Far from the madding crowd, serenely nestled high up in the northern range, somewhere between Paramin and Petit Valley, but well out of the beaten path, we locate the agricultural village of Cameron.

It was Sunday, September 24 that this outpost, of the St Anthony’s parish, St Augustine RC Church, welcomed Archbishop Gilbert on his first visit to these eager and excited faithful.

The present concrete structure, built in the late 70s, replaces the former thatched roof building which was started in the “reign” of Fr Cyril Ward, the parish priest of the 60s.

This long awaited event, the visit of the local head of the Church, began as expected with Holy Mass concelebrated by the archbishop himself with Fr Knolly Knox, former parish priest, Fr Leo Donavan, parish priest and his assistant Fr George Pritchett.

 In his sermon, the archbishop, reminded the packed congregation that, “We are all gathered to be fed for our faith by the Word of God, and if that does not happen we distance ourselves from Church, become disintegrated and secular people…”

Frs Knolly Knox and Leo Donovan in front of the church with Alice Toussaint (second from left) and Natasha Lassalle

Archbishop Gilbert and MP Colm Imbert chat at the side of the church after Mass.

Referring to the readings of the day he showed how we are living a similar experience to the people of so many years ago for today, as in former times, the people of the covenant are bombarded internationally by values which are not of the covenant.

He asked the pertinent question: “Will God protect the people of the covenant?” His answer was in the affirmative but he added that this did not make our life easy for we have to understand that God “will not protect you from suffering, did not protect his Son, saints, martyrs,” who all had to follow the journey of the cross.

He ended with words of advice to the attentive audience counselling us to continually renew ourselves in the wisdom of God, continually depend on God for the strength and the clarity to be who we are called to be and to do what we are called to do. This is true discipleship.

There is no doubt if we are to judge from the rapt attention of those gathered in the crowded church that this sermon made an impression on the people and will be remembered, like this first visit, for many years to come.

At the end of the Mass the parishioners showed tangible appreciation to those who have been shepherding them for as long as they could remember.

And so, to supplement the expressions of thanks given by “chief cook and bottle washer” Alice Toussaint, gifts comprising produce of the land were presented to the archbishop, to Fr Knolly Knox who was parish priest for seventeen years, to Frs Leo Donavan and George Pritchett who are now serving.

Fr Joe Harris, former parish priest, who was invited but unable to be present, was not forgotten and his box of Cameron-grown vegetables will greet him on his return from his foreign sojourn.

The vote of thanks was given by Natasha Lassalle who apart from thanking Archbishop Gilbert and the priests for their presence, did not forget to give praises to all who helped in making the day a memorable one.

These included those who painted and cleaned the church and those responsible for the delicious breakfast awaiting our appetites. She was also high in praise for the area’s parliamentary representative Colm Imbert who was accompanied by his family.

He was thanked for the road which made the community much more accessible and the fact that there is a dependable garbage disposal service.

The people of the neighbouring Paramin church community were commended for their continual support and indeed they supplied the inspiring and lusty singing to make the Mass so much more enjoyable. Other visitors thanked were Violet D’Ornellas of the Emmanuel Community and Gail Oxley.

After Mass parishioners did not hurry home but remained gathered at the hilltop around the church, not only to partake of the meal but to share memories and enjoy as much as possible this first visit of an archbishop to their community.

It is their hope that many more faithful will come to visit them on their harvest day, which takes place Sunday, October 22.