Mauritius Medine Sugar Estate - Hon. P.M. Dr. Navin Ramgoolam

Open letter of appreciation to our most Honorable Prime Minister, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam for his intervention at the 100 year anniversary celebration of the Medine Sugar Estate Company Limited.

Who and what really made the difference on that occasion should be a commendable frame of reference for all Mauritians!

My brother, Fernand Leclezio and I learnt from the media that Médine S.E. Company Limited celebrated its 100th anniversary on September 9, 2011.

All Mauritians know that September 9 is above all the anniversary of Father Jacques Desiré Laval – ‘The apostle of the poor’.

Only immediate family and close friends know that September 9 is also the anniversary of Alexis Desiré Fernand Leclézio. Obviously, Desiré was one of our father’s chosen names at baptism to honor the ‘Apostle of the poor’.

Although our father played a leading role in improving the lot of the poor through the development of Médine and F.U.E.L., he would never have been so presumptuous to think that the present day management of Médine picked September 9 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Medine in his honor.

That must have been a mere coincidence.

But our father must be rejoicing, and so are we, to note that our Honorable Prime Minister remembered him on his birthday and took time to cite him during his intervention at the 100th anniversary celebration of an enterprise our father did so very much for.

That was no coincidence! And, that is who and what made the difference.

We believe that a higher spirit binds extraordinary leaders together in their universal quest for the common good of all.

Thus Father Jacques Desiré Laval was driven by his strong desire to secure and ensure the common good of all Mauritians starting from the very bottom of the ladder, working with and through all those that were deliberately excluded.

Sir Seewoosagur was relentless in his search for a solution that would guarantee the common good of all. Among his countless other achievements, free education for all was part of that solution. Through education, the father of our nation led all Mauritians across the great divide away from the deserts of exclusion.

Who would ever know today that, as a culmination of all his centralizations and realizations, our father researched long and hard what would be the best acronym to tie West to East – Medine to F.U.E.L into one? To the ordinary folks, WEAL stood for: West East Association Limited. But to our father, WEAL had to be the symbol of who he was and what he stood for. After many a sleepless night and much research, he finally settled for the acronym WEAL. Eureka! Our father had found that, in old English, WEAL means ‘The common good’. Indeed a modern day check through the free on line dictionary (not available to our father in his days) confirms the meaning of WEAL as follows: “1. Prosperity; happiness: in weal and woe.2. The welfare of the community; the general good: the public weal.

Today, every Mauritian should rejoice to see with what integrity and to what courageous extent Navin will go to, in order to ensure the common good of all Mauritians, regardless of status, color or creed.

In his strenuous and perseverant efforts for the common good, Navin does not only want to tie West to East but also North to South. Through the democratization of the economy, Navin is continuously striving to create an all encompassing society where every Mauritian will have an equal opportunity.

Navin’s vision of the ‘Mauritius Incorporated’ of tomorrow will by far transcend the limits of an antiquated colonial, jealously and selfishly guarded ‘Mauritius Company Limited’ of yesterday designed to limit the benefits of our fast expanding economy to the company of a very few.

However, for Navin's vision to become reality, it is imperative that all Mauritians learn from one another. In his book, ‘N’ayez pas peur’, John Paul II pounds on the fact that more aspects of our daily lives unite us rather than divide us. Thus, John Paul II exhorts us to embrace and adopt, as our own, the very best that each diverse component of the society we live in has best to offer.

We are lucky to live in a society where, at least some members of certain communities take to heart the dreams of their extraordinary leaders. But it is only when true and thourough Mauritianism permeates through the daily actions of every Mauritian that we will have a just and equal opportunity society that will be an example to the globalized world.

We all have lessons to learn from the profound words of our leader during his intervention at the 100 year anniversary of Medine S.E. Company Limited. Unfortunately, while some appear to be far better and more genuine students than others, some members of certain communities choose to remain imprisoned within the confines of their narrow spirit, their ‘privileges’ of old and their self serving interests.

As an example, on August 15th, the only two Mauritians to wish my wife and I a happy feast day were two non Catholics, namely Mr. J. Monebhurrun of the companies Division in Rodrigues and Dr. Vickas Gopee of Rose Belle hospital.

