Newsletter for
alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 11 of August 2018 No. 875
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Dear Friends,
Emails follow.
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Date: 11 Jun 05:25 (PDT)
De: Isaias Farcheg
Para:
lionel.roberts@pobox.com [lionel.roberts@pobox.com]
Caracas May 23 rd. 2004.
Dear
good, old, and always remembered Lionel (alias Br. Vincent).
I was really happy to we have crossed the lines of our lives
again.
I received your letter about a month ago, and was looking forward
to have the time to reflect about many things that have happened since I left
the School in 1958.
I was aware that you had been in Brazil, and still have the two
photos that you sent me, recently married.
Precisely one of them is the one that I handled to Kertesz in
order to send in the circular dedicated to you.
I started to study medicine in 1959 and graduated in 1965.
I did my internship in the Military Hospital of Caracas.
In this hospital I had the opportunity of hospitalizing Father
Bernard, while he was the Abbot.
I am actually a Gastroenterologist (digestive system).
I went back to Mount St. Benedict, twenty years after I left it,
in 1978, and had the chance of seeing Father Augustine, Cuthbert,
Ildefonse...and a few others.
I was really sad to have seen how the monastery, did have
difficulties with the new vocations.
Even so, I was conscious of the fact that monastic life, has been
abandoned all over.
While I was staying in the states, had the opportunity of seeing
a program in the PBS about Old abandoned Monasteries.
So of course Mount St. Benedict, was not going to be an
exception.
I did my Fellowship in Baltimore between 1974 and 1975.
By mid-year in 1975 I got married with Marie, who has given me
three children...the elder one Simon Jose is an Attorney and is 27 years old,
Natalie who is 26 years old and just graduated in Industrial Engineering and
the smallest one Said, is trying to fix his future without any success.
We are fighting to get him through.
In looking back to the old days, we have to be grateful to God,
that we had people like you and all at Mount, who gave us values, like
discipline, and the desire to be better day to day, organization in our life,
sense of leadership, sense the value of friendship and responsibility, and many
others values.
When you mentioned the phrase, that was and I can imagine your
quality as a person.
You got us involved in the team work of the Houses.
Sometimes when we have a dinner meeting, is unbelievable how
every one remembers the House that he belonged to...my House was St. Lawrence
and Elias my brother belonged to St. Francis...
By the way the last time I went to Mount, I stopped in our
football field, and walk it up and down and really felt sad but at the same
time grateful to think of the moments of glory in sports that we had been able
to experience in the different games.
I still remember Michael Howell running in front of me in the 100
yards competition and in the 220 yards, or even trying to compete with Lucky (
by the way he is a Judge in Trinidad).
The great moments when we had the luck of making a goal...and how
we got to be admired like miniature Pele of football.
There were the workers in the kitchen that use to leave on my
seat in the refectory and extra amount of peanut butter or extra portion of
cheese, as a reward for the goal one scored.
Brother Gerard has been coming frequently to Venezuela, since he
is in charge of the Swimming boys that represent Trinidad. Brother Gerard has
the opportunity of putting me up to date, with the news of the Mount.
I am glad that you are in the Ministry of being a Deacon for the
Church.
I will remember you in my prayers.
By the way Sarkis Farcheg, my cousin has moved to Tampa, so he
might visit you one day in the near future.
He is at the present in Venezuela, and I think will be going to
the States in two months’ time.
I will not get you tired for this time, but since we have this
means of communicating, I will be giving you more information about Elias,
Manuel Prada, Gerard Most, the Fedaks and talk to you about the wonderful work
Ladislao Kertesz has done with the Web Page of Mount St. Benedict.
Greetings to your wife, and receive my wishes of a good embrace
and big smile, that the famous Lionel has appeared once more in our life.
God Bless you and your family.
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Here I am including
an account taken from memory on an event that had taken place during my time at
the school.
With
this, you may include me in the writers list.
And now
<<<<<MASS: (not to be confused with anything of the Carnival)
Can anyone
remember the daily Mass?? Seven days a week!
Well
here an account as I remember the daily event and its transformation from a
seven day event to a three times a week event.
The
original resume was sent out in Circular 64.
Again I
am writing about another regular event that happened at the Mount:
In this
one I wanted to recall our everyday going to Mass at 6:15 am.
The
chapel was part of the small boy’s dormitory, its Southern wing; you may
recognize it by looking to our Web page, next to it was the staircase going
down to the play hall or where we had pictures on Saturday night, 16mm
pictures.
What can
I say, it was a routine when I arrived in 1955 and for some of you the memories
of going to Mass might recall happiness but for the majority it was no fun.
The
bench prefects had to keep their charge awake, no head was allowed to touch the
bench top and the kneeling had to be straight, no backside was allowed to touch
the seat.
This
drill, which some objected, did make us what we are today, I do not regret it.
In 1958
there was a change, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, instead of going
to Mass you had the choice to change Mass time for study time.
In my
case I was one of those that preferred study to Mass, I always had something to
write or read, mostly unfinished homework.
From the
time I entered MSB, Prep A (I entered MSB on Sept. 1955) to Form III (1957) the
routine was of going to Mass as soon as we woke up, you had 15 minutes to dress
and get in the Chapel.
After
Mass you had again 15 minutes to get to the Refectory that was located next to
the Church bells, close to the Monastery’s main entrance and on the North side.
The Mass
lasted exactly 37 minutes!!!, joking, but I had favourite priests who took
about 30 minutes and those not so favourite that took 45 minutes.
