Yet another feather in Sr. Noel Menezes’ cap

Dear Editor,

The saying “Pen is mightier than sword” is true. The writers speak the truth, and the truth will certainly sharpen our minds to understand current happenings, by looking backwards at our own history.

I was delighted to hear that the new book, “Guyana and the wider world”, has been launched this week. It is even more delightful to hear that Sister Noel Menezes’s former student of history, our President, Mr David Granger, paid homage at the book’s launch. The President said of Sr. Noel, “This meant that once you passed through her hands you had to know how to do research, and sometimes even after you have grown up and become an ‘old boy’, when you write something, you would ask yourself: would Sister approve of this? This book that is being launched here gives you an idea of Sister’s intellect, the range of her interests, and the intensity and passion with which she wrote. Students who were taught by her were made to think.”

This will be the sentiment of most of us who have had brief or long interactions with Sr. Noel. Sr. Noel is a person of depth in her spiritual and academic life. This depth is well expressed in the latest book, “Guyana and the wider world.”

The aforementioned book is really a potpourri of Sr. Noel’s academic excellence. This book contains a collection of essays and addresses by Sr. Noel, hence this book could be an interesting read, with its nuances of different events and situations that she came across in her academic and spiritual life.

The two aspects from the book that gripped my curiosity are, firstly, her knowledge and reflection on the Church in Guyana, which became instrumental in education of boys and girls. This was truly an eye opener for me, as a Catholic Priest, to know the history of Christianity in Guyana. Secondly, her critical approach to the situation that very often prevails on our roads. She critiques the lawlessness on our streets; in other words, a total disregard to law by road users. Like most of us, this must have come from her first-hand experience on our roads.

I would strongly recommend this book because of its depth and first-hand experience of the reality of life. This book could be read by academics or otherwise, because it will unravel some of the day-to-day happenings in Guyana, and why they happen in such a way.

Thank you, Sr. Noel, for enlightening us with your hard work and commitment in writing these essays.

Fr. Jerri Melwin Dias, SJ

Diocese of Georgetown