Jesuits in Guyana

March 1857 marked the beginning of an organized mission by The Society of Jesus in British Guiana with the arrival of James Etheridge, SJ and two Italian companions, Aloysius Emiliani from the Roman Province, and Fr Clement Negri from Naples. Six more Jesuits arrived 8 months later in November. They were James Jones, Frederick de Betham, Henry Segrave and Peter Sherlock from the English Province; another Italian, Joseph Pavarelli and a Maltese, Benedict Schembri. Segrave was soon posted off to pastoral duties in Barbados, also under the care of the Guiana Mission. Sadly, it was not long before Sherlock was also on the move; in his case it was ill-health that prompted his return to England.

The Jesuit constitutions forbid Jesuits to be appointed bishops. Only in exceptional circumstances for urgent pastoral reasons and at the direct request of the Pope, can this provision be set aside. The early years of the Guiana mission were, however, a clear example of just such circumstances so in 1858 James Etheridge returned to England to be consecrated Bishop by Cardinal Wiseman in Farm Street Church on 17th October. The presence of Bishop John Hynes at this mass fittingly expressed the handing on of the care of the flock from one worthy shepherd to his successor. Bishop Hynes and his 4 exhausted priests had withdrawn from Guiana in 1857 following Etheridges’ arrival. Sole responsibility for the Church now rested with the newly consecrated Vicar Apostolic and his small band of Jesuit companions.

As if British Guiana did not present enough challenges, Bishop Etheridge soon found himself caught up in pastoral activities beyond the frontiers of his growing mission. The resignation of Archbishop Spaccapietra of Port-of-Spain left this important neighboring diocese in need of an administrator, Etheridge was asked to step into the breach, until a suitable permanent replacement could be found. In addition, the Pope later asked him to act as Apostolic delegate to Haiti. Such activates outside of Guiana occupied Etheridge till November 1861 when, struck down with fever, he had to return to England for 5 months convalescence.

One of the greatest challenges and at the same time greatest strengths of the Catholic Church has always been its desire to be authentically Catholic; creating a truly universal community united in fellowship and service yet respecting differences of culture and background. he situation facing Etheridge was to proclaim the gospel of God’s love in a country whose population was made up of indigenous Amerindians, recently emancipated African slaves, the European colonialists who had enslaved them, and ever increasing numbers of arriving indentured labourers from a variety of countries. Among the indentured laborers, there were, of course, the Portuguese form the island of Madeira. These arrived already steeped in Catholic faith and tradition and while their practice of their religion might leave much to be desired, they still clung to it with a fierce pride. The Italian and Maltese Jesuits who arrived with Etheridge had been picked specifically with the needs of the Portuguese community in mind. In a short time they mastered the Portuguese language and began intensive work among the Catholics form Madeira. This way the pastoral need among the Portuguese community became more and the congregation attending the on Catholic Church on Brickdam became far too large for the small building. A plot of land was purchased in Main Street through the help of a wealthy Portuguese businessman Manuel Fernandez and a new church dedicated to the Sacred Heart was built by 1861.

One significant group of Catholics that presented particular challenge was the Arawak Amerindians in the Moruca area. This community had always been especially dear to Bishop John Hynes and from 1840 until 1853 it had been well served by a much loved and respected resident Irish priest, Fr. John Cullen. With Moruca as his base, this intrepid missionary had made numerous visits to outlying villages even as far as Orinoco. Under his direction a new church had been built in Moruca which was solemnly dedicated and opened by Bishop Hynes on 27 October 1844. The saint selected as patroness for this church was St. Rose of Lima. From that day to the present Catholics have referred to the Moruca community as “Santa Rosa.”

Fr. Anthony Butler SJ, a former soldier with the Royal Irish Fusiliers was chosen to replace Bishop Etheridge. On August 16, 1878 in a packed Georgetown Cathedral, Anthony Butler SJ was consecrated Bishop, becoming the third Vicar Apostolic for British Guiana. He was a tireless worker for any cause that furthered the living standards of the poor. Many families owned the ownership of the their small plots of land to revisions made to the Crown Land Regulations in 1898, due in no small measure to Bishop Butler’s campaigning.

Another notable name in the Jesuit history in Guyana is of Fr. Cuthbert Cary- Elwes SJ. He undertook the long and hazardous journey to the Takutu River in 1909 to establish Rupununi mission; which later became “St. Ignatius Mission.” Today, this mission has spread in regions 8 and 9. Frs. Ronnie, Jim, Vargheese and Edwin are working tirelessly in this mission, to date. The legacy of the early Jesuit missions is still continuing in the mission with taking up new initiatives such as bilingual educational projects, collaboration with the neighboring diocese of Roraima.