No
matter, those with a watch always found that time crawled.
Naturally
I am talking as a personal experience and the looks on the faces of those that
kneeled around my location.
Piece of
wood plank was the surface for kneeling; not the soft kneeling stools of
nowadays. But I enjoyed the Latin of them days to the local language now days
and the Gregorian singing to the rock and whatever and wherever is done today.
Maybe
someone would like to add to this!!!
(Your
editor)
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Hello, Ladislao
How are you and the family?
Hope everything is going your way over there.
Well I am happy to inform you that I spoke with Mr Stanley
Ferguson in Lakeland Florida.
I also ask him about his brothers Duncan and Peter and his cousin
Christopher.
They all are still alive and living in Florida and his brother
Peter became a priest and is leaving by Galveston are but has retired and will
be moving to Florida to live as well.
He had been in touch with Lionel Roberts and I ask him to get in
touch with him and let me know and to give him my phone # .
I have also told my brother to try and get in touch with Lionel
in St Petersburg.
By the way Mr Stanley is 72 years old.
As soon as I get more information from them I’ll pass it along.
Stanley doesn’t have a computer he says he leaves the old fashion
way still.
I told him to go on the Abbeyschool.com web if he got someone
with a computer.
I ask him to give me some names of old boys that he could
remember and this are some of them (Johnny Camacho, David De Castro, Arthur
Knaggs, The O’Connor brothers, he will give a list as he remembers later on.
Well I hope this is good news, he also told me he went from 1945
to 1951 he was one of the first students, he also remembered Father Cuthbert
and Father Augustine, and of course Brother Vincent.
We had a very pleasant chat.
Well I also want to thank you for the circulars I still enjoy
them even though it is from the old school 40's 50's 60's not much on the 70's
any way it is good to hear from all the old boys
God
bless
Salvador
Coscarart.
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WhatsApp:
19-02-2017 Zanelli Enrique: Hello guys.... FYI Salvador's surgery is scheduled for
tomorrow at 9 a.m....I just left the hospital and he is in good spirits ....
pls 馃檹 for him and that everything goes well.... I
will update you once I know more.... good night..
19-02-2017 Tito: Est谩 en buenas manos, todo va a
salir bien
19-02-2017 Ibarra Frank: Gracias Enrique!馃徎
20-02-2017 Ramsahai
Winston 99: Tks
20-02-2017 Dornellas
Michael: Thanks for
the update. Keeping the situation in prayer. Specs.
20-02-2017 M
Coscarart Salvador: ready for
action. waiting for the happy juice.
20-02-2017 Alfredo
Montiel Bezara: Everything
is going to be fine !
20-02-2017 Gyuris
Attila: Salvador:
I know you must be under anesthesia right now. My thoughts and
prayers are with you . May the surgery be totally successful.
Que
Dios te bendiga,Saludos cuando despiertes. Attila.
20-02-2017 Kenny Azizul: Talk to u soon brother
20-02-2017 Zanelli
Enrique: Doctors
first report is that everything is going well.... another 2 or 3 hours to go
20-02-2017 Montiel
Bezara: 馃憤馃檹馃嚭馃嚫馃嚮馃嚜
20-02-2017 Zanelli
Enrique: Actually
they just finished and he is going to recovery now.... everything
went well...
20-02-2017 Tito: Q bien
20-02-2017 Cantore Oscar: Lo vamos a llamar cuero de mato
Salvador
20-02-2017 Kenny
Azizul: Great
20-02-2017 Ramsahai
Winston 99: Be strong
you in good hands
20-02-2017 Ibarra Frank: Gracias a Dios!
20-02-2017 Moffie
Edgar: Keep up
brothers things will work out good....Sal will be ok....
20-02-2017 Fr.
Imash: God is
Great!!!
20-02-2017 Dornellas
Michael: Amen and
amen
20-02-2017 Ramsahai
Winston 99: "'I
will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,' says the Lord"
(see Jer 30:17). Neal will you take up.the offering
20-02-2017 Zanelli
Enrique: In
recovery
20-02-2017 Gomes
Ian: Get well
soon salvador. You are in all msb boys prayers for a speedy recovery. God bless
you and keep you.
20-02-2017 19:04:17:
M Cantore Oscar: Cuero de
mato get well soon glad to ser you waking Up
20-02-2017 Alan: Get well soon my brother
20-02-2017 Charles
Neil: Sure,once
ok get some wine. Salvador is on cloud nine
20-02-2017 Cantore
Oscar: He does
not need wine
20-02-2017 Tito: Ma帽ana un buen pebellon o cocido
gallego
20-02-2017 Gyuris
Attila: You look
like you are full of that happy juice. ! 馃榿
20-02-2017 Coscarart
Salvador: Living in
the hospital. Viviendo en el hospital. Houston texas. 2 20
2017. Starting on recovery
22-02-2017 Ibarra Frank: C贸mo te sientes Sal?
22-02-2017 Moffie Edgar: Well done brother......que ha
dicho el doctor??....
22-02-2017 Cantore Oscar: pareces un maniqui te ves fino me
alegro que todo haya salido bien Sal saludos. All good stared physical therapy and then
the kemotherapy. Muy
bien Frank
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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:
53MBS0011ABBEY, Marie Boisserie
17LK0002LKEAOB, Ladislao Kertesz and Anthony Obrien in Bogota
12LK7031FBCTE, Chandra Teelucksingh
12BG0014BGOSTE, Brian Goddard and Stephen Tempro Barbados
