Circular No 1018

 

Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 29 of May 2021 No.1018 may D

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Dear Friends,

I am overwhelmed with the support that all have given me.

Do not be the last, act today.

Let us pray for Kazim Abasali, for recovery, he lives in Sweden and is the administrator of the Web page.

At the end of this issue, you will find the instructions to send funds, I know your limitations.

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This is one of the emails that was sent out requesting information:

Dear Oldboy,

Here is the latest complementary Circular.

As you can see there have been changes after No. 1000.

On revising your data in the listing that The Circular keeps I have uncovered discrepancies.

It is important for us that you confirm your would-be, or graduating, Form V date so as to place you with your class group.

I would like you to send me your CV from the time you left The Abbey School, so as to keep your classmates informed.

Please send me the names of those that you are in touch from the school.

A photo or photos would be appreciated,

God Bless

Ladislao

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B L <brucelocke@live.ca>

Sun, Apr 25 at 10:42 PM

Hi Laszlo,

Could I ask you to contact Humberto Luongo for me and ask him to check his junk email?

I’ve gotten a few blank emails from him through you and I can see that he has my address wrong by one letter.

I’ve sent him an email.

I’ve been enjoying my renewed contact with some of the boys from that very short time I was at the Abbey School so many years ago.

Best regards, and thank you.

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Bruce Locke

B L <brucelocke@live.ca>

Wed, Apr 28 at 9:55 PM

Hello Ladislao,

I’ve attached two photographs that I’ve found taken between January and May of 1961.

Fathers’ cricket team and a general shot at the back of the school the day I left.

My Dad’s talking to Father Bernard.

In the team photo my Dad is in the baseball cap.

Feel free to use them in the newsletter if you like.

I will make a donation soon.  Can you give me a Western Union address?

I’ve looked at the complications of sending money to Venezuela and I gather anything over USD 40.00 is more than a bank machine can handle?

Let me know and I’ll get to it soon.

Best regards,

Bruce Locke

(Please note: at the end of this newsletter there are instructions with information for the donations)

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B L <brucelocke@live.ca>

Fri, Apr 30 at 9:11 PM

Hi Ladislao,

Just a quick note to answer your questions.

I live in Ontario, Canada, in the city of Burlington which is about an hour’s drive from Niagara Falls.

When I was at the Abbey School my friends were:

Ricardo Zschaeck

Norman Smith

Humberto Luongo

Alexander Pratt

Jeremy du Barry

I remember:

Arnaud (he was in my class)

Bermudez

Boxhead (Don Mitchell).  He used to take us on hikes up to Mt. Tabor and Whitestones

Jinx (he was our dormitory prefect)

Other than that, I wasn’t there long enough (January to June 1961 approx.) for any long-term friendships to grow.

We were emigrating to Canada and by August of 1961 I was beginning a new life in this country which was pretty overwhelming for an 11-year old boy.

The only two people I recognize in the photo are Mr. Tyrell and Arnaud, but I have seen that same photo with a fairly thorough list of names online.

Anyway. I must run for now.  I’ll be in touch soon.

Best regards,

Bruce

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Re: Abraham Laquis‏

From: Ricardo Figuera H. (rfihor@cantv.net)

Sent: Sat 5/10/08 12:02 PM

Dear Ladislao

I've just opened your e-mail and learnt about Abraham Laquis situation.

I'm terribly sorry. . . 

I'll get in touch with his son.

I recall we used to call him Brahm.

I studied with him in Form II and Form III, until he left school, and I think my brother Pablo studied with his brother Pud.

A picture of him which I have not received is mentioned by his son in his e-mail May 8. Could you please send it to me?

Thank you, Ladislao.

Best regards.

Ricardo Figuera

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Nigel Boos

Sat, 8 May, 21:28 (5 days ago)

Thanks, Csaba.

Am forwarding this report to others.

Nigel

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A recent article of one of the scores of tragedies being experienced by suffering Venezuelans today.

Particularly meaningful and personal for me as I spent the first 15 years of my childhood in Venezuela….and the last six of those 15 years studying in Trinidad.

In “its a small world category”, it is my understanding that Monsignor Michael de Verteuil is the spiritual director of the Living Water Community mentioned in the article.

Michael was one year behind me in our school.

To my knowledge, he is the only Abbey School non-seminarian student who became a priest.

I also suspect that some/many of our alumni are members/contributors.

Sharing it with Team George members asking for your continued prayers and continuing assistance.

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Peter Gittens <peter.gittens@utoronto.ca>

Mon, 3 May, 11:16 (10 days ago)

Dear Ladislao,

I trust that you well and safe from Covid.

St. Augustine’s Seminary passed on a request from you for contact with me.

