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St Oswald's

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St. Oswald's Exterior

St. Oswald's is located along the Southern Main Road, Caroni. There is generous parking available in the Church yard. The church provides a very intimate setting with fantastic stained glass windows dating back to the 1920s. The art work for the Station of the Cross are by renowned Belgian artist Leonor Dobón Miñarro. Service starts at 10 a.m. Sunday School starts after the Meditation. Join us for light refreshments after the service.

History

St. Oswalds's church was consecrated on the 4th May 1893 by Bishop J.T. Hayes. The land was donated to the Anglican Diocese of Trinidad and Tobago by the Caroni Sugar factory with the help of Mr. William Kay who was one of the factory's attorneys. Mr Kay served the Parish of Good Shepherd as a lay minister for thirty-five years and was trustee of the Anglican Diocese of Trinidad and Tobago for twenty years.

The original structure of the church consisted mainly of wood; the altar however was made of concrete ending at the two pillars at the end of the church. Behind the altar were three stained glass windows which were late changed by Fr. Hollis Lynch of Jamaica to their present form. The lighting at that time consisted of pitch oil lamps.

When the original church was built it was the only church in the village and people came from as far as Warrenville and Kelly. Canon Bauxseau served for some time, then Canon Mc. Echrane with curate Fr. Arthur Douglin whose main mode of transport from Tunapuna was his bicycle.

Eventually the wooden structure of the church was changed to concrete by Rev. Nelson Campbell (1958 - 1967). The new church building was smaller than the original. On the northern side of the church there was one pillar which housed the choir stalls. There was also a bell on top of the vestry which was rung to call the villages to worship.

Harvest Festival in the early years of the church was a big event in the village. A cart sponsored by Caroni Sugar Factory went around to the villages to collect produce and items for the harvest. These items were sold on the Monday after Harvest at the church. Mr. James "Beryl" Beckels (deceased 2000) took over from him and also held the post of Sexton. In 2000 Mr. Mark Timothy took the post of sexton to this present day.

In 1947 Mr. Alexander Beckles was confirmed by Bishop Jackson. Mr Beckles along with Mr Winston Prescott and Mr. Clevan Dilamont were the first servers at St at St Oswald.

On 8th April, 1958 Mrs. Veronica Timothy was confirmed Bishop Chamberlain and received her first communion on the Anniversary date of the Church's consecration May 4th, 1958. The priest at the time was Rev. Rawle Douglin who went on to serve as Bishop. In 1967, St Oswald's was adopted as the patron saint of the Anglican Men's Society(ACMS) which celebrates its patronal festival on the first Sunday of August.

In 2001 the pews of the church were rebuilt with the help of a significant donation from by Mr. Leo Seebaran and in 2004 the roof of the church was changed.

Some of the clergy men who ministered at St Oswalds included: