as it approaches the horizon.
Turn to the east and you are confronted by a jungle trail, (barely wide enough to accommodate a pick up van) which vanishes into thick verdant tropical forest. You are here, at the Benedictine monastery in Bartica, Guyana, at the kissing of the mighty waters of the Mazaruni, Essequibo and Cuyuni rivers.
In 1988, a small contingent of monks from Mount St Benedict, Trinidad, Br Paschal Jordan and Fr Maurus Superville, bible in hand and mission in mind, set out to find a new home in this infinite wilderness. Their goal was not to feed on locusts and wild honey, but to share their experiences with the indigenous people and let their voices be heard in this virgin territory.
They settled on a promontory about forty miles up the Essequibo, a little more than a mile away from the former gold mining town of Bartica. Here they erected a monastery and the Mora Benedictine Community was born. Since then many litres of water have flowed under the bridge and down the river. Today some things have changed but many things have remained the same.
Fr Superville no longer walks with the monks and has been replaced by Fr Hildebrand who was formerly Abbot at Mount St Benedict and is now parish priest of Bartica and extensive hinterland. The addition of Br Matthias Farrier to the hallowed fold completed the triumvirate.
For the valiant pioneers the days are long, interesting and full of work and prayer. Before the crack of dawn and the second crow of the cock, the monks can be heard in harmonious psalmody, intoning their morning prayer in the prayer room. Meanwhile out in the yard, their faithful employee Suresh, a young strong local, joins in meditative silence while he milks the cow with rhythmic lactose squirts. Then follows daily Mass.
The spiritual exercises are repeated at mid-morning, noon and mid-afternoon, ending with night prayer. But this is only to energise body and soul for the performance of other diurnal corporeal activities. Their motto is written in the book held in the hands of the statue of St Benedict their saintly spiritual progenitor and reads, ‘Work, Pray.’ The monks live out this dictum.
The ‘all-purpose’ handyman Br Matthias, a skilled bookbinder, tends to his craft in his homely workshop located on the ground floor of their two level edifice. But this is only a fraction of his duties; for he also assists Suresh with the care of the livestock, namely cow calves and poultry, not to forget the vegetable garden. Like his two brethren he also displays his talent in the kitchen, being adept at culinary activities.
The paternal Fr Hildebrand ensures the Eucharist is celebrated for the inhabitants of the various communities under his spiritual care. This in addition to conducting classes of moral education in the secondary school, Lectio Divina with prayer groups, domestic activities in the kitchen, bringing the word of God to the prisoners, blessing their cars, vans and whatever needs some sanctified sprinkling, counseling and generally giving much needed guidance to the populace young and old.
The ubiquitous Br Paschal attends to the accounts. His mystical excursions are not limited to the monastery, Bartica or the remote Amerindian villages where some residents trek more than a mile through the forest to intone the Morning Prayer during his visits.
He directs retreats in Trinidad, Barbados and other islands of the Caribbean, where his expertise in liturgical music is in great demand. Modern travel technology cannot keep up with him.
After all this how wonderful it is to just relax in the cool waters of the Mazaruni. In this secluded enclave, the river water laps with low soothing sounds against pebbles placed as a miniature pathway by Br Matthias, who would readily invite you for a refreshing bath. The pebbles may be harsh underfoot but the water is a balm to the entire physical frame.
What a magnificent place to dwell! You imagine a replica of the Transfiguration and you hear a voice whispering, “Let us remain here.”
A fitting career for the young and adventurous, a rewarding retreat for the mature, a gratifying experience for the spiritually inclined, a Garden of Eden willed to us by the Creator.
After reading the above, should you have the inclination to experience this abundant life, or feel you have a vocation to monastic life, you are welcome to contact these progenies of St Benedict. Telephone: 011-592-455-2236 or 011-592-626-1690. Their e-mail address is: benedictines@solutions2000.net .
If you would like to get more information about the Benedictine way of life, you may also contact the monks at Mt St Benedict, Trinidad at 662-5286 or 662-2259. The road to the monastery is paved with work and prayer and leads to a wondrous kingdom.
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