“The spirit is  
strong and our  
culture is vibrant.”   
Edmund Bartlett  
Jamaica Tourism Minister

Jamaica, with its vibrant culture, stunning landscapes, white sand beaches, and warm hospitality, has captured the hearts of people from around the world. Many famous personalities have been touched by Jamaica in their lives, whether through its music, culture, or natural beauty. There are many celebrities who have been inspired by or have had a connection to Jamaica, which has influenced their lives and work. From authors and musicians to athletes and politicians, Jamaica’s influence can be seen in their work, their lives, and their hearts. 

Though I am anything but a celebrity, my life, too, has been touched by Jamaica. On this date fifty-five years ago, my Saint Ignatius classmate, Dan Pasini, and I were traveling across the island teaching and learning liturgical music for young people with Father Russ Roide, S.J. The experience, more than I realized at the time, was life-changing for me.

I was only seventeen years old in the summer of 1971. While I was part of the music ministry group at S.I., I was not in a leadership role. I didn’t play an instrument. All I had to contribute to the group was my voice and my desire to participate in school liturgies. It came as a shock to me to receive the invitation by Fr. Roide to join him in Jamaica.

There’s a very good chance that I was not one of the first to be invited. Surely, Russ must have asked some of the other members of the group who had more to offer in terms of their ability to play a musical instrument. Even if I did end up going by default, I enjoyed the experience immensely. Dan and I had a great time immersing ourselves in Jamaican culture, eating Jamaican food, and even going to the beach in Montego Bay with Beverly Chin and Kathy Kafati, two local Jamaican girls who stopped by the bishop’s residence to invite us to join them. Yes, it was quite an experience.

Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Montego Bay was our home base for the summer. We stayed in guest rooms in the residence of Bishop Edgarton Clarke, bishop of Montego Bay. Our travels took us to a variety of places across the island — Mandeville, Seaford Town, Kingston, and several of the tourist areas along the island’s north coast. One of the highlights of the trip was a brief stop at Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios.

55 years ago today, on July 31, 1971, Russ, Dan, and I attended an event at Campion College, one of the two Jesuit schools in Kingston. It was a celebration of the feast day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). It was there that I met Father Elias Achatz, a Benedictine monk from Nassau in The Bahamas. In the spring of 1974, he invited Dan and me to spend the 1974-75 academic year teaching at Saint Augustine’s College in Nassau. We both accepted his invitation. Talk about life-changing experiences!

As a result of that one year teaching at SAC, I committed my life to teaching. The fulfillment I experienced teaching in Nassau motivated me to continue my education and devote 43 years of my life to catholic education.

Jamaican novelist Nicole Dennis-Benn wrote, “Jamaica is more than just sun, sea, and sand. It’s a place where stories are born, where the whisper of the past mingles with the rhythm of the present.” 

A story was born in July 1971, and I’ve been living it ever since.

A M D G