Jesuits Today

We are ministering to the people of God in different part of Guyana and mainly involved in pastoral ministries in the parishes. Our ministry is concentrated on two important parts of Guyana, namely, interior and coastland. The interior mission has two components, namely, St. Ignatius Mission and North West Mission.

St. Ignatius Mission covers Rupununi and Pakaraimas with having to pastor about 35 communities stretching from Kanuku Mountains to Pakaraima Mountains. There are only four Jesuits currently doing this strenuous mission. Distance is a huge challenge for the Jesuits in the interior. Fr. Jim Conway SJ is the Mission Superior for St. Ignatius Mission. The Jesuits in this mission are also exploring the possibility of Bilingual education in collaboration with ministry of education. We are also exploring and reflecting on the social reality of the indigenous people in the border region. Apart from distance, lack of Jesuits makes our availability more challenging.

North West Mission has been entrusted to the Jesuits recently and Frs. Amar, Malcolm and Marlon are establishing this new mission in this large area of Guyana. Fr. Amar is mission superior for the North West. The Jesuits are mainly involved in pastoral ministry in this region. They are also exploring to contribute to the social reflection and educational initiatives in this area. Distance and lack of Jesuits poses a greater challenge to the mission.

The Coastal Mission comprises of Berbice, East Coast, East Bank of Demarara and Georgetown. The Central residence for the Jesuits is Arrupe House in Queenstown from where our missions are supported, inclusive of interior missions. Our ministry primarily has been in the parishes on the Coastal areas. We are involved in the pastoring to several parish communities. Fr. Britto SJ with the help of other Jesuits is exploring to establish a mission on the East Bank of Demerara, that is, from Timheri to Peters Hall. This long stretch is the home of the many people; hence, the need to access a priest is greater.

The Guyana Human Development Centre in Port Mourant has been helping the poor people of the area to impart skills in order to settle in life with self employment or employment.

There are other ministries, such as, Catholic Media, Retreats, Spiritual Guidance, Jesuit Scholarship, Indigenous Students in tow, Hospital ministry, Care Homes and so on.

In conclusion, I would like to say that this is the synopsis of us in Guyana. I would like to encourage you to pray for the Jesuits who are working different parts of Guyana and if possible get to know them. They are hardworking and pleasant to talk or share with. I also would like to encourage our young boys to take up the call the God has given you to be priests and do not bury that desire to serve the Lord as priest. If you have a desire in your heart, contact me or any other priests and we will make you feel comfortable. What we need is, you willingness and to serve the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul. Jesuits always seek to do for ‘ad majorem glorium’ ‘for the Greater Glory of God.’

Study diaconate of women

I am not sure, whether our women in Church will be delighted to hear that Pope Francis has created a commission to study the possibility of allowing women to serve as deacons. Those of you, who are following Pope Francis’ ecclesiology, will not be completely surprised at this vital move. This news must have come in as real surprise for many theologians and biblical scholars. Pope John Paul II claimed in his 1994 apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis that “the Church has no authority whatsoever to ordain woman as priests, citing Jesus’ choosing of only men to serve as his twelve apostles.”

We have to bear in mind that the decision to have women deacon in the Church will not be made overnight without proper consultation. The Pontiff has appointed an equal number of male and female experts as members of the commission, which will be led by Archbishop Luis Frencisco Ladaria, a Jesuit who serves as the second-in-command of the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation. This matter will be properly and thoroughly studied bearing in mind the earliest times of the Church. Many Church historians have said however that there is abundant evidence that women served as deacons in the early centuries of the Church. The apostle Paul mentions such a woman, Phoebe, in his letter to the Romans. Hence, this reality is not new to the early Church.

Pope Francis’ openness to studying the possibility of women serving as deacons could represent an historic shift for the global Catholic Church, which does not ordain women as clergy. The Second Vatican Council focused on lay collaboration in the Church, hence, the role of the permanent deacon was reconstituted which allowed married men to be deacons.

Why is this so important for us? In order to arrive at an answer for this question, we need to bear in mind, who and what is a deacon?

