Thursday January 26th: Let your light shine!
January 26, 2023
Making Peace
January 26, 2023
Bernadette Salandy died Thursday, January 12 at the age of 77 years. Her Funeral Mass was celebrated Thursday, January 19 at the Church of the Nativity, Crystal Stream, Diego Martin. The eulogy was prepared by her niece Candace Joseph and delivered by her close friend, Felix Edinborough.
Bernadette (Faye) Salandy was born on June 4, 1945 to Raleigh and Leta Salandy. She was the seventh of 12 children. Her early childhood was spent in the Blue Basin Valley with fresh air, lots of fruits, a river at the backyard, lots of siblings and friends and the goodness of nature surrounding her. It was a happy time.
Aunty Faye was one of the 36 pioneers when Corpus Christi High School was opened in 1959. Her leadership skills were quickly recognised in her early teenage years so she was elected as the first Head Girl of her Alma Mater. Coming from a strong Christian home her faith in God was ignited from that tender age, so when she graduated secondary school, she decided to dedicate her life to God by becoming a Corpus Christi Carmelite Sister.
After several years and a burning desire to do more in service of Christ, she left the Order and became more active in the Church and community. During this time, she also pursued a teaching career and taught at the Mucurapo Girls’ RC School until her retirement.
She was dedicated and passionate in all her endeavours, always striving for excellence. For many years, she privately tutored Common Entrance students with an astounding success rate. Her nieces and nephews, me included, would jokingly reminisce about how she was strict with us when she would oversee our lessons. But today we are all thankful as we are now reaping the rewards of the love, time, and patience she poured into all of us.
Aunty loved her family dearly. She was like the matriarch, always there to advise and support us when needed. She lived at the family home with her parents and lovingly cared for them until their passing.
Her life was truly one of service to God and the Church. She did this through many organisations in which she was actively involved in running the affairs. Some of these were Liturgy Committee, The Carmelite Sisters, Better World Movement, Liturgy School, Lectio Divina, Pastoral Bulletin, Catholic News, Marriage Tribunal, Antilles Canon Law Society, Canadian Law Society, Reflections for CAMSEL, and Conference on Theology in the Caribbean Today.
She has travelled to many countries not only in the Caribbean but Mexico, India, Dubai, Rome, England and many others, not in the pursuit of pleasure but, as always, in the service to the Lord.
Aunty was also deeply involved in the planning and organising pilgrimages to the Holy Land. She has been to Israel about eight times, and even recently while she was sick and unable to go out, she was online making bookings and organising for the upcoming trip this year.
She really wanted to be a part of that and was quite saddened when she realised that she wasn’t going to make it.
Bernadette Faye Salandy, a beautiful soul indeed, a humble and gentle spirit, a woman of poise and grace. You have touched our hearts and have left an indelible mark; you will never be forgotten. We love you. You are now in your true and eternal home with your Maker, rest in peace Aunty, until we meet again.
