schooling, but would ourselves urge you not to come in the winter, but more preferably in the spring or summer months. But we do not wish to dampen your enthusiasm and so would leave it to your judgement and that of your parents and directors.
I have written to your parish priest and spiritual director to get the references which are needed. I trust that all will be well, and as I have mentioned before, Father Abbot will have great pleasure to admit you among us.
Please accept my kind regards to your parents.
I leave you in the name of Christ and our Holy Father St Benedict.
God bless,
Father Justin Simmonds, OSB,
Novice Master
PAX
The Presbytery
Notre Dame de Grace
San Andres
Les Deux Isles
Antilles
British West Indies
20 June 1962
My dear Father Justin,
I’m an old man now, but, yes, of course I remember Jean Marc. He was a wonderful child with a marvellous mother from one of the good old families out here, who inculcated in her son from a very early age a special love for our Blessed Lord and his Immaculate Mother, the Blessed Virgin.
I christened the child in their village church. But it was when he first came to our little school next door to the big church, as we always call it, that I was able to notice him. He was always very devout, making daily, sometimes I think twice-daily visits to the Blessed Sacrament, if I recall my ever watchful housekeeper who kept a good eye on all the children. He was always at communion during the school Mass on Thursdays. Regular at confession.
Jean Marc, poor little fellow, was always remembered because he used to faint frequently, a slight physical weakness at the time, maybe noteating sufficiently at breakfast, having to come from the country into the town to school. Also, at times he was a little nervous, a little highly strung. This is not meant to detract in any way from a fine boy. As you see, the ramblings of an old man, father. But we do remember his faints because it was Mrs Goveia, my housekeeper that is, whom I’ve mentioned, who took especial care of the children, and who cared for him when he had one of these bouts and one of the school masters brought him to the veranda of the presbytery to get some cool breeze and the master in his anxiety for the poor boy filled his own hat with water and doused poor Jean Marc. He soon recovered. It is very hot here. Mrs Goveia always made him a special lemonade with lots of good brown demerara sugar. But less of these tales, good father.
I’ve known of Jean Marc’s desire to give his life to Our Lord in the monastic life. I’m a little sad that he does not want to join our community here, but he is resolute on an enclosed life devoted to manual work and prayer. We are a teaching and parish community out here in the missions. It is inspiring to see such zeal in one so young. I think you will find him a devout young man who is open with his thoughts and feelings and thoughtful of his neighbours. He comes from a good Catholic family with a brother and sisters and a mother who is exemplary in her church work and duties as a mother, and a father who is a pillar of the church, as we say. He is from one of the very best families. Not that I wouldn’t recommend a boy from one ofthe poorest of our good Negro people.
I have no hesitation in recommending this young man to you.
I leave you in Christ,
Dom Maurus de Boissiere, OSB
Parish Priest
Malgretoute Estate
Nr Felicity
Les Deux Isles
Antilles
British West Indies
21 June 1962
Dear Father Justin,
Thank you very much for your letter, introducing yourself and conveying Father Abbot’s wishes. Please extend to him our best wishes, those of my husband and myself. It was very kind of you at all to write in this way. It makes us feel very much more in touch with the realisation of our son’s ideals. The whole tone of your letter makes us feel very secure that Jean Marc will get the very best advice in this enterprise of his. I say his
I have written to your parish priest and spiritual director to get the references which are needed. I trust that all will be well, and as I have mentioned before, Father Abbot will have great pleasure to admit you among us.
Please accept my kind regards to your parents.
I leave you in the name of Christ and our Holy Father St Benedict.
God bless,
Father Justin Simmonds, OSB,
Novice Master
PAX
The Presbytery
Notre Dame de Grace
San Andres
Les Deux Isles
Antilles
British West Indies
20 June 1962
My dear Father Justin,
I’m an old man now, but, yes, of course I remember Jean Marc. He was a wonderful child with a marvellous mother from one of the good old families out here, who inculcated in her son from a very early age a special love for our Blessed Lord and his Immaculate Mother, the Blessed Virgin.
I christened the child in their village church. But it was when he first came to our little school next door to the big church, as we always call it, that I was able to notice him. He was always very devout, making daily, sometimes I think twice-daily visits to the Blessed Sacrament, if I recall my ever watchful housekeeper who kept a good eye on all the children. He was always at communion during the school Mass on Thursdays. Regular at confession.
Jean Marc, poor little fellow, was always remembered because he used to faint frequently, a slight physical weakness at the time, maybe noteating sufficiently at breakfast, having to come from the country into the town to school. Also, at times he was a little nervous, a little highly strung. This is not meant to detract in any way from a fine boy. As you see, the ramblings of an old man, father. But we do remember his faints because it was Mrs Goveia, my housekeeper that is, whom I’ve mentioned, who took especial care of the children, and who cared for him when he had one of these bouts and one of the school masters brought him to the veranda of the presbytery to get some cool breeze and the master in his anxiety for the poor boy filled his own hat with water and doused poor Jean Marc. He soon recovered. It is very hot here. Mrs Goveia always made him a special lemonade with lots of good brown demerara sugar. But less of these tales, good father.
I’ve known of Jean Marc’s desire to give his life to Our Lord in the monastic life. I’m a little sad that he does not want to join our community here, but he is resolute on an enclosed life devoted to manual work and prayer. We are a teaching and parish community out here in the missions. It is inspiring to see such zeal in one so young. I think you will find him a devout young man who is open with his thoughts and feelings and thoughtful of his neighbours. He comes from a good Catholic family with a brother and sisters and a mother who is exemplary in her church work and duties as a mother, and a father who is a pillar of the church, as we say. He is from one of the very best families. Not that I wouldn’t recommend a boy from one ofthe poorest of our good Negro people.
I have no hesitation in recommending this young man to you.
I leave you in Christ,
Dom Maurus de Boissiere, OSB
Parish Priest
Malgretoute Estate
Nr Felicity
Les Deux Isles
Antilles
British West Indies
21 June 1962
Dear Father Justin,
Thank you very much for your letter, introducing yourself and conveying Father Abbot’s wishes. Please extend to him our best wishes, those of my husband and myself. It was very kind of you at all to write in this way. It makes us feel very much more in touch with the realisation of our son’s ideals. The whole tone of your letter makes us feel very secure that Jean Marc will get the very best advice in this enterprise of his. I say his
Similar Books