In turn, on the occasion of the feast of Ganesh Chaturthi on September 2, our brother Fernand Leclezio Jr. followed the outstanding example of Navin, the leader of all Mauritians. In keeping with Navin’s dream and our father’s lessons, Fernand innocently called, among others, one of our cousins to wish him a happy feast day. In a show of extremely poor judgment and regrettable narrow mindedness, so remote from any Mauritianism ideology urged by our leader, our cousin lambasted poor Fernand for daring to wish him a happy feast day concerning a God he will never choose to know!!!

By exemplary contrast, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Medine a week later, in his intervention, Navin endeavored once again to set a wonderful example for all Mauritians to adopt and follow, in order to achieve an all inclusive equal opportunity society. Navin chose to reach out to all Mauritians when he quoted our father : « s’il y a de la gloire, il y en aura pour tout le monde mais s’il y a un désastre je veux être le seul à en souffrir ». « Quelle belle leçon à ceux qui aspirent à devenir de vrais leaders », a souligné le chef de l’État.

In a constant show of most unselfish motivation, it is very obvious that Navin has fully mastered that lesson.

Navin has often revealed how he is humbly fully aware that he could not have mastered that lesson alone. Navin knows that in his relentless quest for a just and equitable Mauritian society, he is inspired by a higher spirit that binds together and unites all those who strive for the common good. That is the Godly spirit of Love and commitment passed down to some of us by our fathers.

I believe that it is that same Godly spirit that can influence each and every one of us in our daily responses, even to the seemingly most ordinary events of our daily lives.

Thus, when the present day president of Medine called my brother Fernand, not to invite him to the 100 year anniversary celebration, but rather to ask him for a photo of our father to possibly publish it in some anniversary book, Fernand was inspired to refer our cousin to the Mauritius Times, saying that, to his knowledge, the Mauritius Times had the best photo of our father.

That was no coincidence. I proudly repeat what I have written in the past. Sir Satcam Boolell, himself a great leader, once referred to Sir Seewoosagur, to Bickramsingh Ramlallah and to our father as the people who had marked him indelibly as being great leaders.

The spirit of those great leaders is passed on down the line to the next generation. Fernand instinctively referred the Medine president to The Mauritius Times. Not having seen a copy of the commemorative book, we do not know if the president of Medine ever sought or obtained our father’s picture from the Mauritius Times.

But it was ever so more meaningful, and obviously very much through that all combining spirit of extraordinary leaders, that the daughter of Bickramsingh Ramlallah, Sadhna Ramlallah, proved to be the only one within family or friend circle, to take the time to advise us that ‘Le Mauricien’ had carried an article on the 100 year anniversary celebration of Medine and that our Prime Minister had cited our father during his intervention!

Furthermore watching the news on MBC TV on September 10, 2011, Fernand and I were comforted to hear the present day president of Medine recognize that Medine is today one of the biggest land owners in Mauritius. It may have been fitting for him to also disclose who was the visionary who accomplished the feat of consistently and laboriously expanding the Medine factory area square foot by square foot?

Dear Navin, as you well know, by judiciously and repeatedly climbing over every mountain in order to invest in more and more real estate, years ago, our father set the course for the common good of all the population of Mauritius and particularly so for those living within the Medine and F.U.E.L. factory areas.

By comparison, as if any were possible, who is today consistently divesting Medine of much of the prized land acquired years ago? Is such a policy truly for the common good of all or mostly for the benefit of a restricted number of Medine shareholders?

But, then, we understand that while some prefer to forget important historical facts, lest they be reminded of their own mediocrity, true leaders choose to publicly remember details and to cite great leaders in order to help all aspire to great leadership.

Dear Navin, Fernand and I are moved to tears as we thank you for choosing to publicly remember our father and his guiding spirit on his birthday.

Now, that our father has left so much behind to be fondly remembered by, I thank you for always remembering to include Fernand in all the major celebrations of the Labour Party and for inviting him to share the podium with your winning team on countless occasions.

Your tender loving care towards all Mauritians, including the marginalized, for whatever reason – That is what makes the difference. That is what sets you apart as an extraordinary leader. That is what empowers you to make a worthwhile difference in the life of so many in small or big ways!

Your astounding memory, reaching in the remote past history of our land and all its great leaders, regardless of their specific community is what also allows you to see on the other side of the mountains.

