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| Glad I took this photo of dear Father Louis Grenier at King's House, during rehearsal for National Honours. He was conferred with one of the country's highest honours, the Order of Jamaica in October 2015 |
WHAT better way to prepare for the new year than to share the energy and
optimism of a man who has served Jamaica in so many spheres, and who
believes that Jamaica will continue to hold her own?
Father Louis Grenier was assigned by his Jesuit superior to Jamaica in
1950 and remarked: "I could not have received a more wonderful
assignment." During his 63 years here, he has been co-founder of
Operation Friendship, Girls' Town and the FISH Clinic, earning a
national honour and many other awards.
Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, of French Canadian parentage, Father
Louis said he has visited over 70 countries, and none have the varied,
beautiful landscape of Jamaica.
"When you travel along the coast and see the many colours of the water — it is incredible," he said.
Father Louis does not allow himself to be dragged down by depressing
conversations about the economy. He recalls the low tourist arrivals of
the early fifties compared to the present, and says we will see great
benefits when the new Kingston to Ocho Rios highway is completed. "The
Bahamas has more visitors per year than residents," Father points out.
"We are just about equal, so there is room for growth."
Regarding employment, Father Louis wants to see more emphasis placed on
vocational training and believes that there are great examples, citing
Sister Benedict's Laws Street Trade Training Centre which has brought
harmony to Central Kingston, Operation Friendship, Dr Henley Morgan's
AIR in Trench Town, the YMCA, and HEART/NTA. He believes that just as
has happened in many cities throughout the world, there will be a
renewal of downtown Kingston, bringing greater opportunities to
inner-city dwellers.
Now retired, Father Louis went on a self-imposed diet and lost 35 pounds
this year to maintain his good health. He enjoyed his sister's birthday
party in June, remarking that she goes to the gym four times a week.
What makes all this remarkable is that Father Louis is 94 years old, and
his sister, Bernadette, who is a very capable driver, was celebrating
her 98th birthday.
Retirement has hardly slowed down this energetic priest. He continues
his 30-year chairmanship of the FISH Clinic, and serves on the boards of
the Boys Scout Association, the Girl Guides Association, Archdiocesan
Education Board, The Jamaica Catholic Teachers Association, Board of
Governors of Campion College, and the Jamaican Jesuit Consultors. He is
up at dawn each day, setting out to say mass at various churches and
chapels.
During his 23 years at Above Rocks, Father Louis was a passionate ally
of the farming community. He established a farm store and pulled a team
together of Peace Corps workers, a top representative of the Jamaica 4-H
movement, securing the first USAID grant of its kind to the Caribbean.
With the funds, they established hundreds of kitchen gardens, scores of
goat- and rabbit-rearing projects, and promoted nutrition education in
the eastern parishes.
He also cites 'extraordinary assistance' from Food for the Poor, whose
Jamaican Board he served, and which honoured him as a 'Servant of the
Poor and Cornerstone of the Food for the Poor Ministry'. As a member of
the Festival Commission and past chairman at various times of their
parish committees in Kingston & St Andrew, St Catherine and St Mary,
Father Louis has even found himself judging Festival Queen
competitions.
The forward-thinking priest set up 'one of the very first high school
computer facilities at our St Mary's College' in Above Rocks (alma mater
of Jamaica Observer founder Hon Butch Stewart). He was dedicated to
that community: "Though I made trips to Kingston every weekday, I always
returned at night to Above Rocks, so that people could count on seeing
me at least the first thing in the morning."
Father Louis drove his weather-beaten pickup on those winding Jamaican roads up to his 92nd year.
His life has been somewhat of an adventure, peopled by the who's who of
the world. As a scholastic, he taught at the Cranwell Preparatory School
in Lenox, Massachusetts, in 1945, at the time when the late Senator Ted
Kennedy was a seventh grader.
He was sent to Nicaragua to do a two-year regency, part of Jesuit
training in the early 1940s. Former President of Nicaragua Enrique José
Bolanos was one of his students and so appreciative was the dignitary of
his teacher that he invited Father Louis to be part of the 100th
anniversary celebration of the Atlantic coast town of Bluefields.
"He had me three times in his presidential office," said Father Louis,
"flew me to Bluefields, gave me a place of honour at a large diplomatic
dinner, and treated me to a banquet with himself and his wife, to which
he invited more than 20 of my former students and their wives."
This speaks volumes of the high regard the President had for a young
student priest who did not know more than 'buenas noches' when he landed
in Nicaragua. Father Louis is so understated that you only discover by
chance his giftedness and versatility.
As a young priest Father Louis met Father Samuel Carter at Weston
College in Cambridge. He would collaborate with him as Jamaica's first
native Roman Catholic Archbishop, and commented that education was one
of Archbishop Sam's priorities.
When I asked him what Jamaica's biggest need was, he answered, "Better
family life". He is not judgmental however, as he sees the challenges
faced by young men who want the best for their children but who earn low
or no wage. Father Louis believes that once they get more
opportunities, we will see a change. "I am encouraged by the fact that I
am seeing more men nowadays taking their children to school and
clinics."
Our interview over, we took Father Louis to the Pegasus for his weekly
Rotary Club meeting — faithful to all his commitments, he has not missed
a meeting in 33 years. Father Louis is one-of-a-kind, and the kindest
man you will ever meet. Let us take his gift of faith into the new year.
Have a blessed one!
Post Script
Last week, Father Louis Grenier passed away in Boston USA.
May His Great Soul Rest in Peace.
Post Script
Last week, Father Louis Grenier passed away in Boston USA.
May His Great Soul Rest in Peace.
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