Former Salesian Parishes Reported Ok After Hurricane

By Fr. Mike Mendl, SDB

(New Rochelle, NY – October 15) – Renee Knowles of the chancery office in Nassau has emailed me, “As far as I am aware the communities of St. Agnes and St. Vincent did not suffer any catastrophic damage” when Hurricane Dorian struck the Bahamas on September 1.

The hurricane did do catastrophic damage to the Abaco Islands and the east end of Grand Bahama Island, as well as to part of Freeport.

For 23 years the Salesians served parishes in the western settlements on Grand Bahama (the vicinity of Freeport), specifically at St. Agnes Parish in Eight Mile Rock, St. Vincent de Paul in Hunter, and St. Michael at West End. All three churches and their property (including St. Vincent School and the rectories) and either at the ocean’s edge or just hundreds of yards from it and thus susceptible to what hurricanes can do with surging water.

Fr. Orlando Molina was the first Salesian to take up a mission on Grand Bahama, starting in 1971 at Eight Mile Rock, where he was pastor until his sudden death in December 1978 at age 63. He initiated youth programs, served on the staff of Grand Bahama Catholic High School, and was a popular preacher.

Longtime pastors on Grand Bahama also included Fr. Attilio Klinger, who served at West End, 1972-1982 and 1988-1992; Fr. Hector Poulin, at Eight Mile Rock, 1978-1983 and 1988-1991, at Hunter, 1988-1991, at West End, 1985-1988, and at St. Mary Star of the Sea in Freeport, 1974-1978; Fr. Bob Grant, at Hunter, 1979-1983, and West End, 1983-1985; and Fr. Blaise Perrello at Hunter and Eight Mile Rock, 1988-1993.

Fr. Poulin also had a brief stint at the cathedral parish in Nassau, St. Francis Xavier, in 1978, curtailed when Fr. Molina died. Fr. Klinger was pastor of Holy Name Church on Bimini for two years (1982-1984) and of St. Bede Church in Nassau for four years (1984-1988).

Other priests had shorter missions at the Grand Bahama parishes, from six months to five years. In addition, St. Agnes and St. Michael parishes ran summer programs that were staffed by young confreres in formation, like other summer camps of the province.

Brothers also made their contributions, especially Bro. Emile Dubé as a youth minister at St. Agnes, 1980-1984, and then diocesan youth minister (living with Fr. Klinger in Nassau) from 1984 to 1986; also, Bro. Alfred Rinaldi, at St. Michael, 1983-1988; Bro. Jerry Cincotta at St. Agnes, 1986-1987; and Bro. Benny Natoli at St. Agnes, 1988-1989.

The present writer was the last Salesian on Grand Bahama, acting pastor of St. Agnes and St. Vincent de Paul parishes from December 1993 to June 1994, while Fr. Joe Doran served as the very last Salesian in the islands, pastor of St. Gregory the Great Church and its four mission stations on Eleuthera in 1993-1994.