Eulogy for Fr Michael Moses delivered at the funeral Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday, March 16 by his brother Elias Moses

Fr Michael Moses RIP

Michael Paul Moses was born on June 26, 1957 in San Fernando to Toufik and Zakie Moses. His parents had migrated from Syria and settled in this Promised Rainbow Land in the 1940s. Michael was the eldest and was joined by Edward and myself.

Memories of growing up with Fr Mike at Harris Street, San Fernando included wonderful boyhood days together playing table tennis, football climbing trees. We were a close-knit family in a happy neighbourhood. He was a regular fun-loving young person. He loved playing his guitar and excelled at lessons with the Walter’s School of Music.

Our upbringing was centered around the Church at Harris Promenade, Boys’ RC School, followed by Presentation College where he excelled academically. We were nurtured by a mother who dressed us and made sure we were in Church every Sunday in our Sunday best – clip-on tie and all.

We were taught strong family and moral values which were a perfect start for the vocation chosen by Fr Michael. The values instilled in us continued to be exhibited by him till the end.

Our move to Port of Spain was followed soon after by Michael’s departure for Canada where he attended Assumption College. He returned to Cave Hill Campus, Barbados and later completed his BSc degree at St Augustine.

The call to the priesthood began during his years at UWI where he was co-founder of the UWI Prayer Group Jesus is Lord and he became its first leader.

It was during that period that his brother Edward, who had come to conversion in Christ challenged Michael about the quality of his Christian life.

Fr Michael always spoke of that time when he retaliated and struck his brother out of anger. Edward looked at Michael and told him, “I forgive you”. This was the conversion point for Fr Michael.

Subsequently he was introduced to a Life in the Spirit Seminar and got baptised in the Holy Spirit. He began to attend Charismatic prayer meetings at Archbishop’s House and introduced friends at UWI, including Fr Ian Taylor and Wayne Gunpat to the movement. Thus was the birth of University prayer group.

Michael was boarding at the Seminary of St John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs while attending UWI. The call to his vocation continued with studies in theology and he was ordained to the priesthood, along with Frs Ian Taylor and Benedict Peters, on June 19, 1988 by deceased Archbishop Anthony Pantin.

At UWI, St Augustine he began his ministry and converted many students to a true Christian life. A story is told by a former male student who was dating a female student. This girl confided in Michael about her relationship with this guy. Fr Michael laid down certain rules. She was only allowed to go to see certain cinema shows, no public parties and to practice abstinence. Well the guy quickly moved on to other pastures.

His introduction to Auntie Babsie was during that period of change in his life since she was one of the elders of the movement and had helped to introduce it to Trinidad.

True friendship developed and resulted in her becoming his spiritual mother and this lasted until the end. His zeal for souls led him to bring many on campus to Christ.

Fr Michael’s vocation as a priest began with his first Mass at Santa Rosa and after nearly 20 years ended at San Rafael Parish. As a deacon, he pastored the Valencia community and soon became parish priest of Malabar. He was appointed parish priest of San Rafael eight years ago.

Fr Michael was a widely travelled evangelist whose work spanned the entire globe – he moved easily with Auntie Babsie between Trinidad/San Francisco/New Orleans/Canada /Ireland/Australia and many other countries.

During his years at Malabar, he experienced two serious illnesses – one with his eyes and one where he slept for long periods and could not easily wake up.

The latter experience gave birth to the Healing of the Soul Seminar – a ministry that became critical to the Church in Trinidad and the rest of the world. Fr Mike and Auntie Babsie were seen on EWTN preaching their ministry. Their DVDs are still distributed to many parts of the world.   

His zeal for souls got him into trouble many times during his priesthood. He preached fearlessly on everything especially against immodesty in dress.

Fr Mike was the subject of many talk shows and media discussions when he stopped bridesmaids from walking up the aisle because they were not appropriately dressed. I remember the newspaper headline that pertained to that incident and read – “Moses’ law in Malabar”.

Fr Mike was appointed to the Chair of the Catholic Commission for Social Justice and he almost panicked at the enormity of the responsibility. His thirst for learning allowed him to accept the challenge and he turned to the source of expertise in that area – Cardinal Avery Dulles of New York.

With our Archbishop’s agreement, he spent three weeks in New York absorbing the Church’s teachings on Social Justice. On his return he quickly adjusted to the new responsibility whilst continuing his pastoral service to his parishioners.