As you said before, we all arrived in Mauritius on different ships. But it will be only when we all, willingly, board the ‘Mauritius Incorporated’ ship, for the common good of all that we will have a true blue chip. A blue chip with an infinite amount of human principal and good will to be traded and further recognized worldwide as a new standard of values. A blue chip that can only be led by your staunch principles of unselfish exchange of ideas, power and finance for the common good of all.

It is only when every sailor on the ‘Mauritius Incorporated’ regardless of rank, acts, under your leadership, as an apostle of the poor and marginalized, that every Mauritian will be rich not only materially but above all spiritually. Then and only then will every Mauritian, by his own actions, deserve to become a full fledge shareholder of ‘Mauritius Incorporated’ so as to fully participate in the country’s overall success.

May ‘Mauritius Incorporated’ become known down history lane as the brain child of your creative genius. It is very obvious that your own organized thinking process is always on the watch for any minute detail that can and will make a worthy difference in the life of every Mauritian. Indeed, some affirm that, awake or asleep, your mind ticks away like a fine watch to mark each precious minute of your supernatural perseverance and drive that is solely devoted to the improvement of the lot of each and every Mauritian.

Dear Navin, may all limiting barriers to the realization of your dream be torn down urgently through the upcoming budget. It will undoubtedly set new horizons for the sun to rise warmly on all Mauritians.

In an effort to tear down unnecessary road blocks and overcome distracting forces, who would have the courage and vision today, within the ranks of private industry, to contribute meaningfully to the rebirth of the ‘Advance Newspaper’ for the overall advancement of every aspect of Mauritian society through factual, patriotic and truthful reporting?

May numerous future generations of Mauritians remember you well over a hundred years from now for your countless achievements for the common good of our nation.

As the one and only worthy leader of our country, of our industry, of our economy and of our plural society, thank you for always making such a powerful difference at each significant opportunity!

Most respectfully,

Louis Leclezio.

So Very Proud of Kaitlyn McCann

Dearest Kaitlyn,

March 4, 1993! When you, our first grand child, was born – We were there! What a memorable event!

When you were baptized – We were there! Another memorable day!

When you made your First Communion – We were there in communion with you!

When you were younger – we were always there! Especially when you lived with us – What a blessing that was!

As proud grand parents, we loved being there to watch you grow – At home, at school, on the sports’ field; wherever you were, you always made us so proud!

On June 9 2011! We will sadly not be there. For health, financial and other reasons known to God alone and beyond my control, when you graduate from High school, Nanny and I will not be there physically to openly manifest our pride.

But from the time I learnt that you were to graduate on June 9, 2011, I have been there spiritually by your side. Daily, I have revisited the past and tried to read your future.

Beginning with your birth, the past is full of numerous happy events. Some of those highlighted your intelligence and kindness and spoke of the bright future in store for you.

I often think how you showed much logic and good judgment from a very young age.

Do you remember? Once we were in front of the Virgin Mary sanctuary that I had built in our Bellevue yard – I asked you: “Kaitlyn, could you do a clay model of the back of my hand?” I proceeded to leave an imprint of the palm of my hand in the rose quartz bed as a sample for you. You immediately told me: “But Bopa, if I used that as a model that would not be the back of your hand!” I was amazed and together, we laughed so loud at my stupidity!

On May 7th 1999, you were only six years old. You made a picture of me preaching in church. I hold a cross in my right hand and a candle in the left hand. I have cherished that drawing of yours ever since. I keep it safely in my Bible and you inspire me through it to this day! Thank you!

Speaking of hands, I often recall how Nanny enjoyed having you as a tender loving and caring, nine year old, grand daughter massaging her hands while Nanny lay there immobilized by ALS! On June 9th, from heaven, in turn Nanny will be proudly holding your hand on the podium.

You have filled the hearts of four generations with joy. Your Great Grand mother always loved to cradle you in her arms and hands while rocking you back and forth on her rocking chair. Now, your Great grand granny, and Nanny from heaven and I join your parents to cradle you in our arms and hold your hands at this significant junction of your life.

We ask Jesus to continue to guide you and to let His love continue to shine through you as brightly as it has done over the last 18 years.

