Choirs in most Roman Catholic Churches in Trinidad and Tobago are accompanied by traditional musical instruments - organ, guitar and of course our indigenous steelpan.

However the St John the Baptist RC Church on St John Road, St Augustine has gone one better and has the unique accompaniment of a set of Irish, or Uilleann, bagpipes, played by one of its members, Joseph Chamberlain.

All the way from Colorado, USA, Chamberlain is an American diplomat working at the US Embassy in Port of Spain, who was introduced to the church several years ago by his non-Catholic wife Karen, who was studying at the nearby University of the West Indies and had fallen in love with the little church quite by accident. Her husband was back in the US at the time, but she just could not wait to tell him all about her “discovery”.

She was driving past the church while Holy Mass was being celebrated and decided to stop in for the experience. She was surprised by the simplicity of the unimpressive building, which housed the church, but more than that, completely bowled over by the warmth and spirit of the small congregation.

On his return to Trinidad, Joe, as he is fondly called, who is a staunch Roman Catholic, was anxious to visit this church his wife had become so excited about.

It did not take long to happen and he too, fell in love with the church and being an accomplished bagpipe player, decided to get involved in the church’s music ministry as an accompanist playing the Irish bagpipe.

Joseph Chamberlain with bagpipe and musical director Stephan Khelawan during rehearsal.

He teamed up with the Church’s musical director, guitarist and composer Stephan Khelawan and travels all the way from his home at Westmoorings every week for choir practice and is now a fixture at St John’s 6 a.m. Mass on Sundays using the more mellow, and suitable for indoors – the Irish bagpipe.

The introduction of the instrument to the people of St John the Baptist RC Church ironically was not at Holy Mass, but rather with Joe playing his Scottish bagpipe as one of the entertainment items during a Christmas Concert in the churchyard in 2005.

A few weeks later, he made another appearance entertaining patrons at a fund-raising breakfast for the St Vincent de Paul Society at Mount St Benedict.

Unfortunately all this comes to an end this Sunday when Joe will play his bagpipe at the “little church on the road to Mount St Benedict” for the last time. Joe returns to the US on December 10, before taking up his new posting in Ashgabat,Turkmenistan.

Joe Chamberlain will be sorely missed, not only for his bagpipe music, but for his exceptional reading skills as a lector at Holy Mass as well. He also conducted Bible classes on several occasions for the community.

Trinidad must have been a most exciting posting, not only for Joe but for Karen as well, since she was able to complete her Masters degree in English Literature and by joining the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) was baptised at the church last Easter.

In addition just a few months ago, the couple became the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl – Ruth Anne, who also attends Holy Mass every Sunday morning.

Joe admits he will miss St John’s terribly for many reasons, Brenda Castillo and her choir, reading at Mass, but most of all the love and warmth of the people of St John the Baptist RC Church - the smallest parish in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain.

St John will lose out, the archdiocese will lose out, but it’s good to know that Joe and Karen and even baby Ruth Anne will probably bring the same kind of joy and happiness to another congregation in a faraway and not-so-Catholic place. Good luck Joe and Karen. The love of the people of St John follows you.