Newsletter for past alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Caracas, 10 of April 2004. Circular No. 127
Caracas, 10 of April 2004. Circular No. 127
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Dear Friends,
I have received that following Newspaper account from the Abbot, for your reading pleasure. Some of you might remember the Monks in the report, so here is their story told by Beverly Ann Scott.
Dear Friends,
I have received that following Newspaper account from the Abbot, for your reading pleasure. Some of you might remember the Monks in the report, so here is their story told by Beverly Ann Scott.
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From: "John P" <the-mount@carib-link.net>
Date: 23 Feb 05:03 (PST)
Subject: Two priests strike gold
Two priests strike gold
By Beverley-Ann Scott
On February 19, 1947, two young Dutch men in their early 20's, arrived on the shores of Trinidad and Tobago. They were a long way from their homeland in Holland, but they were excited nonetheless by the novelty of their experience and the reason they had made the long voyage by sea. In two days time, on February 24, those two men who will soon become octogenarians, celebrate 50 years of priestly ordination. Fr Cuthbert (Jan) van der Sande OSB and Fr Augustine (Peter) Schreurs OSB have spent more than half their lives at Mount St Benedict. From the moment of their arrival in 1947 to the present day they have witnessed many changes not only in monastic life but also in the socio-economic and political factors that have shaped Trinidad society for the last three decades. But as they so willingly explained, their lives in Holland during the time of World War II had prepared them for many changes.
Hiding from the Nazis
Fr Cuthbert and Fr Augustine, Jan and Peter respectively as they were named at birth did not know each other really. They both lived on opposite sides of the Netherlands. Jan was born in Noordorp (province of Luid-Holland) where he grew up while Peter, who was from a family of ten, lived with his family in Tegelan (province of Liniburg in the Netherlands) close to the German border. Peter's secondary education was interrupted several times as a result of the German occupation of Holland. In fact the Gestapo closed down the school he attended as they had done with so many other schools. The schools were closed so that the Germans could obtain young boys of school age to work in their factories in Germany. A decree was issued which mandated that all Dutch men between the ages of 18 to 45 who were not working were required to go to the labour bureau to register themselves. After registration the men would be called on to work in German factories and would be transported by train, under the watchful eye of German soldiers to work in Germany. Men who attempted to jump off the train were shot at once. "Quite a lot of people did not register, they would hide," Fr Cuthbert explained. But the Germans would come looking for them and would take them forcibly to Germany. Jan was one of those young men who hid to avoid being taken by the Nazis. "Our family had a farm and I would hide in the loft of the barn under the hay," he recalls. According to Fr Cuthbert, the underground was very quick to inform the young men in his village when the Germans were coming but even at night they would hide because sometimes the Germans would make a night raid. Peter obtained a job in a German hospital near to his home and was fortunate enough to secure a permit to return home every weekend. In the hospital he worked as a jack-of-all-trades and struggled to get a secondary education in between. Life was difficult and very uncertain. "You never knew if a bomb was going to drop on your home. Some people had a very hard time to get food especially in the winter because we had no electricity, no oil ... especially in the last year of the war", says Fr Cuthbert. Life continued like this for some time until V-Day when the Germans were finally defeated.
A wonderful experience
There was a procurator priest in the Netherlands who was from Mount St Benedict. He would go to schools and speak about Trinidad. His base was with some Benedictine sisters who were neighbours to the Schreurs family. Peter was an acolyte at the Benedictine convent for many years and it was there that he first encountered Fr Willi Brord the procurator for Mount St
Benedict. Fr Willi Brord had a pile of albums about the Benedictine mission in Trinidad and St Vincent and, says Fr Augustine with a smile, "He caught me". But the young Peter had heard his call to the priesthood very early in life. "I always knew I wanted to become a priest, ever since I was five years old" he says. Fr Willi Brord caught Jan as well and before long they were on their way to Trinidad. Another young man Jan Koot (who would later become Fr Jerome Koot) also made the voyage with them. Although they did not speak much English, they were able to communicate with the Dutch brothers who were already at Mount St Benedict, Fr Ildefons Schroots and Fr Odilo to name a few. It did not take them too long to adjust to the climate and their way of life. "In those days I had never really seen a coloured person, before," says Fr Cuthbert and for him all these things were refreshing and wonderful experiences. "I just grew into it," says Fr Augustine. "Those five years we lived under the Germans there was nothing except a lot of fear and uncertainty". The monastery offered them stability and a chance to become what they both felt deeply
called to be. After completing their novitiate they went on to study Philosophy and Theology and were ordained in February 1954 by the late Archbishop Finbar Ryan. Four priests were ordained that day: Fr Jerome Koot, Fr Theodore, Fr Cuthbert van der
Sande and Fr Augustine Peter Schreurs. Fr Koot and Fr Theodore have both passed away.