Confusing your crystal clear heart with a crystal ball, I get a crystal clear reading of your future.

Loving, you will be always.

Caring, you will always know how to be.

Compassionate you have for ever been and will continue to be.

A ‘One of a kind’, kind grand daughter, daughter, sister, student, nurse, wife, mother and grand mother you will be throughout well into eternity!

I wish I were there to see you graduate. A quick visit to my blog: http://www.snocadia.blogspot.com/ will instantly reveal how I have done my utmost to obtain justice and redress in time to be financially able to be by your side, regardless of the risks to my health, on your graduation day. With the money due to me, I could well afford to take some risks.

But, obstructing justice through any number of vile tactics has empowered Michael L Darland aka Mike Darland of Bellevue, WA. to inflict yet another irreparable damage upon our family life.

Sorry I had to bring that up. But we need to be constantly reminded that life is made of good and evil.

While we must learn to deal with both, we just have to choose on which side of life we want to be.

Remain who you are. Remain on the best side of life. Never let greed corrupt your crystal clear heart. Greed and vanity can only lead to a miserable life. No matter how much money the lowly and greedy get to stash away they endlessly pursue a constantly eluding happiness through all the wrong avenues.

They are to be pitied and prayed for.

However, I learnt a valuable lesson from all my efforts to obtain justice in time to be able to fly by your side on graduation day. I know not to rely on timely justice on earth. It does not exist.

Rather throughout your life trust in the goodness of Jesus. He alone knows all the paths you must travel through to reach your ultimate reward in heaven. Keep friends of like mind and heart. Shun the haughty and greedy.

Abide by God’s will alone. Whenever appropriate, find strength and courage by humbly repeating the most powerful lines of ‘Our Father’: “Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” It is only then that earth becomes your heaven. No amount of evil can then suffocate your inner Godly joy.

You can then fully submit yourself to God’s agenda. You will always feel totally content through the knowledge and assurance that God knows best what is best over the long term for you.

Congratulations dearest Kaitlyn on always choosing the good side of life. God will continue to reward you abundantly.

God knew what He was doing when He blessed you with your outstanding character. Keep putting all your trust in Him.

God certainly knows what He is doing by allowing you to walk in your father and mother’s footsteps at the first class Jesuit led Gonzaga University.

And only God knows how, although seemingly so far away, He is filling my heart with pride and joy at the thought that, in turn, your parents will soon be driving their daughter, our grand daughter, to this renowned Jesuit, Catholic institution named after Saint Aloysius of Gonzaga. In a most present way, I will be there in spirit to pray for your success at Saint Aloysius church on campus on graduation day. I love that church and all it stands for.

With tears in my eyes, I recall as if it were yesterday, the day when Nanny and I drove to Spokane to see, your mother, our dear Lynda fly off the nest to attend Gonzaga University. On that day I prayed at St. Aloysius church. By consistently and continuously blessing us so much through so many years, I know God always listens to our sincere prayers.

Pray to value your education at that center of higher learning to its full worth.

As you are about to graduate with honors from High school and be off to University, God’s agenda has allowed Eve and I to deeply appreciate first hand how some people cherish education to its utmost value. It inspires me to write the following lines to you.

A few days ago we were amazed to witness first hand how much a very dear friend of ours was willing to leave behind, how much she was readily prepared to sacrifice for the sake of higher education!

It made me remark to Eve that where and when education is ‘a way of life’ it is too often taken for granted and therefore its true value is so diluted that it is no longer fully appreciated.

In the past I have sent your parents pictures of us with our friend Doctor Reshmee Boodoo. Reshmee has often told us about the many sacrifices her whole family made to be able to send her to University to study medicine. Some of her stories will bring tears to your eyes if and when they do not cause you to burst out crying.

Education was seen by her and her whole family as THE only way out of exclusion and THE way away from past generations of poverty.

So, all her family members chipped in for Reshmee to become a medical doctor. She is now an excellent and brilliant doctor working hard to repay her family for all the financial help they provided thanks to the many sacrifices they went through in their intensive quest for her success.

Eve and I are often bewildered when she tells us about her own sacrifices in turn to pay back those who carried her on their shoulders when she needed them to do provide her with a priceless education and a degree in medicine. As a doctor, she often starts work at 9:00AM. She then works through a whole day, a whole night and a whole day again – That is 36 hours non stop – Just to pay back!!!

