Pastoral Letters

Crash of Chalks flight #101

December 20, 2005

Dearly Beloved:

It is with great sadness that we all come to share in the grief of the community of Bimini which was so grievously affected by the crash of Chalk’s Airline flight #101 en route from Miami to Bimini on Monday December 19 th. Initial reports indicate that of the twenty passengers and crew there were no survivors. At least eleven of the victims were from the Bimini community. Among them were four members of Holy Name Parish. These include Salome Rolle, Genevieve Ellis and Jackie Levarity and her daughter Niesha Fox. It further saddens us to report that Salome Rolle and Genevieve Ellis are both sisters of Monsignor Simeon Roberts.

As of this writing it is too soon for any funeral arrangements to have been made.

In the meantime I urge us all to keep in our prayers all those who perished in this most unfortunate accident. Let us pray that their families may find comfort at this time of profound grief. Let us pray especially for our Monsignor Simeon Roberts and his family as they, along with the entire Bahamian community, journey through this rough passage of grief.

Let us all be consoled in the knowledge that Emmanuel, whose birth we celebrate at this time, is a God of mercy and compassion. He is “God with us” in good times and in bad, in joy and in sorrow. He will see us through this moment of gloom to a bright dawn of hope in his divine providence.

Wishing you all God’s blessing’s as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ, I am,

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Patrick C. Pinder, S.T.D., C.M.G.

Archbishop of Nassau