CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE VATICAN

His Holiness Pope Francis sent his Papal Blessing to Mrs Gabrielle Peat on the occasion of her 100th birthday on Sunday, August 15, 2021, Feast of the Assumption. The Papal Blessing was presented to her at the 7:30 a.m. Mass celebrated at Holy Cross Church.

Gabrielle Peat (nee Hannays) was born in Trinidad on August 15, 1921, and came to Jamaica in 1956 with her husband, Dr Alfred Peat, a Jamaican. A Catholic from birth, Mrs Peat first attended Sts Peter and Paul Church then moved on to Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Morant Bay before ending up at Holy Cross Church since 1978.

While Mrs Peat spent her working years as a dietician, she devoted her Christian life to serving her God and Church in various capacities, participating in the following Ministries over the period 1989 to 2015:

: Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist

: Lector and Trainer of Lectors

: Faith Update for Adults

: Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) also called the Catechumenate, a two-year programme.

“For many years,” Mrs Peat said, “I used to think that I was practising my faith in Jesus Christ by saying prayers, attending mass faithfully, going to confession regularly, etc. Then I was invited to a Jesuit retreat – a silent 30-day retreat. I learned that to be Christian is not to know about Jesus (although this is necessary), but to KNOW Him. On this silent retreat, I read, pondered, and spoke to Jesus. I have never been the same again ... that was only the beginning!”

In reflecting on the many changes that have taken place over these many years, Mrs Peat has a few words of advice for young people. She felt that with the world in a mess, young people may very well wonder about their future. But “if you are a Christian”, she says, “you belong to Jesus and He tells you: “Be not afraid. You are precious and honoured in my sight, because I love you.”