Circular No 833

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

Caracas, 21 of October 2017 No. 833

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Dear Friends,

See messages below.

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Dom Basil Matthews: God’s Pedagogue

“The country … seems to be trapped in a state of in-betweenity.” — (DBM)

Finding the almost-hidden Dom Basil Matthews: Nihil Omnino Christo in the back of the CD stack in a music store and reading the linear notes, I wondered how could the producers, Gil Figaro and Joe Brown, pull off the improbable: use a mere CD to celebrate/commemorate the life-work of such a multi-faceted personality as Dom Basil Matthews. Since I dropped Latin in high school, the “Nhili Omnino Christo” made me cringe and wonder if a lot of ‘speaking in tongues’ and sermonizing awaited me. So the CD stared at me for more than a month before I opened it one Sunday morning. And what an educational, musical, and, yes, spiritual uplift! This prompted me to reflect even further on the subject. Who, then, was this man and from which well springs his source? Why/How (if at all) should he be remembered and celebrated? On entering the serene and pious setting of the Seminary at Mt. St. Benedicts in 1928, at age 17, and being repulsed by the rampant poverty and illiteracy that plagued San Juan-his birthplace-and surroundings areas, the young Dom engaged in deep contemplation as he set out on a pilgrimage to self-knowledge that would take him from the Mount in 1933 to the Benedictine College of Theology in Belgium. Returning home after being ordained, in 1935, as the first Benedictine priest of color-about which he later quipped, “[the masses] probably liked the idea of some chocolate topping on all that vanilla ice cream”-in its fifteen hundred years of existence, he began recasting his ministry as a powerful instrument to mitigate the prejudices and social inequities which bedeviled both the Catholic Church and the wider society.

It may have been in Trinidad during his first ‘official’ stint of teaching, counseling, and ministering in the parish of the poor that his distinctive strand of critical pedagogy took shape as he began going beyond the dogma of the traditionalists to more fully engage the whole student or worshipper. Blending The Scriptures and formal/book knowledge with his own informal knowledge and, as his philosophy evolved, becoming a man of action committed to transforming the world around him. By fashioning a pedagogy that positioned the oppressed and downtrodden at the centre of the struggle for social justice and educational equity, the Dom, as he was affectionately called, employed The Scripture and education—that privileged students’ lived realities—as his weapon to engender personal, ethical, and societal transformation. Thus, before entering the minefields of segregated America in 1941 he was already a practitioner of liberation theology, even before it would emerge later as a movement in the 1950s.

While earning a doctorate (1946) from Fordham University he was also a lecturer of Religion at Manhattanville College, and Philosophy at Katherine Dunham’s School of Dance and Theatre. Apart from his pioneering work on the Crisis of the West Indian Family, he was also one of the earliest researchers (1942) to critically examine the calypso. In addition, his analysis of the ravaging effects of the plantation system on society highlighted the pressing need for restructuring the social order and this further fired his passionate commitment to spiritual and social transformation. It was in the 1950s through his ministering to rural communities in San Fernando and its surroundings that his unique brand of critical pedagogy took flight. Little wonder, then, that in 1956 when he founded St. Benedicts College in La Romain, he did not blindly follow the grammar school model but understood, intuitively, the power of sports, and the need for vocational and cultural development which he fused with the traditional curriculum. By creating (arguably) the first senior comprehensive school in the region he provided a blueprint for the upliftment of students who were normally kept beyond the fringes of education.

Affirming this view 55 years later, former student, Mungal Pastasar, who is now Artist in Residence at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, notes: “Dom Basil Matthews… dedicated his life to educating the poor from the rural districts in South Trinidad. Many of these young boys would not have seen the inside of a college or university.” At the base of his praxis, then, was creating pathways to unleashing students’ hidden potentials through dance, music, religion, sports and, like a bricoleur, anything close at hand which would foster moral upliftment, self-fulfillment, and a deeper sense of humanity. Last September marked the centennial of the birth of Dom Basil Matthew and also of our first Prime Minister, Dr. Eric Williams (the Doc). While the historic 1954 public debate between “The Doc” and “The Dom”, which attracted thousands of people of ‘every creed and race’, is credited with ushering in the idea of mass popular education in T&T, one shudders thinking of the state of debating in today’s parliament. One commentator even equated this historic debate with the famous Lincoln-Douglas (1858) debates in the U. S.

