Fr Hildebrand Greene, OSB, left Guyana via Trinidad for New York early in October to attend the 18th annual New York Guyana Mass in Brooklyn, New York.

Fr Hildebrand, who is Guyanese, lived in Trinidad for over 35 years and was, at one time, Abbot at the Benedictine Monastery at Mount St Benedict. It was not the first time that Fr Hildebrand had been invited to the Guyana Mass, but it was the first time that he had been able to accept the invitation.

In welcoming Fr Hildebrand to New York, Fr Paul Jervis, who heads the Mass Committee as well as ministering to three churches in Brooklyn, spoke of his idea to hold a Mass at which Guyanese Catholics living in the tri-state area (and those from as far away as Canada) could worship together in love, pray for their country, Guyana, and send financial assistance for projects back home. Fr Jervis alluded to the fact that Guyana still needs a lot of prayers.

Fr Hildebrand Greene

Every year, over the past 18 years, a Guyanese priest, who is based in Guyana, is invited to be the Chief Celebrant at the special Mass, and update those in attendance, of the current situation in Guyana.

The Mass, which was held in the borough of Queens for the past three years, was this time returned to Brooklyn where it had originally been celebrated for over ten years, before moving to Queens.

Fr Hildebrand based his homily on the Prophet Habakkuk, who was bold enough to challenge the actions of God, saying, “How long, O Lord? I cry for help but you do not listen! I cry out to you, ‘Violence’! but you do not intervene.”

The people of Guyana cry out to God, and continue to pray for their country. The homily was punctuated by up-roars of laughter, as Fr Hildebrand; who is of European heritage; told a few stories of Guyanese who do not know that he is Guyanese and some who refuse to accept that fact.

The Central High and St Stanislaus College old boy, will in January 2008, observe the fiftieth anniversary of his taking his vows as a monk.

After Mass a reception followed which featured not only food and drink, but also a dance performance by a former Guyana National Dance Company star, Verne Walcott’s dance group, Vimpressions.

From all appearances, the Annual New York Guyana Mass will be here for many years to come.
(edited from Catholic Standard)