Father Branche’s productive ‘overstayed time’ ends in July
BVI News Staff - Friday, February 24th, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Rev. Branche (left) arrived in the BVI 10 years ago though he was to spend only two years.
Reverend Ronald Branche of the St. Georges Episcopal Church is spending his last few months in the BVI. In fact he is scheduled to depart these shores sometime in July.
Father Branche, who came to the BVI 10 years ago, has done much to refurbish the Anglican Church on Main Street and also contributed to educational development in the territory to get on stream a secondary school.
The news of Father Branche’s departure was already made known to his congregation, but was also noted on ZBVI News yesterday when he spoke about the Lenten Services the church began this week and will continue next week.
During the Lenten season, Father Branche said the church goes out into different parts of the community to spread the word.
The first service was held at the Ebenezer Thomas Primary School last evening and next week the service will move to the Sticket in East End. He said the services are aimed at “carrying the gospel into the community and it is giving the people hope for their lives and this year we are looking at truth, justice, love. purity and good report”.
These are final Lenten services that Father Branche will be enjoying in the BVI before he leaves in July.
He said, “I leave in July, I have been here on May 10th. I will be here for 10 years. I only came for two years and I have been extending, every year extending, saying well next year I will return home in Trinidad and Tobag. There is a new bishop there, my friend, and he is also strapped for priests. My home parish has not had a priest for the last 15 to 18 months and he is asking me to come home and take up duties there.”
He said when he came to the BVI there was no priest here “but we now have three priests, and next week Saturday Deacon Ester Georges will be made a priest in the Diocese of the Virgin Islands and she serves at St Georges, so that increases the number to three priests that would have been made during my time at St Georges”.
He said he will remember in Natures Little Secrets “the natural things around, the beauty of the seas, the rainbows, sunsets, the sunrise and my wife had the good fortune to record all this through her photography, so we will not only be remembering, we hope to visit from time to time”.
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20 Comments
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Father Branch..we will miss you.
Great Job!!!
Father Branche was not as motivating to ministry as Canon Clarke is,I heard that Canon Clarke is enrolling two young men in ministry at St Pauls. Father Branche could never walk in Canon Clarke shoes, Canon Clarke built the foundation for St Georges all branche did was build upon it as time went by. Canon Clarke also went about building the diocese he was priest in majority of the churches in his time, but there is someone even better that Branche and Canon Clarke that is Bishop Ambrose Gumbs if you get to know him you will get to know how St Andrews sugar estate got were it is to day .
What foundation you talking about? When Canon Branche came he was able to motivate people to come back to church, rebuild St. Georges church , rebuild the old primary school and a new secondary school. What Canon Clarke and Bishop Ambrose did in St. Andrews have nothing to do with us on Tortola. Therefore, Canon Branche will always be remembered for his stella service in The Virgin Islands.
We got some ungrateful people who like to call themselves Christian.
Where have all the young men of these VI gone after Mr. Clarke, there should have at least have one young talented man in the Ministry. Some People quote from the bible and feel women should not be Preaching but they are dead wrong. If all the men are either dreaming or sleeping then the women have to take over. Wake up oh sluggards.
Now let’s see if he’ll be telling the Trini population about the gyrating activities and who to keep in or out of their carnival and international performing acts
Father Branche is a true man of God. I don’t know that any of the 4 ordained local priests can walk in his shoes, but i pray the spirit leads them or the congregation will dwindle.
Fr Branche was a marvalous priest he was one of the best that church had along with Canon Clarke was there before him. Fr Branche made worship more upbeat along with him great musicians. During his tenure made St Georges the envy of the BVI Deanery. One thing I would have loved for him to beable to do was spend some time at St Pauls to bring things alive and start some programs down there because nothing ain’t happening there still in 1936 waiting to be restored with a very young and energetic forward ever backwards never priest I pray they receive that priest soon. Canon Clarke was very instrumental in his young days but now ….. but I can’t blame him he is retired so he is just holding the position down there until one of the newly ordained priest caperble of leading a congregation as Vicar or Rector and not just assisting on Sundays Fr Branche you will be missed but St Georges will continue growing with Rev Sandra
Father Branch surely put some life into that dead church during his tenure here. He was one of the few priest of that church that is humourous. Great man. He will be missed
lets start questioning all the boys in the congregation.
It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
Father Bramche is married. Anglican priests are allowed to marry. Roman Catholic priests (and nuns) cannot marry. So you don’t need to fear for the young boys. I know one bad apple spoil the whole bunch but I grew up in the Catholic church and never heard of any wrong doing. Father Branche was a wonderful spiritual leader and he will be missed. Go with God.
You came you saw and you delivered more that the politicians we have in office for donkey years.May God continue to guide your path.
A true spiritual and community minded leader, we will certainly miss you.
i am going to miss him and he did so much.
father branche we love u and will miss u
Father tree branch still here?
thought he left 10 years ago tsk tsk
What have you contributed to the development of this country? 0000000000000
His has left his mark in the Virgin Island. What say you?
Haters hate only the things they can’t have and the people they can’t be.
Cannon Branche, well done good and faithfull servant. Your name and contribution will forever be in our hearts.
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