Yet, after 50 years of independence, too much cant–politics, sophistry, mamaguism–and the ole talk of traditional intellectuals hinder a disinterested evaluation of this landmark event in the nation’s history. Some claim that though the Doc was a brilliant historian, and understood the need for critical discourse in the polis, he nevertheless acted like a ‘badjohn’ – often attempting to silence those who challenged him, as he perceived the Dom did by ‘pushing’ the Catholic Church’s position in the Great Debate. Who can forget Williams attempt to muzzle and isolate CLR James-even putting him under house arrest– and the Doc’s dismissively referring to CLR as a ‘mere pamphleteer’? The Roaring Tiger was another victim of Williams’ wrath. Rawle Gibbons’ No Surrender: A Biography of the Growling Tiger, not only helps us remember and cement Tiger’s place in history but also relates how this calypso icon was also targeted by Williams merely for parodying the Doc’s ‘one day marriage’ in a calypso. It’s uncertain if Williams ever viewed the Dom’s quip, “Common law marriage isn’t common and it isn’t law, it’s just common”, as being aimed at him or as too traditional and too Catholic. Still, there is the sense that our renowned historian may well have dismissed the Dom as a ‘mere Catholic’. Interestingly, in a recent article in BigDrumNation, Caldwell Taylor contests the simplistic and reductionist view promulgated of the Dom as only being remembered for “a cameo appearance in the meteoric rise of Dr. Eric Williams in the 1950s.”

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From: David Bratt dvd_bratt@yahoo.com

Sent: September 13, 2017 5:23 PM

Subject: Re: IRMA

Very good to hear from you Don and you sound positive, great.

David

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On Wednesday, September 13, 2017, 1:13:31 PM

Don Mitchell <idmitch@anguillanet.com> wrote:

Hi, Glen,

Good to hear from you.

A few minutes ago, I conned my way into the C&W main office, and am logged on to one of their internet access points so I can get my email down on my computer and do my updates of my anti-virus software, etc.  We have been relying up to now on Maggie’s Korean schoolgirl’s hand-held toy to get onto the internet. You can’t do much with that but read newspapers and send short messages.

Our house has only minor water damage. On the other hand, our guest shack has had a small nuclear bomb go off in it. It will take a lot of work (and money) to make it habitable, so don’t plan a holiday trip to us this year. The yard is totally devastated, as in sent back to the stone age.

While every private home suffered from minor to major damage, the worst damage in Anguilla is to the public infrastructure. All the public schools, the police stations, the immigration and customs offices, the airport tower, the power station, lost their roofs where these were not made of reinforced concrete slabs. The worst sight is the power and telephone lines. Nearly all of them are snapped off and were strewn across the roads (or they were for a couple of days after the hurricane struck; they are all shoved off the road now). My uninformed opinion is that it will be sometime next year before power is fully restored to the island.

The people are coping well with the crisis. There is a lot of good natured helping of each other, and the government is doing a good job of keeping people informed on the government radio station and various websites. A lot of aid and assistance has been promised, but only time will tell is this is real or just superficial. Take water: most Anguillians have a 20,000 gallon cistern, so international offers of plane-loads of bottled water do not mean much. It taste’s a little better than cistern water, but that is all. Hopefully, Carilec (the regional cooperative effort among the islands’ power companies where they all come to the assistance of a stricken island) will prove more substantial. After Hurricane Luis in 1995 it was amazing to see Grenada’s ‘Grenlec’, St Lucia’s ‘Lucelec’, St Vincent’s ‘Vinlec’, Antigua’s ‘APUA’ and others, with their men in their national colours and operating their national trucks brought in by ship lined up on one highway with their separate teams working on pole after pole restoring electricity to the island. Though it took 3 months for the entire island’s power to be restored, the main population centers were back on stream within a month of the total destruction that Luis brought. So, I can hope the same will happen again. The British have promised 55 million pounds of assistance for the BVI, TCI and Anguilla. I fear that most of that will be in placing 2,500 soldiers and naval ships in Road Town and in TCI to control the looting there. I understand 120 violent criminals escaped from a damaged BVI facility and are roaming Tortola pillaging and looting. Nothing like that in Anguilla. Just plenty of cleaning up and rebuilding. 

