By Francis Quamina Farrier
ON Sunday, October 8, 2017, New York based Guyanese and friends, turned up in their numbers to attend the Twenty Eighth Annual Guyanese Mass, which was held at the St. Clare Catholic Church, in Rosedale, Queens, New York. This annual tradition has been on-going for almost three decades and is always well attended by Catholics and their friends based in New York, as well as some from out of State, from Canada and even a few visiting from Guyana.

This Annual Guyanese Mass in New York City was established by Guyanese-Born Monsignor, Paul Jervis, in 1989. The former altar boy of St. Pius X Catholic Parish at La Penitence, Georgetown, had migrated to New York while in his teens to advance his education. He later had a calling to the priesthood and was ordained in New York, where he has been serving ever since. However, Monsignor Jervis has always kept in close touch with his homeland, Guyana, and visits every year and celebrates Mass not only at his former Saint Pius X in La Penitence but also at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Brickdam and at Sacred Heart, Main Street in Georgetown.

During the turbulent years of Guyana’s recent history, the then young priest was moved with compassion for his fellow Guyanese back home, and took action in organising a special Mass at which New York-based Guyanese Catholics and friends would attend, pray for their country, and make financial offerings to send to Guyana for various identified projects. It is also an occasion when folks reunite with relatives and friends, sometimes with those who they have not seen in many years.

One such project over the years has been the financing of the ongoing Brickdam Parish Soup Kitchen which feeds hundreds of the needy every month on a daily basis in Georgetown. Other projects include financial assistance for the repairs or rebuilding of Catholic churches in various areas of the country.
One of the traditions of this event is that of inviting a Guyanese priest, especially one who is based in Guyana, to be the chief celebrant, and this year it was Fr. Godfrey Veersammy, SJ, who hails from Enmore on the East Coast of Demerara. After serving as a Deacon for some years, he was ordained to the priesthood on November 23, 2013.

In previous years the Chief Celebrants at the Guyanese New York Mass included, Bishop Francis Alleyne, OSB; Monsignor Terrance Montrose; Fr. Andrew Morrison SJ; Fr. Oliver Farnum; Fr. John Persaud; Fr. Malcolm Rodrigues, SJ; Fr. Harold Wong, SJ; Fr. Hildebrand Greene, OBS; Fr. Floyd Grace; Fr. Andrew Chan-A-Sue; and Fr. Marlon Innis, SJ. It would be appropriate to mention that three of these priests come from La Penitence; Monsignor Terrence Montrose, Monsignor Paul Jervis and the late Fr. Floyd Grace.

Here is an area of Georgetown which has been so demonised, yet has produced three priests of the Catholic Church, two of whom have been elevated to the higher office of Monsignor. In fact, Msgr. Montrose and Msgr. Jervis, are the first two Guyanese Catholic Monsignors. Also of note, is that the first Guyanese Catholic Bishop, in the person of Bishop Benedict Singh, is a native of Buxton, which is another demonised community in Guyana.

One of the notable aspects of the Guyanese Mass in New York over the years is the presence of the widest representation of Guyanese, which Monsignor Paul Jervis has pointed out time and again. All of Guyana’s races are there, as a popular Catholic hymn of the past states, “Let us mingle together…”. There are the young, the matured as well as the elderly. There are those from all 10 Administrative Regions of the country – all mingling together joyfully in peace and love.

It must also be noted that some who attend these annual Guyanese Masses in New York City are non-Catholic. One such person is Lorna Welshman-Neblett who is a Baptist, but has been very actively involved with the Guyanese Catholic Mass in New York over the past decade. So involved is she, that she was one of the Recipients of an Award in 2013. Awards are presented annually by the Mass Committee, to those who have given sterling support over a period of time.
For Fr. Godfrey Veresammy, SJ, on this his very first visit to New York, it was “an occasion of joyous emotions, having met so many persons who I had known back in Guyana, including relatives, and who I have not seen for many years,” the priest said. During the traditional reception which followed the Mass, Fr. Godfrey took the opportunity to mingle with the congregation and also gave special blessings to those who made that request of him.

Among the traditions of the Guyanese Mass in New York, is accountability. For even as the traditional Post Mass Reception was in progress, the amount of money received from the offering during the Mass was announced. The winners, as well as the money garnered from a raffle run off during the reception, were also announced.
As usual, that money has been sent to Guyana for specified projects, including the Brickdam Soup Kitchen, which has been a beneficiary for over two decades. Some Catholic churches in Guyana have also been given financial assistance with repairs and rebuilding. They include the Sacred Heart Church on Main Street in Georgetown and the St. Anthony Church on First Avenue at Bartica.