St Thomas More Catholic continues centenary celebrations
Published:Thursday | June 25, 2015 | 12:00 AMHorace Fisher
The St Thomas More Catholic Church centenary celebration gathered pace last Sunday with a number of activities which included Feast Day mass, an awards presentation, hall dedication and church re-dedication ceremonies, and dinner at the Fernleigh Avenue, May Pen-base compound.
The glitzy afternoon affair, which saw Member of Parliament Mike Henry, businessmen Trevor Dunkley and Adolph Azan, Vicar General, Father Timothy Gadziada (CP, DD), Archbishop Donald Reece ( OJ, DD), Deacon Peter Espeut and wife, Viela, sharing in the institution's centenary celebrations.
Some 48 individuals and companies who have served the now iconic place of worship and learning centre over the years were honoured for long and dedicated services in pastoral and other church-related activities.
Father Theodore Lobo was credited for the sterling contribution he made to the development of the St Thomas More church. The church hall was renamed and dedicated in his honour.
"The celebration of a hundred years is a special event in an organisation. St Thomas More has come a long way and has weathered many storms. Congratulations on your centenary, well done," Archbishop Reece said in a short address to the gathering.
looking to the future
"As you celebrate this centenary with the vision to refresh, renew, and strengthen to continue our journey of building God's kingdom, let us look to the future with renewed vigour to continue the mission," the archbishop implored.
Chairman of the liturgical committee, Pauline Henry-Blake, disclosed that the centenary celebrations, which began earlier this year, will culminate in August - the church's actual anniversary - with another round of celebrations.
Sister of Mercy, Theresa Jackson, who was awarded for the significant roles she played at St Thomas More from 1977 to 1978 and from 1981 to 1982, said her involvement at St Thomas More included training a cadre of parishioners to administer functions of the church.
"I am happy that some of the very people I came here and trained are the same ones still carrying the administration of the church," Sister Theresa Jackson said.
"We came to St Thomas More with the rural team. Then there wasn't a priest here, but we couldn't say mass, so a priest from the seminary would come down to say mass," she informed Family and Religion.