Keep well.

Don

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From:  Glen Mckoy

Sent:  Wednesday, September 13, 2017 11:38 AM

Everyone asking about you Sir Don. 

Yuh still alive that is all I want to hear. 

If there is anything we can do please inform us.

Best regards to you and the wife.

Cheers Glen.

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From: idmitch idmitch@anguillanet.com

Sent: September 7, 2017 7:26 PM

Power probably not coming back until next year.

Would you be able to post Ladislao's circular on the MSB Facebook page until internet back and I can access Blogger again?

Don

-------- Original message -----------------------------------

From: Glen Mckoy <mckoy43glen@hotmail.com>

Date: 9/7/17 14:57 (GMT-04:00)

Hope you are safe; these hurricanes are getting bigger and bigger.

We must heed these warnings for our future.

Cheers Sir Don. 

Best regards Glen.

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From: Don Mitchell idmitch@anguillanet.com

Sent: September 4, 2017 2:49 PM

I may be out of contact for a few days after Tuesday.

Below is the latest update from my weather service.

We are not in any personal danger.

Our house is built like Fort Knox, pure reinforced concrete roofs, walls and floors.

But, at our age, who needs the stress of putting up hurricane shutters?

Don

UPDATE MONDAY 10 AM - OK – this is now getting REALLY scary – as in life-threatening.  Below just sent out by Crown Weather Service:

“I Cannot Stress Enough The Urgency Of Being Prepared For Major Hurricane Irma For Those Of You On The Islands Of Barbuda, St. Martin, St. Maarten, Anguilla & The British Virgin Islands – The core of at least a Category 4 hurricane is forecast to move right over you late Tuesday night and Wednesday. This is likely to be as a bad as or much worse than Hurricane Luis from 1995. Please take this hurricane very seriously and prepare now for a major hurricane impact from Tuesday night through Wednesday.”

Get ready NOW!

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Kazim Abasali <empowerwithart@gmail.com>

Sep 13 at 2:54 PM

Don,

Thank you for the update.

Thank God that Maggie and you are okay.

Our hope is that the rebuilding process by Government and agencies are swift and you enjoy some level of normalcy as quick as can be.

The stark reality as you shared is that there is a great deal of damage and there are lots of factors to get things up to speed again.

Just know that we are with you in spirit.

Take care my friend. 

Kaz

P. S. What about the 'pets' in the yard? Were they secured away safely?

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On Wed, Sep 13, 2017 at 8:02 PM, amickiew@att.net <amickiew@att.net> wrote:

Hey Don

Admire your positive attitude amidst the destruction and destitution that you have described. 

It appears that it will take a long time to restore those utilities that we need and take for granted in our daily lives. 

Would it help you if we can ship a generator or two after the transportation services have been restored. 

How is your food situation?.....

Do you have access to the medicines that you may need? 

Just trying to think about how we might be able to help you for those needs that are currently unavailable there....sorry if I am over-reaching.

