Saturday, August 29, 2020

Circular No 982

 





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

Caracas, 29 of August 2020 No. 982

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Dear Friends,

Here I am reprinting Bulletin No. 12 published by Arthur Knaggs.

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From: GEORGE MICKIEWICZ

Sent: Friday, May 8, 2020 10:19 AM

Subject: A TRAGIC REMINDER OF THE SUFFERING OF OUR VENEZUELAN BRETHEREN ALUMS

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

We learned earlier this week that Jose (Cachapa) Malaver died on Tuesday (5th May).  Please keep Jose and his family in your prayers……he graduated from the Abbey School in 1969.

A NEEDLE AND PREVENTABLE DEATH.  It appears that he died from renal failure.  His country, local hospital and health care system failed him as they ran out of medicines/supplies required for his dialysis treatments.

Jose is one of the hundreds of scores of suffering Venezuelan fatalities in the current chaotic state within the country.  NO: MONEY, MEDICINES, FOOD, ELECTRICITY, WATER, HEALTHCARE, FUNCTIONING HOSPITALS, ETC.

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Please say this prayer for Jose, his family, his friends, and all our Venezuelan sisters and brothers:

From: GEORGE MICKIEWICZ

Sent Sunday, June 21, 2020 4:29 AM

Subject: FATHER HAROLD - 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS PRIESTHOOD

Let’s all join Father Harold in prayer this coming Wednesday; asking OUR FATHER to continue to bless him and his ministry.   Also ask those who know and/or studied under Father Harold to share those memories that are still in your minds, hearts and souls with him and us.

We thank and praise you Father for all that you have done and continue to do for us alumni of that great school on the mountain.

Also invite and ask our alumni brothers living in Trinidad to represent us by attending this special mass…..thank you in advance.

Please publicize and share this note as appropriate with other alumni not included in this note…..thanks.

To all my Abbey Alumni friends:

On Wednesday 24th June, 2020, through the grace of God I will celebrate 30 years of Priesthood during the 5pm Mass @ St. Peter's, Carenage. Fr. Herbert Charles (who was my Dean in Form 6 @ Fatima) who'll celebrate 48 years next day, will be the Homilist and all of you brothers who have had an Anniversary this month and this year, our suffering brothers in Venezuela and our dear Nigel Boos, all who have a special need, are included in the Prayers of this Mass. You are part of the journey which has led us to where we are.

Sincerely,

Fr. Harold Imamshah

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Tim Gail Mew <timgailmew@gmail.com>

To: idmitch@anguillanet.com, kertesz11@yahoo.com

Tue, Jul 28 at 7:43 PM

Thank you, Don and also Ladislao for all your kind work, over so many years and throughout all different circumstances, not sure what will happen if and when you give it away for whatever reasons.

Our Love with thanks again and best wishes to you both and your family.

Tim, Gail & family.

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Finally, an O.A.S.I.S. Bull it is the No. 12 dated December 1984, from the files received from Arthur Knaggs,

Can anyone help with the missing numbers, look into your memorabilia???

Remember to send in comments in case you would like to add, delete or modify anything that is being sent.

I need information on the ALUMNI that are mentioned, I do not have all the email addresses and telephones, or even the wellbeing for some of them.

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Dear Lost Souls of the Desert

I too have been wandering around the Sand Dunes of Life, looking for gold – an opportunity of time, to write you a few words of Greetings and Felicitations; and , where possible update you on the happenings of some of the antiques of our Alma Mater.

I have absolutely no excuse for the long absence, as life is what we make it, but in my loneliness for the tropics, our family acquired a small island in the 2nd largest lake in Nova Scotia, and we proceeded last Summer to build ourselves a “log cabin” on it – thanks to Fr. Ildefons ground work in carpentry; Stanley Fergusson’s Mountain Hut building; My Winter Cottage Construction course; and the multitude of friends of our children – it is now a fait accompli – and we spend a lot of our time “down the Islands” in all kinds of weather – Sun, rain, hail, fog, snow, ice and blackflies.

Given time, any difficult job becomes impossible.

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Still looking for an address for ARTHUR DU BOULAY and DENNIS CRIBBES (in TT)  if anyone can help.

It is not so much who you are, but where you are, which is important at this moment.

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Also, got card from Michael Ames who has left Texaco and gone into his own business with a Machine Shop and Engineering in La Romain.

He wants some data on Stress Relieving; and also some Radio Hams in this area for Sonny Blanc – will do.

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In the last Royal Bank of Trinidad & Tobago report, I still see some old Mount faces – Raymond de Cambra, and Anthony Lucky, both looking as prosperous as possible.