However that plateau of achievement did not satisfy her ambition to be all she can be for her sake and that of her family. She craved to study a lot more to become a specialist.

A few months ago, she called us all excited. There were two scholarships available to doctors wishing to further their education. There were many doctors applying. Reshmee jumped on the plane to go and be interviewed. Upon her return, she said: “Wow! I did the best I could! But there were so many applicants. God will do what is best for my husband and I.” She had only recently got married!

Believe it or not, Reshmee called us again on Thursday May 26. She was elated and asked us over to share the tremendous news. She had just received a letter from the Mauritian Ministry of Health advising that only two doctors had been granted the prized scholarship. Reshmee was one of them.

Now get ready for this!!! She had to IMMEDIATELY abandon all her possessions to the care of friends and co workers. Her lovely car and everything else she owned would have to be shipped from Rodrigues to family in Mauritius by friends.

Reshmee had to be on the plane to fly to Mauritius very early on Friday May 27 for an interview with the Ministry of health in the morning and one with the Indian Embassy in the afternoon.

Thereafter Reshmee would have to fly to India on the first available flight to register at the Benares University by no later than May 31st in order to begin classes on June 1st!!!

Fortunately her husband could accompany her. On May 30th they were flying together to India. He will look for an apartment for her while she attends classes! Thereafter he will be returning to his work in Mauritius while she studies for at least three years!!! When I asked him what did he and the whole family think of it all happening so quickly? Avinash calmly replied: “What a wonderful opportunity for us all that Reshmee can become a specialist.” The sacrifices that it would obviously all entail were most certainly not in the forefront. Only education was the whole family’s focal point!!!

That kind of commitment to education can only come from those who value it with all their being for the well being of ALL!

Dearest Kaitlyn, be committed to your education to be the best nurse you can be. Be committed to your education to be a great doctor if and when God so inspires you to be. Be committed to your education to be a loving and caring specialist if and when you are led so to be.

Whatever you end up being, I selfishly pray that some day I will receive care from your hands.

Reshmee will be specializing in ophthalmology. Three years from now, Reshmee will help people see better and farther.

I hope and pray that this message will help you see better to which farthest summit God is leading you to.

From exile, forced there by health and finance, Eve joins me to wish you the very best throughout your life till we meet again for eternity.

Fly… Fly… Fly as far as your heart and God will lead you…

With all my love and very best wishes,

Bops.

P.S I pray and hope that God will grant me enough years that you will be there by my dying bed some day. As a nurse, a doctor or a specialist, it will not only be to massage love into my hands but to offer all the TLC medical care you will be famous for!

Happy New Year 2011

Walking across a desert, Moses saw ‘I Am’ in a burning bush.

My New Year’s wish is that we all find ‘I Am’ in every present moment of our lives.

In the presence of ‘I Am’ little matters who we were or who we will be... we are!

In the presence of ‘I Am’ we will always know who we are in the present!

May we never be so busy that we miss the present of the presence of ‘I Am’…in an inert rock,

'I Am' in the beauty of an inert celestial rock.

in a speechless sea star,

The shepherds saw a star and found 'I Am'. Can we find 'I Am' in this sea star?

in a flower or in a thinking human being.

'I Am' never fades in the color of a bright or dark flower.

'I Am' in the wealth of innocence of a poor street child.

‘I Am’ is omnipresent. He can be found in any vision, in any smell and in all feelings. Even in the sound of silence or of the tumultuous sea we can take time to taste ‘I Am’ on earth and from heaven.

The salt of 'I Am' rising out of 'The Rock'.

If we allow ourselves to be so busy that we miss the presence of ‘I Am’ as He touches every moment of our lives, we will for ever walk across a barren desert!

My wish for you all in 2011 is to take time daily to look, smell, hear, feel and taste ‘I Am’ wherever you are… whenever!

Whenever - Wherever, we can all fly to 'I Am' on the wings of His pure spirit.

In utter wonder, you will ponder that because God Is – I am… always happy to be here, happy to be me, happy to be wealthy, well and wise in the spirit of 'I Am'.

