The Reverend Canon Claude Berkley
Rector of All Saints Church
Rector of All Saints Church
Returning to Tobago, Claude was ordained as Deacon on August 6th 1992, the Feast of the Transfiguration,
and served at St Patrick’s for five months, after which he was assigned to St Mary’s, where Bishop Douglin
soon asked him to be Priest-in-Charge. He was ordained as Priest on October 28th 1993.
From 1993, Fr. Berkley worked full-time at St Mary’s, but then returned to teaching and was assigned to Belle
Garden Anglican. Inspired by his success at Codrington, and searching for a means of acquiring deeper
knowledge, he applied to do post-graduate studies. All along, his family had been very supportive,
notwithstanding the sacrifices his time in Barbados and his time out of the teaching service had imposed on
them – financial and otherwise. The application was unsuccessful but, with the encouragement of Fr Kevin
Parkes, he continued to try and did obtain a small bursary. In 1997, he moved into the Secondary education
sector at Bishop’s High School, where he taught History, General Paper and Morals and Ethics (as
Religious Education is sometimes known).
Then ‘the Holy Spirit intervened’; Claude was selected to attend the Provincial Synod in St Vincent in 1998
and chosen to be the Secretary of his study-group. His work was so well appreciated that he found himself
being interviewed by the USPG (United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel) – for no reason that he
was then able to discern.
Then tragedy struck again; in 1999 (as had happened in 1995) his wife, Dawn, was pregnant and became ill.
She was brought to Port of Spain in a very serious condition, which resulted in the loss of the long-awaited
and deeply-desired son – a severe blow to the family. Further, a home was then under construction and a
planned two-year programme of study had failed to materialise. For the Berkleys, life was undergoing a
challenging ‘valley experience’ when, suddenly, Bishop Douglin called with news that the USPG had offered
Claude a one-year full scholarship for a M.Phil. degree in Contextual Theology at the University of
Birmingham, England. Obviously, with such a family situation, he felt he should decline but his wife insisted
that he go. It was, again, a period of sacrifice, both for Claude, cold and lonely in England, despite wonderful
hosts, and for Dawn and the girls, without the support of husband and father. There was, however, a
measure of consolation – one month in England for Dawn was included within the Scholarship.
And so Fr. Berkley studied hard in Birmingham, in addition to assisting in the parishes of St Barnabas, in far
away but beautiful Worcester, and later at St Edmund’s in Birmingham. His thesis, ‘Partnership in Mission’
explored the relationship between the USPG and the CPWI and was the best presented that year. He was
awarded the Constance Naden Medal and £75 – not a large sum, especially in expensive England, but
hugely satisfying, nonetheless.
He returned to Tobago, resumed teaching and awaited his call to his next parish. This came in November
2000, when he went back to St Patrick’s and, in 2001, was elevated to the rank of Canon. In August 2002,
Bishop Bess brought him to All Saints’ as Rector and the Ministry of Education transferred him to Bishop
Anstey High School. And so, the family, excluding Safiya, who was studying Law and Economics at Cave Hill
in Barbados, moved from rural Tobago to the hectic, urban life of Port of Spain. Dawn enrolled at Valsayn
Teachers’ College and Fayola entered LVI at Bishop’s, settling well into the sometimes strange new
environment – but it was probably easier for her than for her father. He had to adapt to the very different
culture of an all girls’ school where he must, initially, have felt somewhat out of context. However, Bishop’s
girls really took to him, especially when they discovered some of the talents the Saints have yet to learn – did
you know that our Canon is no mean cricketer?
But it was a difficult transition and a very challenging time in both Church and School contexts. All Saints’ is a
large and busy parish, with an image it wishes to maintain. Someone very unkindly predicted that our Canon
‘go mash up de place wid he Tobago business’. Aware of unhelpful criticism, he worried about maintaining
the high standard set by Canon Joseph, but took comfort from his warm reception as a visiting preacher one
year earlier. There have been many difficulties, of course, but the very real problem is the workload. Canon
Berkley has two demanding full-time jobs, each with its own set of challenges and each with high standards
to be maintained.
The greatest of all the challenges is surely to get us to live up to our calling in a more effective manner – ‘to
love God and to use His gifts to His Glory’ and to make a such a significant difference in the lives of those
around us that, when finally we take our leave, ‘a vacancy will be created’ – do you recall that powerful
punch? His sermons, designed ‘to lead to the amendment of life’ and to shift us from our comfort zone (as in
the matter of creating vacancies!) attract favourable comment; with acute discomfort, we recognise our
individual and collective shortcomings. Canon Berkley is trying to move us, via our Vision 2010 process,
towards the changes needed for survival and growth in these challenging times.
How does he do it all, one might ask? Some persons underestimated him, perhaps because of his good
humour, humility and kindness, but the quality, leadership and deep spirituality of the priest whom Bishop
Bess, in his great wisdom, sent to us is now well recognised. Our Canon is a man of many parts - a man
deeply committed to his family and his various communities; a man with compassion and the ability to listen
and assess the facts before making decisions; a man meticulous and focussed, but possessed of the
ability to prioritise; a man with the fortitude, stamina, spiritual strength and, perhaps, a measure of
stubbornness and occasional impatience, to do all that has to be done and to do it well. Perhaps one way
we can understand Canon Berkley is to know his ‘guiding principle’, from Luke 9:62, ‘no-one who puts a
hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God’.
and served at St Patrick’s for five months, after which he was assigned to St Mary’s, where Bishop Douglin
soon asked him to be Priest-in-Charge. He was ordained as Priest on October 28th 1993.
