Village elder Epiphania Atkinson reflects on life in Santa Rosa

Mrs Epiphania Atkinson at her home at

Kumaka, Moruca (Photo: Medino Abraham)

I thought of sharing with the Catholic Standard about Mrs. Epiphania Atkinson, a devout Catholic who is also the widow of one of Moruca´s long standing leaders, Mr. John Atkinson, who died about eight years ago.

Mrs. Atkinson is now 83 years and lives at Kumaka, Moruca. She narrated the following: “I have seven children three girls and four boys. Out of these, one daughter Desiree by name became an Ursuline religious sister. However, she died in the year 2000 in Trinidad”. Good to know that Moruca produced another religious sister. May her soul rest in peace!

‘Aunty Appie’, as she is commonly known by Morucans, mentioned that her late husband Mr. John Atkinson was the captain for the Santa Rosa community for 12 years. She recalled that her husband came from a very strong Catholic family. She said that ‘Uncle John’, as he was known by the people, was a catechist before he became captain of Santa Rosa Village. Having this experience, Mrs. Atkinson believes, served as the cornerstone to his Christian belief and contributed to his strong leadership as Toshao of one of the biggest Amerindian communities in Guyana. She noted that since he possessed good leadership values and skills, most persons in the Santa Rosa community always wanted him to be the captain. According to her, “they used to ask him over and over to be their village leader. He was a well-respected person and had great love for the Catholic Church and God. He attended Mass or Service every Sunday”. She recalled him being a prayerful person too. This practice his wife Mrs. Atkinson still continues.

Close to Mrs. Atkinson´s house at Kumaka Landing, there is a small chapel where she and a group of persons from the surrounding area meet regularly to pray the Holy Rosary on Tuesday afternoons. She lamented that only a small amount of people go to pray the rosary and that hardly any youths attend. She would like to see the young people come and pray with them.

When asked about the Catholic Church in Moruca, she said that it is at a stand-still, meaning that not as many people go these days. People do not seem to be interested in church worship. Not like long ago. Maybe because over the years things have changed in Moruca. There are a lot of bars and other social activities that attract the majority of the young people. So they don’t find Church as interesting as before.

Mrs. Atkinson recalled that when she was a young woman, people used to pray the rosary a lot in their homes and engage in church relativities, but not now. She stressed that “there is need for young the ones to be interested in church activities like before”. She feels that the changes happening in Moruca are both for the good and the bad. However, there is need to keep the balance, but for the good to always prevail, she feels.

Mrs. Atkinson said that Morucans need to pray and teach the young ones the faith by example. They should also make intercessory prayers to Our Lady to encourage and bring back those who have lost track of church. Because of this, she said, the young generation is getting way ward and more sinful.

She also said, “that there is also need for healing of divisions in the community. People need to put differences aside and move on. This could be done by prayers, confession and forgiveness”.  She commented that the local village leaders should set the example for young people like her husband used to do, by going to church regularly and attending prayer sessions with the people. He also used to work hard to promote unity among the people in the community. She said if the young saw their leaders doing this, they would practice the same.

Mrs. Atkinson hopes and prays that the Santa Rosa Community could go back to its sober and church oriented days where Church teachings were adhered to and practiced by the people.

May Saint Rose of Lima and Our Lady intercede for Morucans, Amen!