A deacon is an ordained minister of the Catholic Church. There are three groups, or ‘orders’ of ordained ministers in the Church: bishops, presbyters (priests) and deacons. Ordained deacons in the Church are called to functions of Word, Sacrament and Charity, but bishops, presbyters and deacons exercise these functions in various ways. As minsters of the Word, deacons proclaim the Gospel, preach and teach in the name of the Church. As ministers of the Sacrament, deacons baptize, lead the faithful in prayer, witness marriages, and conduct wake and funeral services. As minsters of Charity, deacons are leaders in identifying the needs of others, then marshalling the Church’s resources to meet those needs. The diocesan bishop ordains the deacon in his diocese, hence, if the study posits women deacon, the bishop of the diocese will ordain the women deacons just like male deacons.

Dear faithful let us not draw conclusions at this juncture lest we judge the commission of study on the matter. We await the decision of the commission which will guided by the Holy Spirit as it did in the early Church. It is important that we allow the spirit to work in the Church. We draw our inspiration from the Vatican Council II to involve our laity in the life of the Church. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who have been a great help in proclaiming the Good News of Christ not by preaching by without preaching. Continue to do so and bear much fruit.

Beautiful Bartica

My plans to go to Bartica became a reality because you relieved me from the normal parish happenings on the last weekend. I would like to thank you for that, especially the Eucharistic Ministers who celebrated the service in the parish. Our parish is blessed doubly because of the prayers and good wishes from the small community at Bartica. This truly is an experience of universality of the Catholic Church.

I enjoyed my weekend for two reasons, namely, nature is beautiful and faith of the community is commendable.

Guyana is truly blessed with water and specifically water in the mighty Essequibo River. This is my third time on the waters of Essequibo and every time is a new experience, as saying goes, ‘you cannot step into the same river twice.’ As the speedboat cruises into the mighty river, I cast my eye into the beautiful line of the water that makes me praise God for the nature. God created the universe and it looked gorgeous for the Lord. Guyana is blessed with eye soothing nature, which proclaims the greatness of the Lord. Let us enjoy this beauty and grandeur of our beautiful Guyana. Let us pray for our nature without which we will not be able to live on earth. As we pray, we also make effort to preserve the nature and protect its creatures.

One of the most important aspects that strengthen my faith is, universality of the Church. It seems that whole world is one and this has been possible through the Church. I truly believe in that One Apostolic Church. St. Antony’s Church in Bartica has been without a priest for few months. This reality has not stopped the parishioners to carry on the work of the Church. They try to organise a priest once a month so that they have enough communion for the rest of the month. This month was my turn to celebrate Mass with the people of Bartica. The hospitality that they showed during my stay at their parish has been magnificent. I truly relished my stay at the parish even though I might not be as cosy as Georgetown parish house. Their celebration of the faith through the Sacred Liturgy is truly inspirational. They began their Sunday with the rosary and the Holy Mass. Everyone was present for the rosary and this was followed by the mass. The celebration of the Mass was very participatory. It was really a celebration of the community. One of the most important aspects that gripped my attention is, every week they emphasis on some persons in the community. It is generally; the persons who organise the liturgy are the focus of the Sunday. The last Sunday was for men. The men prepared the liturgy, namely, reading, singing, offertory and so on. This way their celebration of the Eucharist made more meaningful by praying for the men in the community. All the men in the congregation had to come in the offertory procession to accompany the gifts to be offered to the Lord. This became visible expression of the men offering themselves to the Lord to be transformed. After the Mass, people stayed back to wish each other, and their warmth and love became a reality when they exchanged the laughter and joy.

My visit to Bartica has been so pleasant and the people of Bartica offered me their warmth and love. I thank you for praying for me during that weekend. Continue to pray for the communities where there is no parish priest. They need our support as we have the honour of having our own parish priest. I also petition to you, that we get involved in that One Apostolic Church in whatever way possible. I am also grateful to one of the parishioners, who donated a small sum for the Church in Bartica and for my travels to Bartica. This shows that we care for each other and we support each other. God bless our One Apostolic Church.

Total Surrender through Love

A child and mother enjoy surrendering to each other. Mother does sacrifices in order that the child enjoys and grows as a good child. In turn, the child surrenders to the mother. This is a total surrender, in other words, a total dependency on the mother. There is a relationship between mother and child in order to depend on each other.

Surrender is dependency: Jesus surrenders himself to the Father and fulfills His Father’s will. In the Gethsemane narration, Jesus shows his emotions between being human and divine. The human emotion of Jesus does not depend on the Father, rather depends on its own self. This way the human nature has the tendency to depend on itself to arrive at a point. But, Jesus’ divine nature clearly has its point of departure in obeying God’s will or Father’s will. Jesus, therefore, yields to the will of His Father. This shows Jesus’ total dependency on God.