Truly fulfilled
After their ordination, Frs Cuthbert and Augustine went to the Abbey School to teach. Fr Cuthbert taught West Indian History and Church History at the Seminary and at the Abbey School. Fr Augustine taught English, French and Religious Knowledge and eventually became bursar of the Abbey School. He also taught liturgy for many years at the Seminary, where he was Vice-Rector from 1964-1968. Fr Cuthbert assisted deceased Fr Odilo while he was parish priest of Mon Repos. He was also the scout-leader at the Abbey School and was at one stage principal of the school. They have both been back to Holland on a few occasions. "In the early days you were allowed a holiday every eight years ... "Now we get holidays every three years for six weeks." One of Fr Cuthbert's brothers has died and six of Fr Augustine's siblings have also died. He last visited his family in 1996. Fr Cuthbert said with a laugh that the last time he saw his sisters and brothers he joked that they could start an old aged home since the youngest was 63 and the oldest 83. Fr Augustine has lost some of his sight and both men wore hearing aids for the interview, but their peaceful spirits and good sense of humour made a deep impression on me. Their recollection of events dates and times belied their age
evidenced by their silvery white hair. These humble men when asked about their feelings as they approach their golden jubilee told me that they didn't really feel any way in particular. "It's not to say that now you retire or something ... there are always jobs to do". Fr Augustine, who once took a cooking course at the Sacred Heart Institute in Mt Hope and won an award for his excellent presentation of a Chinese meal, keeps himself busy making marmalades. He is a master chef and has often used his skills in the monastery kitchen. Fr Cuthbert, the genius behind Mount St Benedict's renowned PAX yogurt, spends most of his time in the "lab" experimenting with new flavours of yogurt and ensuring that Mount St Benedict's yogurt quality remains second to none. "There are some days when you may feel down because your work doesn't turn out exactly as you want it," says Fr Augustine. Still, I could not help but notice how happy and fulfilled these two men are in their chosen vocation.
Malaise of society
They have no regrets about their choice of monastic life and wish more young men would be attracted to this way of life. But Fr Cuthbert feels that the main focus of young men today is to make money and move up the corporate ladder. "They come here in the monastery and see us do parlour work and things like that. So they see it more as a hobby." But as Fr Augustine believes, the general malaise of society and young men in particularly is that people no longer think "religiously". "How many young boys know the Hail Mary? How many teenagers at home ask to say Morning prayer? That is the poverty," he says. He feels that people no
longer get jobs that fulfil them but try to get jobs that make the most money and find themselves unhappy in it.
From: "John P" <the-mount@carib-link.net>
Date: 23 Feb 05:03 (PST)
Subject: Two priests strike gold
Two priests strike gold
By Beverley-Ann Scott
On February 19, 1947, two young Dutch men in their early 20's, arrived on the shores of Trinidad and Tobago. They were a long way from their homeland in Holland, but they were excited nonetheless by the novelty of their experience and the reason they had made the long voyage by sea. In two days time, on February 24, those two men who will soon become octogenarians, celebrate 50 years of priestly ordination. Fr Cuthbert (Jan) van der Sande OSB and Fr Augustine (Peter) Schreurs OSB have spent more than half their lives at Mount St Benedict. From the moment of their arrival in 1947 to the present day they have witnessed many changes not only in monastic life but also in the socio-economic and political factors that have shaped Trinidad society for the last three decades. But as they so willingly explained, their lives in Holland during the time of World War II had prepared them for many changes.
