Nassau The Bahamas

Pilgrims at the Emmaus Centre with Archbishop Patrick B Pinder

: Fr Kenny Forbes was one of the main organisers of the Pilgrimage in The Bahamas

: A B Pinder being introduced to the Pilgrims by Bishop Justin

: Fr Robert Cross, Bishop Justin and Archbishop Pinder at The Emmaus Centre Reception

: Patricia Glinto-Meicholas, a local historian, spoke to the group about Hawes’s time in The Bahamas.

: A B Pinder’s Secretary and the Pilgrimage Coordinator Gerry Eastman discuss arrangements for the visit to Nassau

: Esther and Antoinette provided the entertainment at the Emmaus Centre

: One of the Reception Hostesses Cecile, with Pat Mills from Geraldton.

: Sr Annie of St Martin de Porres addressing the Pilgrims

: St Martin de Porres

: Visiting St Matthew’s Anglican Church

: AB Pinder with the Anglican Bishop of Nassau Rt Rev Laish Boyd & Bishop Justin

: Pilgrims visiting St Mary the Virgin in Nassau

: The altar designed by Hawes just before he left The Bahamas, in St Mary’s Anglican Church In Nassau

: Visiting the Sacred Heart Church in Nassau where we were welcomed by Fr Anselm

: Window dedicated to Monsignor Hawes in the Sacred Heart Church Nassau

: The stained glass window in SFX Cathedral with Fra Jerome (2nd from left at the bottom).

: Mass in St Francis Xavier Cathedral was concelebrated by A B Pinder, Bishop Justin and Fr Cross

: The congregation assembled outside the Cathedral after the Mass

: Pentecost Mass

: Farewell gathering after Mass at St Francis Xavier Cathedral

: The Nassau Hospitality Committee

: The Dean Residence as it looks today.

: Archbishop Pinder and Michael Symonette escorted the group on a tour of the city of Nassau.

: Tour Bus Driver

The Pilgrims were welcomed to Nassau by Archbishop Pinder and his committee who had been busy for many months organising visits, transport, and hospitality for the touring Australians.

At a welcome reception held at St Augustine's Monastery the Pilgrims listened to a very enlightening talk by local historian Patricia Glinto-Meicholas outlining the last years of the life of Fra Jerome (as he was known in The Bahamas). While at St Augustine's they visited a Crypt below the foundations of a church that Hawes designed for the site but which was never built.

They were also able to tour the Convent of St Martin de Porres where they were welcomed by Sr Annie and were thrilled to meet one of the sisters who had known Fra Jerome. These were the two main buildings designed by Hawes in Nassau but the local hosts had also organised a visit to the Church of St Matthew where Hawes had designed a Baldachino. The Rt Rev Laish Boyd, Anglican Bishop the The Bahamas, met the group at St Matthews. Before leaving The Bahamas in 1911, Hawes had designed an Altar in St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church which the Pilgrims were also able to view. There were several features in St Mary's that were similar to details in many of the churches designed by Hawes. They also drove past the Dean Residence which had been designed by Hawes for a builder friend.

The esteem in which Hawes is held in The Bahamas was evident with both the Cathedral of St Francis Xavier and the Church of the Sacred Heart having stained glass windows devoted to him.

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