GUYANA

Chancellor of the Diocese of Georgetown, Msgr Terrence Montrose celebrated his 44^thanniversary of priestly ordination August 10.

Over the past four decades, ‘Fr Monty’ as he is popularly called, has shepherded countless communities across the length and breadth of Guyana and has ministered to thousands of God’s people in almost every life situation.

Born March 7, 1948 in La Penitence, Georgetown, one of ten siblings, a young Terrence enjoyed a very simple childhood where the radio played a very important role in shaping his upbringing. After years of thought and prayer, he commenced studies for the priesthood at St Paul’s Seminary in Georgetown in 1965.

In an interview with diocesan weekly, Catholic Standard, Msgr Montrose said the decision “hit me straight between the eyes during Midnight Mass. And I said ‘I want to be a priest’, but again, I did not tell anybody, because in those days, the priests in Guyana were all foreigners and I doubted the idea that a Guyanese could even vie to become a priest.”

The young Guyanese diocesan priest was sent to Rome, Italy for training in Theology. He spent his Sundays moving about the Eternal City, looking around at the Sistine Chapel and listening to all the different languages of Rome. He learned some Italian during this period 1979–1981.

Today, Msgr Montrose has been one of the longest-serving administrators of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Georgetown. After this he served at various posts including The Netherlands, England, Guyana, Guadeloupe, Australia and New Amsterdam.

He also served in Kurupung, Guyana. Of his time there, he explained “I went there almost every month and that was another interesting experience. They would send the passage for me to catch the plane. I would go to the Pakaraima Mountains where there were several churches to help the bishop with Confirmation and I would enjoy it extremely. It was beautiful walking in the mountains, the valleys, paying attention to all kinds of things…”

Meanwhile,Msgr Paul Jervis celebrated his 35^thanniversary of ordination to the priesthood at a Mass at St Pius X RC, La Penitence, August 12. The Mass was also the celebration for the 57^thFeast day of the parish.

Msgr Jervis credited St Pius church for nurturing his Catholic faith and moulding his character. He is grateful to the dynamic Church community and inspiring priests in his adolescent years who sowed the seeds of his priestly vocation such as Fr Bernard Brown SJ.

Msgr Jervis is at present priest at St Francis of Assisi Church, St Blaise Parish, where Sunday Masses are celebrated in English, French Creole and Spanish. He is on the planning committee for the annual New York Guyanese Mass.

Catholic Standardmentioned that in addition to his parish ministry, Msgr Jervis served his Brooklyn NY diocese as a chaplain of the Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School and on the Faculty of the High School Seminary.

He was an appointed member of the Presbyteral Council of his diocese and has directed parish missions. He received the title of Monsignor in 2007.