CORONATION OFTHE FIRST NATIVE ROMANCATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF JAMAICA

From: oren cousins
Subject: THE CORONATION OF JAMAICA"S FIRST NATIVE ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP




SAMUEL E. CARTER ( 1919—2002)


With a swift wave of his hand over my head

He absolved me of that other denomination:

“Welcome to the Church,” he said,

In his golden –silvery accents
Clear and sweet above the congregation,

And he firmed his lips, closed his eyes

And smiled angelically when they said “Amen!”



No other priest could intone so graciously:

“Peace be with you,” as Samuel ;

His voice rose and fluted majestically,

As with hand outstretched , he uttered :

“Dominus vobiscum!”

To which the people responded:

“Et cum spritu tuo!” Latin students for a moment.

A celestially handsome man was he,

In alba, stole , dalmatic, chasuble and pallium,

A benign face beneath his mitre,

Crozier in hand , his shepherd’s rod,

With grace he blessed his Master’s flock.



I was there sitting in the Cathedral,

On the event of his consecration;

Many more wished the privilege ,

Outside they had to listen to amplifiers ;

I joined in the singing and the praying,

For the first native archbishop of Jamaica,

A pillar in the building of Independence.









Great was the sermon of Mc, Eleney

Whom he on the throne was succeeding,

Prince of the cloth behind the cleric’ throng

Recessing down the aisle, he marched,

As the choir sang Handel’s Hallelujah,

And the Cathedral bells joyfully clang,

Proclaimed in every Kingston street and lane,

“A native prince is Archbishop Samuel !”



“What paradox!” I could not help but think

“The King himself went to Calvary

With stripes to the jeers of the mocking mob,

They put on head a cruel crown of thorns,

In mockery they called him King,

Now his servant marched triumphant,

Cheered on with a joyous anthem ,

Instead of a wooden cross he carried

His sceptre like a magic wand.



He loved Marley’s ‘ Redemption Song’;

What would he have said, I wonder,

If he had seen the nudes in Emancipation Park.?

As he denounced the awesome sight,

He probably would have smiled and sang:

“That we all may be one.”











His Grace, the Most Rev. Samuel Carter, S.J., C.D., B.A., M.A., S.T.L. , M.S. W., D.D., L.L.D., Past President of Jamaica Council of Churches, Archbishop of Kingston, President – Antilles Episcopal Conference, Chairman- Dupont Primary School was born in St. Andrew , Jamaica , July 31, 1919. He was the son of Wilfred and Marie Williams- Carter . He attended St. Aloysius Boys’ School, St. Simon’s College, Jamaica, Weston College , Massachusetts., St. Bueno’s College, North Wales, and the Catholic University of America.

Archbishop Carter embarked on a scintillating career of service with an early start. He was the Latin Teacher at St. Simon’s College 1939 - 41. He worked as a civil servant at The Treasury Department 1941—44. He became a Jesuit Novitiate in 1944, and served as a lecturer in Sociology at Holy Cross College 1950—51. He was ordained in 1954. He served at Holy Trinity Cathedral as Assistant Priest 1958. He was a member and secretary of the Jamaica Save the Children Fund and member of Children Services 1958-66; Founder and Chairman of Campion College ; Chairman of Fort Augusta Prison Visiting Committee; President of Jamaica Catholic Educational Association 1960-61; Member of Jamaica Mental Health Conference Report 1962; Chairman Ministry of Education Committee on Organization and Structure of Educational System 1956- 66; Suffragan bishop 1966, the first Jamaican to become a Roman Catholic bishop; Chairman Holy Trinity Secondary School Board; Member of the Council of the University of the West Indies 1976; President of the Antilles Episcopal Conference 1968- 71.

Archbishop Carter was consecrated Archbishop of Kingston. As the first native-born Archbishop of the Rona Catholic Church in Jamaica, he led with courage and compassion. He continued to engage himself in extensive interests and services . In 1973, he was elected Chairman at the Inaugural Meeting of the Caribbean Conference of Churches and also served as Director of Christian Action for Development (CADEC).

He also served as Moderator of the European International Agency for Socio-Economic Development (CIDSE). In the Caribbean, Archbishop was appointed Member of the Commission of Enquiry into the administration of Justice , alleged Police brutality ,in Greneda; Leader of Fact Mission to Haiti; Observer of Elections in Guyana.

He was engaged in many activities and services including : Member of the University Council; Board Chairman of St. Holy Trinity and St. Anne’s Secondary Schools and Dupont Primary; Chairman of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council , Education Board, Building Committee, Synod Commission, Human Development, Finance Board, . He was a member of Jamaica Children Foundation, Inner –City Development Board; Chairman of Board of Directors of LOVE FM ; Chaplain of Women’s League.

He devoted himself to the building of a local clergy, and ordained Frs. Kenneth Wong, Richard Ho Lung, Jules Wong, George Ramkissoon, Alfred Lee, Walter Dorsey, Howard Rochester, Romanus Otuonye, Brian Kerr, Devon Nash, Donald Chambers, Orville Shields, Bishop Charles Dufour, Msgr. Kenneth Mock Yen, Frs. Xavier Vitacolona, Paul Collier, Kenneth Richards, Bruce Knox, George Phillips, Charles Brown, Kingsley Asphall, Burchell Mc. Pherson, Dudley Adams, Michael Lewis, Thomaws Dynepius, Patrick Pinder and John Johnson.

After retirement, he continued to serve in pastoral care and national and regional affairs. He was Vice-Chairman of Citizens for Action for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) ; Leader of a team to observe Referendum in St. Kitts; Represented , as President of the Commission of Ecumenism , the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) at the Mexico Conference of Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and at the Eighth Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Harare , Zimbabwe, Africa,

He received many accolades in recognition of his concerns and labour for the welfare of his fellowmen : Doctor of Laws (L.L.D) from the College of Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusets; the Bicentennial Award from Boston College School of Social Work; the Commander of Distinction Award (C.D.) from the Government of Jamaica. The College of the Holy Cross named a scholarship in his honour , “The Archbishop Samuel Carter Scholarship”, intended for St. George’s College graduates who aspire to the College of Holy Cross.

He was truly a great Jamaican who strongly championed the disadvantaged and underprivileged and educational opportunities for Jamaican youth.







RANDOM THOUGHTS



His widowed mother grew and sold callaloo in Coronation Market to keep her family , Samuel and his three sisters, in school.

The turkey that was killed by a dog in Louise Bennett’s poem. “ROAS’ TURKEY” belonged to Archbishop’s mother, Marie.

Archbishop Carter had a tremendous sense of humour . He was a Bob Marley’s fan who enjoyed the best of Bob and ,at times , quoted him in his homilies and addresses.



The Hallelujah Chorus is the best known and most favourite part of Handel’s oratorio, ‘The Messiah’ . Frideric Handel was a German composer. He started his music career at age 7.