If this is real, and not spam., then use this email address: peter.gittens@utoronto.ca

To the best of my knowledge all my contact information is already in the database that you use for contact who “old boys”.

This is a screen shot of the message:

Sincere best wishes,

Peter.

Deacon Peter Gittens, Ph.D; S.T.D.

Sessional Lecturer, Theology

St. Augustine’s Seminary of Toronto

Toronto School of Theology/University of Toronto peter.gittens@utoronto.ca

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Humberto LuongoMis queridos compañeros de clase de hace 60 años y queridos compañeros del grupo de ex alumnos del Abbey School. 

Recibo , por conducto de Laszlo , ese mensaje de un amigo y compañero de aquellos años a quien yo realmente de alguna manera agredi verbalmente.

Era la manera en aquellos tiempos de hacernos sentir infundiendo temor en los recién llegados al colegio.

La nota es de una persona que después devino en buen amigo mío.

Recuerdo mucho en este momento a Bruce, Bruce Locke, y siento vergüenza pretérita con él y conmigo mismo por una conducta y una actitud injustificable.

Pero quiero reseñar y resaltar , con este escrito , la nobleza de corazón de Bruce , quien cargando en su memoria el recuerdo de una mala acción mía, nunca estuvo abrazado a rencor y responde , aún con mayor dignidad y nobleza , ofreciendo un aporte para la comunidad de venezolanos.

Perdóname Bruce. 

Soy tu amigo en alma, vida y corazón, Dios te bendiga y muchas gracias por la lección de vida que me has dado.

La vida no solamente da sorpresas sino que da lecciones que se aprenden con la mente y se guardan y llevan en el corazón.

Te llevo en mi corazón. Bruce. Mil gracias. .....,

Me dicen que me has escrito y no te he respondido.

No recuerdo haber recibido correos tuyos pero voy a revisar de nuevo.

Mi correo es. humbertoaluongo@gmail.com.

Estoy a tu orden.

También puedes escribir por el grupo o directamente a mi cuenta de WhatsApp.

My dear classmates from 60 years ago and dear fellow Abbey School alumni group.

I received, through Laszlo, that message from a friend and colleague of those years whom I actually verbally assaulted in some way.

It was the way in those days to make ourselves feel fearful in newcomers to the school.

The note is from a person who later became a good friend of mine.

I remember Bruce very much right now, Bruce Locke, and I feel past shame with him and myself for an unjustifiable behavior and attitude.

But I want to review and highlight, with this writing, the nobility of heart of Bruce, who, bearing in his memory the memory of a bad act of mine, was never embraced by resentment and responds, even with greater dignity and nobility, offering a contribution to the community of Venezuelans.

Forgive me Bruce.

I am your friend in soul, life and heart, God bless you and thank you very much for the life lesson you have given me.

Life not only gives surprises but also gives lessons that are learned with the mind and kept and carried in the heart.

I carry you in my heart. Bruce. Thank you. .....,

They tell me that you have written to me and I have not responded.

I do not remember receiving emails from you but I will check again.

My email is. humbertoaluongo@gmail.com.

I am at your command.

You can also write by the group or directly to my WhatsApp account.

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I just found this email.  Interesting.

Re. ASAA News

Dear Ladislao et al;

I am pleased to inform you that today I received from the Registrar of Companies the original Certificate of Incorporation of the newly formed Non-profit corporation called “Abbey School Alumni Association”.

At long last we have a formal legal body with an identity separate and apart from its members and with a legal framework under which to operate.

I think that the “old boys” will be pleased to know.

A copy of the Certificate of Incorporation (which bears a March 22, 2010 date), Articles of Incorporation, and Notice of Directors are attached for your record and information.

In the coming weeks I propose that the Directors named in the articles should call a meeting to inter alia :-

1. appoint you as an additional Director and Member,

2.  appoint a Corporate Secretary,

3.  make a By-law relating generally to the conduct of the affairs of the company (along the lines of the model by-law as set out in the Companies Regulations, 1997 for a typical Non-profit company),

4.  make banking arrangements and

5.  transact any other business.

If you are interested, I can send you a copy of the model general by-law set out in the Regulations.

I expect that there may be some discussion as to classes of membership and membership fees (perhaps only nominal).

Please let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions on the way forward.

Fondest regards and best wishes,

Dennis Gurley

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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz, kertesz11@yahoo.com, if you would like to subscribe for a whole year and be in the circular’s mailing list or if you would like to mention any old boy that you would like to include, write to me.

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Photos:

63TF0001CLASS1965,

70LK6317FBJBA, Jerry Bain

20LK9110FBJBAGRP, Jerry Bain and group

13LK4337FBFHI, Fr. Harold Imamshah

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