Fr Mike’s normal day saw him on the Priority Bus Route by 6.00 a.m. to serve in the CCSJ office. By 11.30, he was back on the road to Green Street to celebrate Holy Mass and then proceed to his office in San Rafael until late at night. His dedication was phenomenal.

Fr Mike’s impact on the young people in every parish was extraordinary. His love for the youth was reflected in a Father’s heart where he shepherded them constantly.

It was in the Word of Life Community and subsequently at San Rafael that he fashioned vibrant youth groups – the Young Christophers at Green Street and the Music Ministry at San Rafael. Along with Auntie Babsie, they ministered to the Goshen Home for battered and abused children and women then started the House of Grace within Arima.

His music ministry saw Fr Mike frequently leading the congregation in song. His famous guitar was always near to the altar and picked up at a moment’s notice. This he combined with his Healing of the Family Tree Masses and many persons can testify to incidents where healings occurred at his hands.

During the last two months of his life while he experienced his trials, God used him to heal and evangelise even while he lay on his sick bed. There were three reported incidents, the most outstanding of which came from the Mighty Chalkdust who speaks of having had a debilitating pain in his upper leg for some years. When Fr Mike and Auntie Babsie came to listen to him at the Spektakula Tent, Fr Mike prayed over his leg and the pain disappeared totally.

The Abstinence and the Post SEA Values and Virtues programmes were the brainchild of Fr Mike. The Abstinence Programme was close to his heart for he saw the young people being battered by the media to move in the opposite direction. Fr Mike heard about the programme introduced in the US and contacted the originators of that programme.

He also contacted President and Mrs Musoveni of Uganda to discuss the impact of their ABC programme, which had had such a positive impact on the reduction of HIV AIDS in that country.

Having done his research, he pressed the two government Ministries of Health and Education until acceptance of the proposed plan was visible. Currently there are 112 abstinence clubs within the secondary school network. In December 2007, The first post SEA workshop for teachers was overseen by Fr Mike

He was noted for his humour. Although he was known as a prophet of God, he was also known for a sharp sense of humour that would leave his listeners in stitches. This was visible till the end.

He was an avid supporter of culture. He taught the young people how to have clean fun at Carnival time and was undisputed champion of the Word of Life Calypso competitions for many years.

Hollis 'Chalkdust' Liverpool

His friendship with Chalkdust began when he contacted him to compose the famous winning calypso of 2005. They collaborated when the threat of removal of the Trinity Cross became a public debate, as they were both passionate about keeping it as the country’s highest award.

Fr Mike’s work with the Smelter issue is well documented. Again his passion for defense of the environment caused him to research the topic and, in the words of Archbishop Gilbert, he involved the scientific community in the dialogue about the smelters and introduced consultation with the people ON the issue of relocation.

His love for family was exceptional. He had the unique position of having two families in the same country – his birth family and his spiritual family. He was loved by both and reciprocated that love with dedication and loyalty. Many others shared and benefited from Fr Mike’s great heart as he included them in his family circle.

There is much more that can be said about the life of this great priest. However, like all great men, he experienced difficulty in being understood and accepted and often said “A prophet is not recognised in his own country……and one day they will all come to an understanding of what he was trying to achieve.” By then it would be too late. This was so prophetic as we have now learnt. As Auntie Babsie always said, “WHO SEE DO!”

My brother's life was short but he accomplished great things for Christ. We may question why he was taken away from the Church and his family at such a relatively young age, but we will never find the answer. May his death be a wake up call for all of us to get our lives in order so that we could one day be in Paradise with our dearly beloved Fr Michael and with Our Lord Jesus Christ.

I would like to bid farewell to my darling brother. We loved you and will always love you ,but as you would say, "We will make it." You were our guardian and now you are our Guardian Angel in heaven.
Thank you

THE HOLY MAN
My tribute to my brother
By Edward Moses

The holy man’s wisdom enlightens many;
His spiritual meals feed many hungry souls;
His prayers to the Great Giver have blessed many;
His business is winning souls.
He gains them with The Word and prayer;
His riches stored in heaven;
Death is his gate to life;
He has carried many burdens that were not his own.
He is both a Prince and Servant;
He is a shining Lighthouse
That guides many lost ships to shore.
His trials and passions fine tune his soul
Like the hammer tunes the steelpan.
A holy man’s soul is the rarest and finest
Of all the treasures to be found on earth.