Living and loving St Dominic’s – 74 years of joy

By Sr Catherine-Therese Mc Comie OP

My vocation to Religious life was nurtured partly by my many visits to the Belmont Orphanage, now called the St Dominic’s Children’s Home (SDCH).  As I look back, I realise that I have been associated with the Home for 74 of my 79 years of life.

I remember being taken to the famous nativity play at the age of five. I was amazed at the moving star that, as if magically, led the three Kings to the manger, lifelike camels, an angel that appeared on the rooftop to speak to the shepherds, and the beautiful manger scene out in the open hillside.

At age 11, I started going to the Home to help. There were about 600 children there of all ages. There were Sisters in every house as the House mothers and laypersons helped them. I was always impressed to see the Sisters all streaming out of the houses when the bell rang summoning them to the chapel.

There were children everywhere and all around until mealtimes when they gathered at home.

There were the ‘Trades’ including carpentry, tailoring, shoe-making, baking, and others that kept them busy. Most important of all was music. Every morning the Home’s Band of Boys and Girls played so that all the children marched out of the houses to go to the two primary schools on the compound or to the trade school.

That band produced many famous people including Dr Roy Cape, Timmy Lezama, members of the police band, and their famous conductor. Learie Joseph, a famous local comedian, also passed through these walls.

With children around, there are, of course, funny incidents that keep me laughing even today.

There was a common kitchen, so children were assigned to bring their dishes back and forth. One day, soup was on the menu. As ‘J’ arrived with the dish, the House mother noticed that he was sweating profusely. In sympathy, she told him to remove his cap. Lo and behold on his head were some dumplings that he had pilfered from the dish with drops of soup oozing down!

The houses all had religious names: Bethlehem, Nazareth, Fatima, Holy Angels, St Martin, etc.

One day, two boys got into a fight, and stones were thrown, resulting in a ‘buss head’. At the hospital, the kind doctor asked the little fellow where he had come from. His answer was “Nazareth”. The doctor looked up puzzled, but continued, “and how did you get hurt?”. The boy answered, “a Holy Angels pelt a stone an’ buss meh head”.

By the age of 18, I knew it was time to follow God’s call into Religious life. St Dominic’s Home was the only attraction for me, even though I had been schooled by the Cluny Sisters whom I loved dearly. I attended Providence Girls’ (Primary) and St Joseph’s Convent, Port of Spain (Secondary).

I entered the convent on February 2, 1961, and secretly longed for the day when I would return to teach in one of the schools at SDCH and live in the convent there. As God would have it, I was not assigned there until recently.

At last, I was able to interact with the children, much like an ‘old aunty’ living with the family. I got involved with the altar servers, Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation classes, a birthday club, ensuring that every child was remembered on their birthday, and First Friday devotions.

Over the years, I have come to see SDCH not just as an institution, but as a family. When the time comes for the children to leave, there is always sadness and worry as to what their future holds.

A few years ago, five girls absconded from the Home, and I was devastated. It was not the first time children had run away, but this time, three were altar servers and two were my godchildren!

Why? What more could we have done to give them a sense of security? For days, I questioned and worried until they were found.

Today, I am happily living in the convent located in the middle of the compound. I know the children by name, and I am involved with each one, especially as they all remind me, “Sister, my birthday coming up, don’t forget,” even if it is six months in advance!

God has preserved me until now and I am grateful for all the memories that this anniversary has stirred up.

The Sisters have been the consistent fixture here at SDCH over the past 150 years.

The baton has been faithfully passed on, and I am happy that I am able, 74 years later to still be part of the St Dominic’s Children’s Home family.