From 1993, Fr. Berkley worked full-time at St Mary’s, but then returned to teaching and was assigned to Belle
Garden Anglican. Inspired by his success at Codrington, and searching for a means of acquiring deeper
knowledge, he applied to do post-graduate studies. All along, his family had been very supportive,
notwithstanding the sacrifices his time in Barbados and his time out of the teaching service had imposed on
them – financial and otherwise. The application was unsuccessful but, with the encouragement of Fr Kevin
Parkes, he continued to try and did obtain a small bursary. In 1997, he moved into the Secondary education
sector at Bishop’s High School, where he taught History, General Paper and Morals and Ethics (as
Religious Education is sometimes known).
Then ‘the Holy Spirit intervened’; Claude was selected to attend the Provincial Synod in St Vincent in 1998
and chosen to be the Secretary of his study-group. His work was so well appreciated that he found himself
being interviewed by the USPG (United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel) – for no reason that he
was then able to discern.
Then tragedy struck again; in 1999 (as had happened in 1995) his wife, Dawn, was pregnant and became ill.
She was brought to Port of Spain in a very serious condition, which resulted in the loss of the long-awaited
and deeply-desired son – a severe blow to the family. Further, a home was then under construction and a
planned two-year programme of study had failed to materialise. For the Berkleys, life was undergoing a
challenging ‘valley experience’ when, suddenly, Bishop Douglin called with news that the USPG had offered
Claude a one-year full scholarship for a M.Phil. degree in Contextual Theology at the University of
Birmingham, England. Obviously, with such a family situation, he felt he should decline but his wife insisted
that he go. It was, again, a period of sacrifice, both for Claude, cold and lonely in England, despite wonderful
hosts, and for Dawn and the girls, without the support of husband and father. There was, however, a
measure of consolation – one month in England for Dawn was included within the Scholarship.
And so Fr. Berkley studied hard in Birmingham, in addition to assisting in the parishes of St Barnabas, in far
away but beautiful Worcester, and later at St Edmund’s in Birmingham. His thesis, ‘Partnership in Mission’
explored the relationship between the USPG and the CPWI and was the best presented that year. He was
awarded the Constance Naden Medal and £75 – not a large sum, especially in expensive England, but
hugely satisfying, nonetheless.
He returned to Tobago, resumed teaching and awaited his call to his next parish. This came in November
2000, when he went back to St Patrick’s and, in 2001, was elevated to the rank of Canon. In August 2002,
Bishop Bess brought him to All Saints’ as Rector and the Ministry of Education transferred him to Bishop
Anstey High School. And so, the family, excluding Safiya, who was studying Law and Economics at Cave Hill
in Barbados, moved from rural Tobago to the hectic, urban life of Port of Spain. Dawn enrolled at Valsayn
Teachers’ College and Fayola entered LVI at Bishop’s, settling well into the sometimes strange new
environment – but it was probably easier for her than for her father. He had to adapt to the very different
culture of an all girls’ school where he must, initially, have felt somewhat out of context. However, Bishop’s
girls really took to him, especially when they discovered some of the talents the Saints have yet to learn – did
you know that our Canon is no mean cricketer?
But it was a difficult transition and a very challenging time in both Church and School contexts. All Saints’ is a
large and busy parish, with an image it wishes to maintain. Someone very unkindly predicted that our Canon
‘go mash up de place wid he Tobago business’. Aware of unhelpful criticism, he worried about maintaining
the high standard set by Canon Joseph, but took comfort from his warm reception as a visiting preacher one
year earlier. There have been many difficulties, of course, but the very real problem is the workload. Canon
Berkley has two demanding full-time jobs, each with its own set of challenges and each with high standards
to be maintained.
The greatest of all the challenges is surely to get us to live up to our calling in a more effective manner – ‘to
love God and to use His gifts to His Glory’ and to make a such a significant difference in the lives of those
around us that, when finally we take our leave, ‘a vacancy will be created’ – do you recall that powerful
punch? His sermons, designed ‘to lead to the amendment of life’ and to shift us from our comfort zone (as in
the matter of creating vacancies!) attract favourable comment; with acute discomfort, we recognise our
individual and collective shortcomings. Canon Berkley is trying to move us, via our Vision 2010 process,
towards the changes needed for survival and growth in these challenging times.
How does he do it all, one might ask? Some persons underestimated him, perhaps because of his good
humour, humility and kindness, but the quality, leadership and deep spirituality of the priest whom Bishop
Bess, in his great wisdom, sent to us is now well recognised. Our Canon is a man of many parts - a man
deeply committed to his family and his various communities; a man with compassion and the ability to listen
and assess the facts before making decisions; a man meticulous and focussed, but possessed of the
ability to prioritise; a man with the fortitude, stamina, spiritual strength and, perhaps, a measure of
stubbornness and occasional impatience, to do all that has to be done and to do it well. Perhaps one way
we can understand Canon Berkley is to know his ‘guiding principle’, from Luke 9:62, ‘no-one who puts a
hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God’.
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| The Parish of All Saints |
| The Anglican Church in the Diocese of Trinidad and Tobago |
