By Donna-Kay Kissoon
Archdiocesan Archives
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port of Spain
“Come, O my dear soul, to eternal repose in the arms of my goodness, which has prepared eternal delights for you” (St. Francis de Sales).”
November 2, 2022, marks the 1024th anniversary of the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed. In his letter dated June 2, 1998, for its millennium, Pope John Paul II said the following:
“Indeed, on the day after the feast of All Saints, when the Church joyfully celebrates the communion of saints and human salvation, St. Odilo, fifth Abbott of Cluny, urged his monks to say special prayers for all the dead, thus mysteriously contributing to their entry into beatitude…This celebration which he called All Souls’ Day gradually spread from the Abbey of Cluny and is now the practice throughout the universal Church.
In praying for the dead, the Church above all contemplates the mystery of the Resurrection of Christ, who obtains salvation and eternal life for us through his Cross…To believe in the resurrection of the flesh is to recognize that there is a final end, an ultimate goal for all human life, “which so satisfies man’s appetite that nothing else is left for him to desire” (St Thomas Aquinas).
The prayers of intercession and petition which the Church never ceases to raise to God have great value. During the Eucharist, through the general intercessions and the Memento for the dead, the assembled community presents to the Father of all mercies, those who have died, so that through the trial of purgatory they will be purified, if necessary, and attain eternal joy. In entrusting them to the Lord, we recognize our solidarity with them and share in their salvation in this wondrous mystery of the communion of saints…”
This message reminds us that the central point of this commemoration is based on our faith, hope and belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that along the synodal path, we must also pray for and assist the deceased.
Therefore, in this month of November, even as you pray for family and friends, we encourage you to pray for deceased bishops, clergy, contemplatives, and religious sisters, of the past, in recent times or within this year, who served in the Archdiocese.
Let us remember all deceased Carmelite Friars, Fransalian Fathers, Guadalupan Servants of Christ the Priest, Good Shepherd Sisters, Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, Prelature of Opus Dei, Sons of Mary Immaculate, Augustinian Fathers and the Society of the Missionaries of Charity.
In our parishes, you can participate in the services, visit the cemetery, pray the Rosary, or offer a Mass so that our merciful Father will look upon our, “holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead…”
Many died from cholera, yellow fever, malaria, or some form of sickness, from leprosy or from a martyrs or natural death. Some are buried under the sanctuary of churches and others at Chacachacare, in our Catholic cemeteries, public cemeteries and family plots. Some are buried in unknown places.
Below are the names of some of our deceased bishops, diocesan, Capuchins and Jesuit priests and permanent deacons who served in the Archdiocese. We pray for them all.
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Collaborators: Fr Steve Duncan, Fr Garfield Rochard, Fr David Khan
Deceased bishops
In 1819, when the Holy See created a West Indian Vicariate, the first Vicar Apostolic was Bishop James Buckley of England. He arrived in Trinidad in 1820 and at his death was buried in the vault of the unfinished Cathedral.
The first Archbishop of Port of Spain was Patrick Smith of Ireland. Archbishop English died in Grenada, but his body was brought back to Trinidad. Some like Archbishops Spaccapietra, Ryan and Fitzgerald returned to their native countries. We remember them all and include those who are buried in the Cathedral:
· Bishop James Buckley 24 03 1828
· Bishop Daniel MacDonnell 28 10 1844
· Archbishop Patrick Smith 06 05 1852
· Archbishop Ferdinand English 19 09 1862
· Coadjutor Bishop William O’Carroll 18 10 1880
· Coadjutor Bishop Thomas Hyland 09 10 1884
· Archbishop Joachim Louis Gonin 13 03 1889
· Archbishop Patrick Vincent Flood 17 05 1907
· Archbishop John Pius Dowling 06 06 1940
· Archbishop Gordon Anthony Pantin 12 03 2000
· Bishop John Mendes 24 06 2005
Diocesan clergy
Most diocesan clergy are buried at Lapeyrouse Cemetery.
· Fr Onésime A. Christophe 07 05 1875 – Paradise Public Cemetery
· Fr Michael Griffin 28 01 1878 – Paradise Public Cemetery
· Fr Thomas H. Donnelly 07 08 1881 – Couva RC Cemetery
· Fr Michael Bouchard 12 09 1896
· Fr Michael Grant 12 07 1898 – Princes Town RC Cemetery
· Fr Jean B Rabanit 08 01 1901 – Paradise Public Cemetery
· Fr Joseph De Grandpré 06 05 1901 – Paradise Public Cemetery
· Fr Daniel Corbett 19 07 1906 – Paradise Public Cemetery
· Fr Timothy Bresnan 10 06 1909 – Carapichaima RC Church
· Fr J. Mariano Perdomo 21 04 1913 – San Raphael RC Church
· Fr Robert Cantwell 03 09 1923 – Paradise Public Cemetery
· Fr Michael A. O. Reilly 17 03 1931 – Paradise Public Cemetery
· Fr Matthew Connelly 06 05 1923
· Msgr Joseph N Maingot 28 02 1926
· Fr Pierse Heffernan 24 05 1931
· Fr Peter James Buissink 23 12 1940
· Fr Eugene A. Tritscher 25 08 1962
· Fr F Theldon Jones 04 05 1963
· Fr Henry Boogaard 07 07 1970
· Fr J Mc Namara 05 07 1974
· Fr David Timiney 11 05 1993
The following native priests studied at the Seminary:
· Fr William Cuthbertson 11 01 1965
· Fr Frederick Patience 15 06 1971
· Fr Hilary Clarke 01 05 2000
· Fr Gordon Charles 06 10 2003
· Fr Cyril Ross 03 12 2003
· Fr Malcolm de Verteuil 10 10 2007
· Fr Michael Moses 12 03 2008 – family plot Woodbrook
· Fr Sebastian Madhosingh 04 04 2010 – family plot Paradise Public Cemetery
· Fr Vincent Compton 13 06 2011
· Fr Henry Charles 15 01 2013
· Msgr Urban Peschier 14 03 2013 – family plot Arima
· Fr George Pritchett 14 07 2014
· Fr Reginald Hezekiah 21 04 2016
· Fr Benedict Peters 13 10 2016
· Fr David Oliveire 06 10 2016
· Fr Rudolph Mohammed 17 02 2018
· Fr Hugh Joyeau 28 06 2019
· Fr Benedict Hilaire 21 09 2019
· Fr Michael Makhan 25 08 2021
Permanent deacons
From the first group of permanent deacons ordained on February 6, 2010, we remember:
· Deacon Dennis Bryan 11 08 2015
· Deacon Kenneth Phillips 19 12 2021
Order of the Friars Minor also known Capuchin (OFM)
Martyrs – San Rafael Arena Site
· Fr Estevan de San Felice 1699
· Fr Marco de Vigne 1699
· Bro Ramon de Figuerola 1699
Society of Jesus (SJ)
Lapeyrouse Cemetery
· Fr John Amithrasamy Lawrence 19 04 2006
Faithful departed to date for 2022
Holy Ghost Fathers (CSSp)
Bishop Malcolm Galt – 16. 10. 2022
Fr. Peter de la Bastide – 28. 10. 2022
Order of Saint Benedict (OSB)
Bro Marius Williams – 28. 08. 2022
Fr. Augustine Schreurs – 07. 10. 2022