A Father for the poor

By Rhonda Maingot, Living Water Community

Anthony Pantin lived in the presbytery at Laventille shrine after his Episcopal Ordination in 1968. He loved this simple abode, living among his people. Archbishop’s House was his office at that time, not his residence. A few years after this, the Black Power movement began. He supported this movement in the area of social inclusivity for all people of the nation, setting the Church a new social and cultural foundation as the first local Archbishop of the Archdiocese.

“Be the shepherd(s) of the flock of God that is entrusted to you: watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly, because God wants it; not for sordid money, but because you are eager to do it,” (1 Pet 5:2).

The first time I walked into the back entrance of Archbishop’s House and saw Archbishop Pantin seated on a small table in the kitchen eating lunch, I knew that this man of God was a unique and special person. I soon came to find out that this little kitchen in the Archbishop’s Palace was in fact his dining room.  He wasn’t interested in eating by himself; he much preferred to have his meals in the kitchen chatting with his cook and everyone else who might be around. Archbishop Pantin loved people. He loved to be around people, the more the merrier and the poorer the greater.

After moving from Laventille to Archbishop’s House, which he did with a very sad heart, people would line up outside his back door to see him after his early morning Mass.

He knew each one by name, where they lived, who their family members were, what they did or didn’t do, and of course their plight and suffering in life. He had a ‘pan’ in the left-hand drawer of his desk in which he kept funds, which had been donated to him to help the needy. He would always find a way to help those in need. Medication, light bill, schoolbooks, rent – they would come to him for everything.

On Christmas Day, he hosted a luncheon for the needy at his home. In the early eighties, he asked our Community to assist him with this and after a couple years he asked us to take it over on his behalf.

The preparation done, tables filled with families, but we couldn’t begin until he came to pray after his Christmas morning Masses. Singing carols with everyone and chatting, joking and laughing with his family – this was Christmas.

Catholic catechism defines virtue as a habitual and firm disposition to do good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. This was Archbishop Pantin.

A humble and virtuous man, habitually doing good to all, especially the poor, and nothing was too much for him to give of himself and at any time for anyone.

He would give himself in the Sacrament of Reconciliation for hours upon hours, sometimes day after day, school after school and he would be so absolutely thrilled at the fact that so many children wanted the Sacrament. He never tired of this.

For 22 years at our prayer meeting in the grounds of his home, he would be available for Confession. No matter where he was in ministry, he would make his way back home, most Wednesday nights to hear Confessions. Yes, he loved hearing Confessions, being available to bring God’s mercy to those in need.

A man of the people and a man for the people who lived a humble and virtuous life offered for others – Catholic, Christian, Hindu, Muslim or otherwise, he offered his life for all people.

From all ends of Trinidad and Tobago, he knew people by name and people knew him and loved him. From the highest-ranking persons to the poorest of the poor, they knew him, respected him as a holy man of God, and all loved him as a Father.

He never saw himself as a high-ranking official of the Church, but a Father for the poor. “Fr Pantin” he was called by the people, and he loved that as he shared with me one day. “That’s what I am, a priest, a father, so I’m happy when they call me Father”.

He would wake early in the morning to spend hours for his own personal prayer with the ‘beloved of his soul’ and be ready to open his chapel to welcome his daily worshipping community.

He loved Our Lady, his mother, and had a beautiful devotion to her. He loved to sing Happy Birthday to her at Laventille Shrine around September 8 each year in his loud beautiful voice. “When the chief shepherd appears, you will be given the crown of unfading glory,” (1 Pet 5:4).

After Archbishop Pantin died, the outpouring of love stories of this special man of God, inundated the media, as if we couldn’t say enough about this holy man. People of other faiths, including the heads of the Inter Religious Organisation (IRO), of which he was a founder, were in high praise of him and joined in the outpouring of sentiments.

Thousands lined up for hours to pay their respects and say farewell to this Holy Man of God. Yes, I believe Archbishop Pantin is a Saint and I hope and pray for his beatification!

“Never be a dictator over any group that is put in your charge but be an example that the whole flock can follow” (1 Pt 5:3).

He taught me to love the poor, and the many times I need that extra grace, or wisdom, I would think of him and how he may have handled the situation and be inspired. His memory lives on in my life indeed.

He was a humble man of God, a holy priest of God for the Church. A man for all people, especially the poor – but, to all of this he would say, “It’s all God’s work.”