The light and love of ‘I Am’ all around me guarantees that total happiness…

The light of 'I Am', 'The Rock', is always searching for us through empty holes.

God bless you ALL.

From Dad, Bopa & Louis.

In Memoriam Fernand Leclezio.

We have come here to praise Fernand and not to bury him!

All the good he did could never be interred with his bones!

He was a loving Father.

He has done so very much for so very many throughout his life.

Our father’s motto: “Do what you feel is best! Never expect a thank you. Thus you will always be happy to have done your best and you will avoid disappointments”.

Like a visionary admiral of the fleet, our father has guided many a ship of faith to safe harbor.

His memory is our rudder whenever and wherever we pull up anchor.

Thanks to our father and forefathers we have been well equipped to sail on through calm or stormy seas, across blue or dark grey skies.

Whenever our human nature causes us to wonder if we are wandering, we must look back as far as we can so we can see the furthest ahead.

When we look back, we see the solid granite monuments left behind to anchor us into our Catholic faith and our family traditions.

BORN IN 1771 Great, great, great Grand pa, Francois. The first Leclezio's Tomb in Mauritius

The crosses above the granite sepulchers of six generations of Leclezios are our frames of reference. Those crosses we learn to carry, symbol of our family’s faith, unite us all on earth and in heaven.

PHOTO LECLEZIO Cemetery Camp
5 Generations of Leclezios are under those solid granite crosses

Pope John Paul II spoke of the importance of visiting our dead ones spiritually daily. The Pope suggested that if we could not go physically to the various cemeteries where our loved ones lie, we must spiritually do so while visualizing them and/or their grave sites.

I have often visited our dead ones at their grave site physically whenever I could. I cherish the photos above. Nowadays, I love to pray over all those tombs that I can only visit spiritually from Rodrigues.

Fortunately, I believe that in heaven people neither have the time nor the inclination to formalize themselves with form, proximity and location.

Otherwise, there could be very odd contrasts between the land that is dear to a person on earth and in what land his/her dead body lands after death.

Where our father and mother’s remains lie, speaks very loudly to that.

Our father had prepared his family’s eternal home in the land of his forefathers by his parents’ side. After having a sepulcher built in the family’s traditional style, our father made a special trip to proudly show to his most trusted collaborator, Philip Scott his final home for ever.

PHOTO GDPA TOMB

Gdpa Louis & his son Fernand’s tombs side by side

Yet, in the end, our father’s ashes were buried in State College, Pennsylvania. There, our father and mother lie physically far from their ancestors and far from most of their children.

This teaches us that the river of emotions born out of death is an inescapable reality of life. That river often carries us to unmapped shores.

Regardless of where our bodies land after death, we are free. Free to share as one body, united in Christ’s love, the unifying meal of peace and ultimate joy God has prepared for us all to savor at the eternal table of plenty. That table is in a land void of any worldly landmarks.

At that table of plenty we are strictly fed by the spirit of God and not according to any recipes of man.

From that table, generations of past ancestors have fed us, the recipes that have made us who we are today.

Since my return to Mauritius, I have reacquainted myself with the immense debt of gratitude we owe to our father and ancestors. In Mauritius, in their life time, our earthly forefathers and father prepared room for us all to reside at the end of our lives on earth. How grateful we should be to them to have so meaningfully planned for our future residence, in their past.

Thus, in the present, it is most meaningful for Eve, Godda and I to honor the past love and wisdom of our ancestors for the benefit of future generations.

Our traditions testify to our love and respect of our family character and signature. I hope and pray future generations learn much from this letter and their visits to Mauritius.

Eternal love and gratitude are the hallmarks of true members of the Leclezio family.

In heaven, that kind of love blossoms not by our human will but by the will of God. How wonderful it would be if it could be likewise on earth!

Then, and only then God’s Will, would be done on earth as it is in heaven!

Until then, that Leclezio blood, wherever it is, cold or warm, dried out or still flowing, screams out to me not to let go of such rich family traditions. A tradition deeply rooted in the love and respect of the past, the present and the future. That Leclezio blood summons me to pray, for family continuity, even through distance and diversity, for eternity. I gladly do so with the spirits of all the family saints whose bones, in whatever state, are entombed within those many known granite sepulchers of generations of Leclezios. I find it particularly easy to do so within that venerated Leclezio sanctuary in the St. Pierre es Liens cemetery. But it is also important to pray for the entire community of the unknown all over the world by the foot of the cross that unites us all.

