How to pay tribute to the man whose name has become synonymous with Lectio Divina and grassroots theology! 

Over the past months, we had been getting snippets of information indicating that something was being planned to honour Fr Michel de Verteuil and the impact that he has made on the lives of people in this archdiocese and in other parts of the world. Gradually, the event began to take shape.

Wednesday May 30 was the day when it all came together. From every corner of Trinidad and Tobago we came – priests, religious, lay people, men and women, some who had not seen each other for many years. We were joined by visitors from abroad – Frs Brodie and Clifford and Peg MacGrath from Limerick, Ireland, Monsignor Patrick Anthony from St Lucia and Guyana-born Andrew Cromwell, now resident in North America.

In all of us there was a love for this man out of whose relationship with the Word has come to us a method of Bible meditation which has been transforming lives – our lives and the lives of others – for several decades.

Margaret Mohammed, the moderator, was herself a living testimony to the method.  After the opening words of Archbishop Edward Gilbert, Margaret led like a true disciple of Fr Michel, referring, among other things, to the time of his illness when he became our ‘Lazarus figure’ and when we, his friends, were allowed to be a ‘Jesus figure’ for him, calling him back to life.

Gary Tagaillie’s welcome and overview followed in similar style. Warmly and earnestly, he outlined his own journey in discipleship with Fr Michel as his guru – a journey with which many of his hearers could identify. We learnt of his first introduction to Lectio, then OF the invitation to join one of Fr Michel’s study groups, the encouragement to move forward into action and to make a difference, his experience of working alongside Fr Michel at the Pastoral Centre and, finally, Gary’s present work for the eradication of poverty.

The first two presenters were Pearl Lezama and Dr/Monsignor Patrick A B Anthony (better known as “Paba”). Pearl shared with us the part that Lectio Divina has played and continues to play in her life. She recalled Fr Michel’s advice: Stick to the method. It will not fail you.

Paba’s presentation outlined how Lectio Divina has developed in St Lucia and pointed to a possible way forward for all of us.  As a result of Fr Michel’s teaching visits to St Lucia in the eighties and nineties, Lectio has been introduced to all cursillistas, catechists and candidates for the diaconate, as well as to the teachers and children at the Cathedral parish schools.

Archbishop Edward Gilbert

Fr Michel de Verteuil (right) sits with Fr Henry Charles (left) and the Archbishop

Three parishes, Paba said, have parish Lectio groups. The Pastoral Centre in St Lucia now offers eight module courses on Lectio (Lectio 1 and 2), as well as on the Catholic Social Teaching (CST 1 and 2). These are offered together: Lectio 1 and CST 1, then Lectio 2 and CST 2.

Regular alumni days help the practitioners of Lectio – they have a database of 150 practitioners – to reflect on their journey.

Paba spoke of the evangelisation manual, “He Opened Their Minds.” He showed how Lectio is used as a tool for evangelisation.

All of this was an eye-opener for most of us, who had had no idea of the extent to which the St Lucian Church had embraced and carried forward Fr Michel’s teaching. Many afterwards expressed the hope that we could now learn from St Lucia and carry it even further.

In the plenary session that followed, a panel comprising Fr Brendan Clifford O.P., Pat Elie, Linda Wyke and Pearl Lezama responded to comments and questions from the assembly. Fr Brendan shared briefly on the experience in Ireland, where Fr Michel went every year for 20 years to do teaching on Lectio and Social Teachings.

Through Lectio, Fr Brendan said, theology has been opened up to everybody, even the poorest and those with limited understanding. The heart of the method is recognising where the text is happening today. Having a group of Lectio practitioners serves as a corrective to the individual who might stray from the method.

After the break, Fr Thomas Louis Brodie gave the keynote address, “Where is Biblical Studies Going: From History to Bone-Deep Mystery?” He set our hearts burning within us! It was exciting. He brought together Lectio and Creation theology.

“The splendour of Lectio is that it has found a wavelength for tuning in to the heart of the Bible and, through the Bible, for tuning in to the heart of God’s ongoing creation,” Fr Brodie said.

“We are now being asked”, he added, “to make a breakthrough similar to that of the Christians in the first century – from a narrow world to a wider world. In the end, we come back to the mystics, to contemplation and to a sense of the mystery of the universe.”

Dr Everard Johnston responded to Fr Brodie‘s talk and then another plenary session allowed for comments and questions.

One presenter was absent: Fr Clyde Harvey. Sadly, we heard the news: his mother had died that morning.

After lunch, Pierrot Grenade appeared to give his own tribute to Fr Michel, teaching us to spell the word “philosopher”. Then, Andrew Cromwell and Ronald Tagaillie presented what was termed “A View from the Outside”.

Both presentations were very inspiring and moving testimonies of their own engagement with the Word and their appreciation of Fr Michel. In both talks, the word “listening” featured – listening to the Word, listening to the people. Both men are now committed professionally to listening through their ministries of counselling.

After Fr Henry Charles’ discourse on the “Christian Story in the West”, a short plenary session, a contribution by Professor Gordon Rohlehr on “Symbols and Metaphors” in which he presented Lectio Oscura, readings from the shadows and stories from his own life, and Fr Stephen Geofroy’s power-point presentation on “Rediscovery”, came the moment for which we had been waiting.

All stood in respect and appreciation as Margaret Mohammed escorted Fr Michel to the microphone to make his response. Fr Michel read out a list of people whom he wished to publicly acknowledge for the part they had played in his life and in the preparation of the day’s event.

The organisers – Fr Henry Charles, Ian Benjamin and Catherine Ali, as well as all the others involved – must have felt that their efforts were well rewarded when they saw the filled auditorium at the UWI Learning Resource Centre, joyfully and gratefully, stand to acknowledge and applaud the man of the moment – Fr Michel de Verteuil CSSp.

Fr Michel, we thank you! The baton has been passed on and your disciples are ready to take it up. Well done!
– CA