(True or False)

Ray was known for his scouting and trumpet blasts, and Anthony was our 100 yard dash man – remember when?

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Stephen Soul wrote last year to say that his son Stephen 17, is at Trinity Collage at Port Hope, Canada, and daughter, Nicole, is at Bishop Stracham School in Toronto – but both are so far away from us.

Ian´s daughter, Diane is still at St. Mary´s University in Halifax, and although we get news through our two girls (Anne-Marie 19, is taking Commerce, and Bernadette 18, is in Engineering) we don’t see too much of her.

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Got a very healthy donation from Joe Azar, who promises to write and fill me in on the latest blags – he is sure to have another band out for Carnival. (or is it Mike that is the Bacchanal Specialist?)

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Got a nice long letter (with Subs) from Nicholas “Meou” de Verteuil (1961-63)

Leary O´Connor had visited with them in 1984.

He also lives close to Raymond de Verteuil, and Michael and Andrew Scott – all in Texas.

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Nicholas got his degree in Geological Engineering in Toronto.

He used to work for Amoco, and went to the U.S.A. covering “the China Project”.

He changed jobs in 1981, and is now with Superior Oil International in Texas, looking at Africa and Latin America.

He likes Scuba Diving and High Performance cars (owns a Porsche), and is toying with the idea of jumping out of aeroplanes.

Also learnt that “Pablo” de la Bastide is in Texas, but no address yet.

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Phillip Scott is also quite often in Texas – here are some mug shots – complements of Leary O-Connor.

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Got a long letter from Gordon Lang, and he is hoping to pass through Halifax one of these bright, sunny days to visit his daughter, and contract my 16 foot speed boat for his fleet of ships at Cartagena, Colombia.

His daughter Johanna is still at St. Mary’s University in Halifax studying Arts and Languages.

She is also doing some Volunteer Charity Services here in her spare time.

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Got a card from David and he has passed on the information that Michael Herrera is with Barbados Mutual Insurance, in P.O.S. and lives at Bayshore.

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Spoke with Noel de Verteuil, has no kids. And visited J.D. Miller with Bernard last year when Bernard was here from Vancouver.

He is very active now with the “Big Brother” movement.

We still keep in touch.

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Remember when????. Not very clear on the left, but the oldies there.

Center in Sonny Blanc – wants some Hams (Not Maple Leaf) from CANADA.

And on the right the notorious Fr. Abbot van Duin.

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Heard from Trevor Soodeen since his move and he passed on a couple prescriptions for you all, so you can keep good health in the New Year.

“Love is the best medicine”

Dr. Kenneth Austin and Dr. Vitalis Gomes

Vity has been in Canada for 25 years and is still practicing (will that boy never get perfect?).

Drop them a line with your latest ailment and see what you can get for old times sakes.

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FATHER PETER CANISIUS van STRALEN

Father Peter, as he was known in the monastic life, was born in Rotterdam, Holland, on 29th of April 1900 and was given the names John Henry Lambert at his baptism.

On 2nd June 1928, he was ordained priest for the diocese of Haarlem.

Desiring to spend his life as a Benedictine missionary, he set out for Trinidad, arriving there on 17th December 1934, and was finally professed on 15th January 1936.

An exemplary monk and priest, he served as Sub prior and later parish priest in the nearby village of St. John.

Like his patron Saint, Peter Canisius, he ardently communicated God’s word through his sermons, catechetics, counselling and letter writing.

Truly he lived up to the assessment of his essential character in a letter recommending him in 1934: “He is man of deep spirituality, serious and who knows what he wants”.

Fr. Peter died suddenly, but not unexpectantly, in the morning of Monday 26th March 1984, aged 83, as he was arising for Holy Mass.

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Well, this is a start, and as the Old Year Fades in oblivion, let us all look forward to better things in the New Year.

May the Good Lord smile upon us all and the fond memories of the past continue to HAUNT us in our old age, and soften the callouses on our hands, so that we may write one another and share some of our more modern updated activities and news.

Will try to be more expedient in the New Year.

As Always

Art Knaggs

P.S. If you haven’t received a bulletin for a long time it is quite possible that you have forgotten to send your subscription:

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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:

18LK9239FBGAL, Garth Alexander

58RB0003b7, need names UNKNOWN

14LK3607FBABO, Arnoldo Bonair

09EB1969REUNION, UNKNOWN, Terrence Ferreira, Edgan Baichoo, Cornel de Freitas

 

 

 

 

 

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