Uniting Cross - Pray for the unknown - The Cross, hand carved out of one granite block is a beacon over Francois' tomb! A unique piece of art!

That tradition is to be preserved on earth till the end of times when we are all united in heaven through God’s love.

I cannot ignore the cry and the respectful wisdom, our ancestors addressed to past and future generations through the erection of such lasting memorials. Nor should we ever depart from our century’s old, family heritage. Their love, their wisdom and their foresight has ensured that over two hundred years later, they are still dearly recognized, remembered and highly revered by some of the members of their progeny.

We can export those family traditions to ‘new worlds’ but for our family values to last and to remain healthy; we are duty bound to religiously honor, fertilize and meticulously water with prayer showers, our family roots where they are buried most deeply in our native soil.

Indeed, profound respect for and love of the traditions our ancestors established in Mauritius, make me commit to preserve the spiritual and material values of the symbolic monuments our ancestors have left behind for us to pray by and pay tribute to.

I am moved to do so spiritually through prayer and communion with past and future generations. I commit to do so materially by attending to the maintenance of those monuments of the past. Our family cared enough to live behind for our benefit. We should care enough to maintain them. I pray and hope that the generations that follow will go on doing so.

For, when God and our ancestors call to us, their children, grand children, great grand children etc. from the grave and from heaven, to honor their memory, we should never ask: “Why me?” We should feel privileged and prayerfully, humbly, graciously and joyfully answer the call!

I repeat, those tabernacles of the Leclezio blood, bones, dust and spirit are the rudders of our future.

I recognize that there is a world of difference, indeed, an abyss, between a transient culture caring little about roots and a society steeped in tradition. We are fortunate to possess and absolutely must cling to such a heritage wherever we are in today’s world.

Those rock solid crosses are testimony to our religion founded on rock, to our belief in the power of the cross, to our belief in the ever lasting life and the resurrection. We must be good stewards of those beliefs that lead to the only one true and everlasting wealth.

As good stewards, we must pray that God and our ancestors allow us to read, understand and accept their agenda throughout our lives.

As I have already mentioned above, our father’s closest collaborator, who he loved like a son, Philip Scott from F.U.E.L., had told me a few times how our father had one day driven from Moka to F.U.E.L. to pick him up. On their way from Flacq towards Moka/St. Pierre, our father told Philip: “I want to show you the house that I have built.” Philip automatically thought that our father had built a new house in Eureka. He told our dad: “I did not know that you were building a home.”

To Philip’s great surprise, when they arrived in St. Pierre, a few miles from Eureka, Moka, our father headed for the St. Pierre cemetery. Once there, our father asked Philip to follow him in the cemetery. A short distance from the entrance, our father stopped, pointed to an imposing sepulcher to his left and proudly declared: “That is my residence for eternity.”

The Bible also tells us that our heavenly Father has prepared a home in heaven with lots of room for us all. History and tradition tell us that, likewise, our earthly fathers have cared to prepare a home with lots of room for us on earth.

It is up to us to decide whether we want to follow tradition and gratefully move into the homes prepared for us on earth and in heaven by our Fathers.

It is worth noting that Grandfather Louis’ tomb houses three generations of Leclezios. God has already written in His agenda how many generations will reside in our own father’s tomb over the years.

Our life belongs to God. He provides for us from His table with the help of all our departed loved ones.

The Godly meal, we share closely with our ancestors without even realizing it, is the food that keeps our family’s religious traditions alive on earth. Some day, like a butler, I wish to dish out that food from the eternal table of heaven to family around earthly tables. Thus, I would ensure that our progeny can eat and drink from the generous Godly cornucopia and fountain of life and family traditions. That is the only cornucopia and fountain that is sure to strengthen us and to quench our thirst as we cross some of the earthly deserts that lead to heavenly eternity.

One dies a little upon leaving a place. One resurrects much upon returning.

I am thankful to God to have granted me the time and the discernment needed to evaluate, comprehend the lessons taught by our fathers and reach the conclusions I am happy to share with you today.

