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The Daily Herald reports that the island community celebrated the 101st birthday of eldest resident Irene Granger on Wednesday evening with a Mass at Henry Every Old Age Home in The Bottom. The Mass was presided by Father Alphons Baak, who is temporarily replacing Father Danilo Pastor. Impressed by the number of people who came to celebrate with the eldest member of the community, Father Baak spoke of his missionary work in the heartland of Suriname, where, in the absence of church, he conducted Mass in nature, knowing that divine grace dwells the souls of all, including the indigenous tribes. He commended Granger for the grace and referred to her as “a blessed temple,” still reflecting through her life the virtues of “love, gentle goodness, joy, peace, faithfulness and self-control. He encouraged all to live their lives with the grace of these virtues Granger reflects. Giving the example of his own mother, Father Baak said that he understands how she remains the anchor of the whole family and how reassuring it is for all to have her in their lives.
Lively and lucid, Irene Granger smiled throughout the Mass, appeared to know the read Bible verses by heart and remarked on the reader’s intonation after which she even stood up on her own. Granger’s granddaughter, Adeline Hassell, thanked all who came to rejoice with her family in the blessing of yet another year in her grandmother’s life. Speaking of the community’s blessing in having the elderly among them, she stressed that Irene is still the standing foundation of her family. Hassell recalled how Irene overcame hardships, the loss of children and grandchildren in her lifetime, but found the strength to rejoice in the time she was given to have with them. Hassell believes that Granger is not only a role model for all the members of her living family, which spans five generation, but one for the community as a whole. Inspired by the grace of such a community role model, the Catholic sisters of the Living Water Community are looking towards reviving the youth’s faith and are announcing a special “Catholic Identity” youth Mass at the school complex in St. John’s next Wednesday.