Hiding from the Nazis
Fr Cuthbert and Fr Augustine, Jan and Peter respectively as they were named at birth did not know each other really. They both lived on opposite sides of the Netherlands. Jan was born in Noordorp (province of Luid-Holland) where he grew up while Peter, who was from a family of ten, lived with his family in Tegelan (province of Liniburg in the Netherlands) close to the German border. Peter's secondary education was interrupted several times as a result of the German occupation of Holland. In fact the Gestapo closed down the school he attended as they had done with so many other schools. The schools were closed so that the Germans could obtain young boys of school age to work in their factories in Germany. A decree was issued which mandated that all Dutch men between the ages of 18 to 45 who were not working were required to go to the labour bureau to register themselves. After registration the men would be called on to work in German factories and would be transported by train, under the watchful eye of German soldiers to work in Germany. Men who attempted to jump off the train were shot at once. "Quite a lot of people did not register, they would hide," Fr Cuthbert explained. But the Germans would come looking for them and would take them forcibly to Germany. Jan was one of those young men who hid to avoid being taken by the Nazis. "Our family had a farm and I would hide in the loft of the barn under the hay," he recalls. According to Fr Cuthbert, the underground was very quick to inform the young men in his village when the Germans were coming but even at night they would hide because sometimes the Germans would make a night raid. Peter obtained a job in a German hospital near to his home and was fortunate enough to secure a permit to return home every weekend. In the hospital he worked as a jack-of-all-trades and struggled to get a secondary education in between. Life was difficult and very uncertain. "You never knew if a bomb was going to drop on your home. Some people had a very hard time to get food especially in the winter because we had no electricity, no oil ... especially in the last year of the war", says Fr Cuthbert. Life continued like this for some time until V-Day when the Germans were finally defeated.
A wonderful experience
There was a procurator priest in the Netherlands who was from Mount St Benedict. He would go to schools and speak about Trinidad. His base was with some Benedictine sisters who were neighbours to the Schreurs family. Peter was an acolyte at the Benedictine convent for many years and it was there that he first encountered Fr Willi Brord the procurator for Mount St
Benedict. Fr Willi Brord had a pile of albums about the Benedictine mission in Trinidad and St Vincent and, says Fr Augustine with a smile, "He caught me". But the young Peter had heard his call to the priesthood very early in life. "I always knew I wanted to become a priest, ever since I was five years old" he says. Fr Willi Brord caught Jan as well and before long they were on their way to Trinidad. Another young man Jan Koot (who would later become Fr Jerome Koot) also made the voyage with them. Although they did not speak much English, they were able to communicate with the Dutch brothers who were already at Mount St Benedict, Fr Ildefons Schroots and Fr Odilo to name a few. It did not take them too long to adjust to the climate and their way of life. "In those days I had never really seen a coloured person, before," says Fr Cuthbert and for him all these things were refreshing and wonderful experiences. "I just grew into it," says Fr Augustine. "Those five years we lived under the Germans there was nothing except a lot of fear and uncertainty". The monastery offered them stability and a chance to become what they both felt deeply
called to be. After completing their novitiate they went on to study Philosophy and Theology and were ordained in February 1954 by the late Archbishop Finbar Ryan. Four priests were ordained that day: Fr Jerome Koot, Fr Theodore, Fr Cuthbert van der
Sande and Fr Augustine Peter Schreurs. Fr Koot and Fr Theodore have both passed away.
