Weeping walls, a leaky ceiling and a huge termite infestation in the wooden roof were the bane of the St Francis of Assisi Church two years ago. Today, the church still battles against these and other agents.
The church was originally built in 1902 by Reverend Vincent Sutherland, at a time when donkey carts were giving way to tramcars. Built in a Romanesque style by Irish architect Ashlin, the church's features included beautiful stained glass windows, rounded arches and a large tower. In its heydey, it was the pride of Belmont Catholics.
But in the past few years, crumbling mortar, happy pigeons, peeling old paint, myriad leaks (more like streams, in the rainy season, said the priest), and beautiful tiny ferns growing from random exterior wall crevices had given the church a distinct air of wabi-sabi–the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection, of seeing harmony in the many cracks and marks that a century of time, the weather and people's use (plus more than four years of pigeon poop) have left behind in the church's old bones.
Not everyone, of course, would see crumbling mortar that way–especially the faithful parishioners for whom the church has been a touchstone in their lives, the venue for many of their major moments: christenings, baptisms, marriages and funerals.
St Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment, at one point seemed to be returning the church back to nature, welcoming flora and fauna into the resilient but challenged old building.
Just two years ago, a small colony of pigeons whirred proprietorially about the place, nesting comfortably in a top room in the tower. Wasp nests dangled peacefully from an exterior arch. Many of the beautiful stained glass windows were cracked, pierced by ping-pong-ball-sized holes that let in shafts of sunlight and rain.
The very building was sprouting life–at least three sturdy young saplings had taken root from within the building's structure. Another more secretive plant had sent patient roots, like cellulose witches' hair, straight through an inner ceiling; the bunch of long roots dangled from above, trailing almost to the floor. You could shake it like a curtain tassel. Parishioners tried to kill it once, but it stubbornly grew back.
It was not always so. As recently as 2007, the church won a National Trust Heritage Award for best preservation, and was actively used by worshippers. But eight years ago, people were unaware of the true extent of hidden structural damage.
After a December 26, 2010 earthquake, cracks suddenly appeared in many walls. Then, during initial wall repair efforts, workmen discovered a widespread, serious termite problem in the wooden roof beams.
Shortly after the quake, the building was deemed unsafe, and parishioners were obliged to abandon it, worshipping instead in three makeshift 20 x 20-foot white tents erected in the church yard.
The church has now been empty for just over four years. Currently, weekend masses are held at the St Francis Pastoral Centre at 115 Belmont Circular Road, Belmont, while weekday masses are at the St Francis Parish Hall.
In 1902, the church cost $27,000 to build, said Jean Nurse, a member of the church's active Parish Council; in 2013, parish priest Father Thomas Lawson estimated it would cost $8 million to fully restore. Today, that price estimate has risen to $10 million.
Demolition is a possibility if the funds cannot be raised. However, the cost of building a new church would far exceed the cost of restoration. So the faithful have been raising money for some years now to preserve their beloved church. Next Sunday, for instance, they are hosting a concert of beautiful song and music at Queen's Hall, St Ann's in Port-of-Spain (see sidebar story).
What's the current state of the church? Parishioners say improvement works began in January 2014, which included treatment for subterranean termite infestation and structural crack repair. Some roof work has been done. Repairs continue, but are temporarily halted. Surfaces have been somewhat cleaned up to reduce impacts of the roof pigeons and the resident plant life growing from walls, said one parishioner. The cracked stained glass windows, however, remain the same–they will be fixed later, say church sources.
Father Thomas Lawson says he is committed to having the restoration completed as quickly as possible, so that parishioners can resume worship in their church building.
"The day of the earthquake–December 26, 2010 – was the last day a congregation was in church," said Nurse to this writer two years ago.
"We had moved our statue of St Francis to be with us in our worship under the tents. Then in October 2012, St Francis fell down in a gust of wind!"
St Francis now sports a chipped nose and other damage–to be fixed after major building repairs are completed. Until then, St Francis rests quietly in his silent but peaceful old church.
An EnchantedEvening this Sunday
St Francis of Assisi Church is hosting a special fundraising concert this Sunday, May 31 at Queen's Hall, St Ann's. It is called An Enchanted Evening 11. Patrons can look forward to songs by three leading female vocalists: Candice Alcantara, Hermina Charles, and Renee Solomon. There will also be instrumental music by saxophone player Malcolm Boyce.
Candice Alcantara is a classically trained vocalist who also sings jazz and adult contemporary genres. She has sung in Les Mis�rables, in the opera Carmen, in Porgy and Bess and as Mary Magdelene in Jesus Christ Superstar.
Hermina Charles, from Barataria and Point Fortin, is a singer of classical, folk and spiritual music who has performed in churches, at schools, soirees, and at music festivals here. She is a member of the Marionettes.
Renee Solomon is a local music festival winner who studied at Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. Ren�e sings classical, Broadway, jazz, contemporary pop, R&B and soul, gospel, alternative and other styles. She has performed at the Kennedy Centre, Washington alongside the Renegades Steel Orchestra, and at the Apollo Theatre.
Malcolm Boyce is a saxophone player from Belmont. He got involved in music from the age of nine, and used to play for the T&T Police Band. He likes playing smooth, soothing, soulful music.
MORE INFO
WHAT: Church concert–An Enchanted Evening 2
WHERE: Queen's Hall, St Ann's, Port-of-Spain
WHEN: Sunday, May 31
TICKETS: $200, from the St Francis Parish office, or Paper Based at Hotel Normandie, or ICA Optical, Starlite Plaza, Diego Martin, or the Queen's Hall Box Office.
TEL: 624-7923
EMAIL:st.francis.belmont@gmail.com
WEB SITE: http://stfrancisbelmont.com/