Final of a three-part series by Msgr Christian Pereira, who shares personal memories of Archbishop Anthony Pantin. Part 1 appeared in the March 30 issue and part 2 in the April 6 issue.

We move into the third and final decade of Archbishop Pantin’s episcopate, the 1990s. What a way to begin! I was invited to assume the role as administrator of the Cathedral in May 1990. All began as usual, there was a special Mass to welcome me for my second term at the Cathedral presided over by Archbishop Pantin.

On Friday, July 27, 1990, the Archbishop was at a Charismatic Conference in Point Fortin. I had just celebrated the 5 p.m. Mass and, crossing the road to my residence, I noticed the chaos! The television was not immediately helpful, but I soon realised that it was an attempted coup d’etat. I was unable to contact the Archbishop (there were no mobile phones at that time). The Archbishop drove himself up from Point Fortin to arrive at the gate of the priests’ residence at the Cathedral. It was tightly closed and we, inside, did not hear the Archbishop blowing his horn or calling.

Eventually, he went to Archbishop’s House from where he called me. The media were looking for him to say something to the nation. His voice was the most important (and respected) voice in the nation as he called for calm. It was during this period that the Archbishop invited ALL citizens to join him in singing the National Anthem, one of the most moving moments in broadcast history in our Republic. Prime Minister ANR Robinson had uttered the famous expression challenging the army “to attack with full force”.

On December 31, 1999, Archbishop Pantin opened the Holy Door at the Cathedral signalling the start of the Millenium and the special Jubilee Year, 2000. It was the year of the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain. During this year, we published a special Jubilee magazine commemorating the anniversary of the Archdiocese. Many parishes were named as Jubilee Churches, and there was a special visit of the pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fatima which was part of the Laventille Devotions in May.

Towards the end of this decade, too, Basdeo Panday had assumed the office of Prime Minister and ANR Robinson was the President. There was growing tension between these two leaders, a source of great agony for the Archbishop.

When the Archbishop eventually had to be hospitalised in Florida, he was so concerned about the situation that he wrote two letters (one each to the Prime Minister and to the President) to put aside all differences and, for the good of the nation, resume regular communications. These letters were hand delivered from his hospital bed to the two individuals.

His surgery went according to plan, and he returned to Trinidad to continue his ministry and witness. Exactly three months after this surgery, the Archbishop spent the first Saturday of Lent (March 11) chatting with me at the presbytery, before going to the Cathedral to celebrate Mass.

The Archbishop then returned to his residence. He was again scheduled to return to the Cathedral to celebrate the opening Mass for our 10th Covenant Day.

A nation mourns

That Sunday morning (March 12, 2000—incidentally 30 years after the Caroni march)—his housekeeper Ada Mars called me indicating that the Archbishop had not come for breakfast at his usual time and was not answering her call.

She asked me to come immediately, which I did only to have great difficulty in accessing him in his room. Eventually when I got to his bedside, he was not breathing! I called Dr Richard Clerk and Dr Gerard Farfan who both came and certified that Archbishop Pantin died in the early hours of the morning from a heart attack.

Immediately, I notified the Nuncio, Bishop John Mendes, Fr Michel de Verteuil CSSp and Sr Rosa Pantin SJC. The Prime Minister was out of the country, and I went directly to the President’s House to personally inform His Excellency ANR Robinson.

The press soon got word, and they descended on Archbishop’s House seeking first-hand information and asking all sorts of questions, including plans for the funeral. Maria Afong and June Gonzales, his two main office assistants, were very helpful in enabling me to manage the challenges of this moment.

The Antilles Bishops were informed, and arrangements were put in place for an extended funeral. Dr Neville Jankie, his classmate, did the autopsy at the Clarke and Battoo Funeral Home.

A committee was established, and plans were in full swing. The nuncio wanted the funeral on Thursday (because he had to travel on Friday). The general mood of the country was that Saturday was the best day for the funeral.

At the Thursday funeral inside the Cathedral, the Nuncio presided and Archbishop Edgerton Clarke (of Kingston, Jamaica, President of the Conference) preached the homily.

After this the body was returned to the funeral home and prepared for public viewing. Vigils led by various groups were held during the night and after the 6.30 a.m. Mass on Friday, the body was taken back to the funeral home for necessary adjustments and returned to the Cathedral for all to pay their respects and give their thanks for this holy man of God.

The peoples’ funeral for this holy man was celebrated in the forecourt of the Cathedral with Bishop Mendes presiding and Fr de Verteuil preaching.

It was on March 18, 2000, exactly 32 years after his ordination at this Cathedral in 1968, when his body was entombed in the crypt at the Cathedral.

Postscript…

The various decades of Archbishop Pantin were knitted together by (a) his profound commitment to LIFE (from the womb – anti-abortion and his vehement opposition to capital punishment and (b) his radical care for and support of the poor and vulnerable with the establishment of the Archbishop’s Relief Fund.

The fund was made up from the stipends he received for Confirmation liturgies and Lenten donations from various schools and organisations.

The fund had an annual budget of a quarter million dollars (some annual reports were published in The Catholic News).