Truly fulfilled
After their ordination, Frs Cuthbert and Augustine went to the Abbey School to teach. Fr Cuthbert taught West Indian History and Church History at the Seminary and at the Abbey School. Fr Augustine taught English, French and Religious Knowledge and eventually became bursar of the Abbey School. He also taught liturgy for many years at the Seminary, where he was Vice-Rector from 1964-1968. Fr Cuthbert assisted deceased Fr Odilo while he was parish priest of Mon Repos. He was also the scout-leader at the Abbey School and was at one stage principal of the school. They have both been back to Holland on a few occasions. "In the early days you were allowed a holiday every eight years ... "Now we get holidays every three years for six weeks." One of Fr Cuthbert's brothers has died and six of Fr Augustine's siblings have also died. He last visited his family in 1996. Fr Cuthbert said with a laugh that the last time he saw his sisters and brothers he joked that they could start an old aged home since the youngest was 63 and the oldest 83. Fr Augustine has lost some of his sight and both men wore hearing aids for the interview, but their peaceful spirits and good sense of humour made a deep impression on me. Their recollection of events dates and times belied their age
evidenced by their silvery white hair. These humble men when asked about their feelings as they approach their golden jubilee told me that they didn't really feel any way in particular. "It's not to say that now you retire or something ... there are always jobs to do". Fr Augustine, who once took a cooking course at the Sacred Heart Institute in Mt Hope and won an award for his excellent presentation of a Chinese meal, keeps himself busy making marmalades. He is a master chef and has often used his skills in the monastery kitchen. Fr Cuthbert, the genius behind Mount St Benedict's renowned PAX yogurt, spends most of his time in the "lab" experimenting with new flavours of yogurt and ensuring that Mount St Benedict's yogurt quality remains second to none. "There are some days when you may feel down because your work doesn't turn out exactly as you want it," says Fr Augustine. Still, I could not help but notice how happy and fulfilled these two men are in their chosen vocation.
Malaise of society
They have no regrets about their choice of monastic life and wish more young men would be attracted to this way of life. But Fr Cuthbert feels that the main focus of young men today is to make money and move up the corporate ladder. "They come here in the monastery and see us do parlour work and things like that. So they see it more as a hobby." But as Fr Augustine believes, the general malaise of society and young men in particularly is that people no longer think "religiously". "How many young boys know the Hail Mary? How many teenagers at home ask to say Morning prayer? That is the poverty," he says. He feels that people no
longer get jobs that fulfil them but try to get jobs that make the most money and find themselves unhappy in it.
A thanksgiving Mass will be celebrated for Frs Cuthbert and Augustine today at 8.30 a.m. at the Abbey, Mount St Benedict. All are welcome to join in the celebration. Frs Cuthbert and Augustine wish to thank the members of their community for their love and encouragement, as well as the many pilgrims, friends and well-wishers of the Mount, who have supported them over the years with their prayers. We at Catholic News congratulate the Frs Augustine and Cuthbert on this milestone in their priestly ministry and pray God's continued blessings upon them and the Benedictine community at Mount St Benedict.
(Very good article, ed.)
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Now the excerpts from an old letter, from our Abbot (1960), I even visited his family, his brother, in Holland in 1963.
(Very good article, ed.)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Now the excerpts from an old letter, from our Abbot (1960), I even visited his family, his brother, in Holland in 1963.
7 of July 1982.
Greetings from the Old Mount-Inside!
I was in Holland earlier this year, I met with Fr. Bernard. His speech has not improved. The burns he suffered last year he is unable to stand and so is confined to a wheel chair. He is in a rehabilitation centre where they are giving him therapy to see if they can make him able to walk. It seems he will be coming back in September to the Mount. He surely is carrying a heavy cross! You will remember him specially, I am sure.
When last you visited T´dad, you give me some book-markers with Teen-agers 10 Commandments printed on it. As I have passed that age unfortunately! I gsve them away and people have been asking if I had more of them. On your next visit or in some other way, could you bring some of them if possible? Thanks a million in advance.
God´s abundant blessing be with you and your Family!.
Very best wishes and kindest regards.
Adalbert van Duin
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For those that keep track of the photos is that there was no takers to my question in Circular No. 126. Not even those in the photos did recognize themselves.
God Bless
Ladislao
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Photos: Fr. Augustine, Fr. Cuthbert, Fr. Adalbert van Duin
By Roberto bodington file0001a10 150 15
Wayne Vincent Brown's column can be seen at www.Jamaicaobserver.com,
Column: dbratt , friend and tend
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God´s abundant blessing be with you and your Family!.
Very best wishes and kindest regards.
Adalbert van Duin
--------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------
For those that keep track of the photos is that there was no takers to my question in Circular No. 126. Not even those in the photos did recognize themselves.
God Bless
Ladislao
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Photos: Fr. Augustine, Fr. Cuthbert, Fr. Adalbert van Duin
By Roberto bodington file0001a10 150 15
Wayne Vincent Brown's column can be seen at www.Jamaicaobserver.com,
Column: dbratt , friend and tend
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