Hang in there,

George

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05-09-2017 15:46:18: Mt Berment Joseph: Happy Birthday Winston

05-09-2017 17:24:47: M Cantore Oscar: Ya pasó a 5 😆

05-09-2017 17:26:22: M Ahow Hector Tx: Oscar ponle tu el que falta a Irma 😱😱🤣🤣🤣

05-09-2017 17:38:16: M Cantore Oscar: Yo sé cómo hacerlo

Falta que apoye la cabeza y miré hacia atrás para que vea lo que le viene 😂

05-09-2017 21:24:05: Mt Berment Joseph: Enrique, I just checked the number and with Pud. He is on WhatsApp and I’m able to share messages with him.

05-09-2017 21:25:43: M Zanelli Enrique: Joe, is that nr from TT?

05-09-2017 21:31:31: Mt Berment Joseph: Yes it is: 8686786323

M Zanelli Enrique añadió a ‪+1 (868) 678-6323

05-09-2017 21:52:22: M Zanelli Enrique: Joe, added Pud

06-09-2017 00:54:04: Mt Berment Joseph: Thanks Amen.

06-09-2017 15:37:31: M Kenny Azizul: Happy Birthday Winston

06-09-2017 19:12:43: M Ibarra Frank: Punta Cana hace como 2  horas

06-09-2017 19:17:57: M Coscarart Pedro: Ya veo que salistes a darte una vueltica espero que la hayas disfrutado porque lo que viene es verga. Aguantate los pantalones

06-09-2017 19:20:57: M Ibarra Frank: Hola Pedro!

Me enviaron el video todavía está por PR

06-09-2017 19:25:13: M Coscarart Pedro: Aqui estamos viendo los videos por tv, que desastroso

06-09-2017 19:26:13: M Zavarce Arturo: EN SERIO FRANK, YO PASE EL ANDREW EN SAINT MARTIN Y NO ES UNA EXPERIENCIA MUY GRATA Y MENOS PARA SALIR. NO SABES EN QUE MOMENTO ARRECIA. TAKE CARE.

06-09-2017 19:30:12: M Ibarra Frank: Gracias, se dice q Irma trató a St. Martin muy mal!!!!

06-09-2017 19:35:33: M Cantore Oscar: Antigua 90% destruida y barbuda

06-09-2017 19:47:13: Ladislao: Y como estará don Mitchell en anguilla? Hope that our Blog master for the Circulars is ok in Anguilla

07-09-2017 10:09:35: M Ibarra Frank: Let me tell you, last night I went to bed with Irma about 11 pm and wasn't that bad. She is taking a flight to Florida today!

07-09-2017 10:11:12: M Cantore Oscar: Menos mal gracias a Dios

07-09-2017 10:11:53: M Ibarra Frank: Así es 🙏🏻

07-09-2017 10:13:02: M Zavarce Arturo: GRACIAS A DIOS. ESPERO SE DISIPE EN EL MAR. MIAMI ES UN GRAN CAOS.UN ABRAZO HERMANO.

07-09-2017 10:15:26: M Ibarra Frank: Ojalá así sea, pasó un poco más al Norte de lo previsto, quizás ayude a pasar al Este de Miami. Oraremos por eso!

07-09-2017 10:27:39: M Zanelli Enrique: Menos mal..... 👍👍

07-09-2017 13:48:31: Mm Charles Neil: I am picking up Irma in key West and driving her to Georgia and South  Carolina, don't  know who would pick her up from there

07-09-2017 14:36:11: M Kenny Azizul: Hey Guys any update on Don from Anguilla

08-09-2017 10:45:14: Ladislao: Hector, where are you this weekend?

08-09-2017 10:45:37: M Ahow Hector Tx: Houston TEXAS

08-09-2017 10:46:17: Ladislao: I am in Bogotá and we are getting ready for a get together. I have read that there is a new old boy but cannot recall his name. From TT

08-09-2017 10:49:53: M Ahow Hector Tx: I am now living in Houston.

08-09-2017 11:11:16: Ladislao: Good. Much better

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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:

06WK0050WKE, Winston Kerry

12LK3736FBGIW, George Iwaszkiewicz

15LK5743FBGMOKAZ,  Gangoo Mohammed and Kenny Azizul

08UN1539REUNION2008. Unknowns Joe