Mother Teresa began her ministry with bare minimum and God helped her to achieve so much but through several persons. God expects us to surrender to him and he will help us to persevere with the help other people in our lives. Mother Teresa depended on God’s assistance and God’s power not her own education and authority. This she exercised till the end of her life. In her Nobel Peace prize speech, she expressed her disposition to the prize by saying, this is for me but what have you for my people in the slums. She did not bisque in her glory rather she gave glory to God.

Surrender is love: Love is surrender and surrender is love. A mother makes sacrifices for the sake of the love that she has for her child. This sacrifice that mother makes is closely related to surrender. Jesus does His Fathers’ will not because he was forced but Jesus loved His Father. The love between Father and Son becomes reality when Jesus dies on the cross. Jesus’ love for His Father and for us is fulfilled on the cross. Jesus surrenders completely on the wood of the cross; Jesus’ surrender on the cross has a price, the price is death.

Mother Teresa loved the poor hence she surrendered to the will of God. She says, “True love is surrender. The more we love the more we surrender.” Love plays a significant role in our lives. Love drives us to surrender to whatever we are aiming. Jesus said, ‘where the treasure is, there will be your heart too.’ Mother Teresa’s love becomes complete when she went to the streets to touch and hug the poor and stinky people. This is not through force or command but merely the love she had in her heart for the poor and destitute.

Surrender is emptying oneself: Jesus Christ had to surrender his human emotions in the garden of Gethsemane in order for God to fulfill His will. Therefore, surrendering of Jesus very much closely connected with emptying of Himself. Jesus emptied Himself unto the cross. God gave himself to us, in other words, God emptied himself through Jesus Christ. He did that for our sake. God’s emptying himself has its focus, and God’s focus is each one us. Therefore, God emptied himself for our sake.

Mother Teresa, in the constitution expresses that our total surrender to God means to be entirely at the disposal of the Father as Jesus and Mary were. In giving ourselves completely to God, because God has given himself to us, we are entirely at His disposal. Mother Teresa emptied herself, through sacrificing her country, parents, siblings, and congregation in order to serve the Lord.

Surrender is to be available: Jesus surrendered to the will of the Father in order to be available for the ministry that God had given him. God anointed Jesus and he was well pleased to God. He was the adopted Son of the Father, who was sent as the savior of his people. Jesus was ever available any time he was called on.

Mother Teresa says,  “'I thirst' has no meaning unless through total surrender I give all to Jesus." It requires a total dedication of oneself to quench the thirst of the people of God. One has to make sacrifices to be available for the mission God gave us. 

Surrender is being light of the world: Jesus is the light of the world. His light becomes more visible when he surrendered himself of the cross. His light is shown to us every day of our lives through the people we serve.

Mother Teresa says, "Often you see small and big wires, new and old, cheap and expensive, lined up. Unless and until the current passes through them there will be no light. The wire is you and me. The current is God. We have the power to let the current pass through us, use us, and produce the Light of the World - Jesus; or refuse to be used and allow darkness to spread." God gives us that strength to serve the Lord and through us that strength is multiplied to his creation. We reach out to others who are in need and hence, we become the glimmer of light for them. We become light in the end of the tunnel.

Surrender is joy: Jesus surrendered himself to his public ministry with joy. He reached out people with joy. He had no regrets for doing what his Father had commanded him to do. Jesus shared his joy with his disciples, “that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be full” (John 15:11).

Kingdom of God is joy and joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Mother Teresa served the people in order to bring about God’s kingdom and she did it with joy. Every loving person is joyful and every joyful person is loving. God wants to be joyful and spread his love to each other.

Conclusion: In her own words, Mother Teresa shared of the simple joy of following Jesus and surrendering fully to him. Her life of radical poverty and wholehearted dedication to the poorest of the poor forms the heart of this inspiring surrender to God and to those most in need. It is part of the genius of Mother Teresa that she finds ways to tailor her spirituality to people from every state and circumstance in life. Men and women, young and old, sick and well, rich and poor, religious and lay, married and single, Catholic and Protestant, are able to join with her, sharing her vision and joy in service to Christ and the poor. Here is rich spiritual fare from Mother Teresa's letters, spiritual retreats, and instructions to her sisters, as well as from the constitution of the Missionaries of Charity.