It is with a deep and profound sense of loss that I pen these words to the memory of Padre Kurt.
While we shared the same Alma mater of Lyman Agricultural College, we were in fact worlds apart in that he was a student of the 60's and I was a student of the 70's; in the life of a boy attending Lyman that was a quantum leap but yet our passion for plants was seamless in conversation. In fact, this past December, Fr. Kurt went at great lengths to show me the Christmas poinsettia collection and pointing out to me with great enthusiasm the several new hybrid of colours.
Father Kurt was often times misunderstood admittedly by my own self. I felt many of his homilies often missed developing the "Good News" of the gospels and on more occasions than one, I felt he did not do enough to recognize occasions to welcome visitors who attended a church service, be it our youths or reformed prisoners.I struggled to understand and accept this behaviour.
That all changed recently when I got my first glimpse into his humility this past Christmas. You see, a visiting friend of mine visiting from the USA told me that he would love to have his home in Belmopan blessed by the Catholic priest. I immediately volunteered Fr. Kurt and shortly after made the phone call to set a time and a date. To my great anxiety, on the day of the blessing , the family called me to ask whether I could push back the time due to some pressing time management constraints they were experiencing. Each time they changed the time, I reluctantly called Father Kurt and explained. On the third phone call, I truthfully expected Father to 'blow me off' his schedule as it was now nearing late evening. To my great surprise, Father Kurt said he understood and agreed to accommodate the ever changing time schedule of the request. Wow... I felt he had earned the right to say no and totally expected him to say so but he chose not to. I showed up at the rectory and he followed me in his vehicle to the residence; met the family and blessed the house for them; and then stayed on a bit to chat and share a bit about his life and the rich faith of the Church. It was all so good and I felt so very privileged then and more so now, to had experienced this warm and humble part of him.
That trait of humility was perhaps why Father Kurt so faithfully and so reliably showed up every day for mass when it was his duty to do so .... rain or shine. He was a good shepherd to the Catholic faithful flock that was entrusted to his spiritual care at OLOG and all the surrounding villages of Cayo South. That daunting and demanding task was routinely and devoutly tended until death forced his absence that morning by those awaiting his presence at the 6:00 AM mass.
I still find it very difficult to accept the fact and the reality that he is gone from our midst forever.He had succeeded to embed himself so faithfully in service to our Cathedral, that it is difficult to see anyone else but him saying mass. I had got so accustomed for him to be there and to do all that he did ...and for perhaps for those two reasons I struggle still. He was truly faithful to his call and faithfully read out a "prayer for priests" at the end of each morning mass. Today, that prayer seems prophetic.
My wife and I truly miss him; there was not a chance to say goodbye. I now marshal my thoughts and discipline myself to accept that his sudden departure from our midst is God's blessing in disguise and a lesson to the wise. May his soul truly rest in peace and his memory live on in the life of our church and in our own lives that were touch in one way or the other by Father Kurt.