As I wander across time and across the earth through all the green pastures God has blessed me to visit, I pray that God grants me the years and the means to be God’s guide to lead you to discover more ‘new/old worlds’ on earth until the day we can all be united for ever in the City of God.

St. Augustin said that the world is like a book and those who have not traveled across various worlds have only read one page.

After much traveling on earth, I realize that in that blessed paradise of heavenly bliss, spirits share a bond of such absolute love that it transcends all human notions. Thus I believe that in heaven, through our union with the God of pure love, we are united to each other and to all alike without any humanly feelings of selfishness, possessiveness, vanity or jealousy.

Indeed, the God that created us all with infinite love can transcend human emotions, matter, time and space to unite us all in perfect love.

I am most thankful that God’s agenda provided for me to be in Mauritius just before All Saints and All Souls Day in 2010. During my time in Mauritius, I am glad to have been guided to respectfully honor my Great, great grand father Eugene and Grand Pa’s sepulchers by having them cleaned after decades of pitiful and shameful neglect.

Born in 1805,My great great grdpa, Eugene's tomb after clean up

P.S. As you know, for many years now, it has been and it still is very important for me to pray over the pictures of the tombs of all our dear ones. It has assured a means of communication and a source of inspiration in the present, with our past spiritual and corporal DNA in heaven.

For those of you who wish to follow the recommendations of Pope John Paul II and my example, I suggest that whenever you feel called to share a special moment with our dear ones in the everlasting ‘ultimate new world harboring the eternal City of God’ you can refer to what those pictures represent to act as a rudder to guide you to our loved ones wherever they lie.

Note that the majestic cross that rests above the ‘Famille Leclezio’ sepulcher was carved by hand out of solid rock over 150 years ago. I consider it to be a priceless and irreplaceable work of art. That cross speaks to the importance, Francois, our first pioneering ancestor to land in Mauritius in 1792 attached to creating a long lasting beacon of traditions and family values in his ‘new world’ on earth prior to reaching his new world in heaven. It was obviously most important for him to leave his mark on future generations. I am deeply grateful for his example and that rich heritage he has left behind for us to follow.

As you well know, walking in the foot prints of pioneering Francois, in the US, I dug in our resources to commission and erect, with the help of God, the memorial at the Holyrood Cemetery.

PHOTO OF Leclezio Memorial in a 'new' world at HOLYROOD

As we journey through life, we all find, carry and leave crosses at the various stations we visit.

During our lifetime, to the extent we trustfully submit to the Will of God, we find the necessary strength to accept our crosses graciously. After we die, we lie under the weight of our crosses. In life, as in death, we must proclaim our faith in the power of the cross over us.

I believe that the higher we elevate our crosses, the higher our crosses will elevate us and guide those who follow us.

The crosses we lie under after death reflect our acceptance of the way of the cross that led us to eternal life. Therefore, may our progeny, in turn, carry their individual crosses while cherishing and protecting the faith of our fathers along their ways of the cross across their stations in life.

May all of the above testify to what I hope and pray will be the long surviving heritage our forefathers left behind.

Then, those who follow after us will also joyfully proclaim this one Roman Catholic faith in the resurrection. By the power of the cross, that faith has led many family generations through the eye of the needle. May that faith continue to guide many more generations through ages to come.

May those monuments to our faith be beacons of light that beckon family, friends and strangers alike, walking through any cemetery, in any world, to stop by and pray for all those who there under lie until the ultimate ‘Resurrection Day’ when we can all shed worldly forlornness to experience the fullness of eternal life!

With much love, for our father on this 5th day of December 2010 that marks the 20th anniversary of his death!

With much gratitude, we thank you our Fathers and forefathers, in heaven and on earth, for all you have taught us and your continued guidance.

Leclezio - In Memoriam

En ce jour de l’anniversaire de la mort de Francois Leclézio, décédé le 13 Aôut 1851 a l’Ile Maurice, cette pensée est dédiée à tous les membres de la famille Leclézio qui souffrent pour quelques raisons aujourd’hui ou n’importe quand, n’importe comment et n’importe où…

Toi qui souffre, saches que, qui que tu sois, où que tu sois:

Leclézio, tu es le sang de notre sang.
Et quand une créature de notre sang souffre,
Toutes les créatures de notre sang souffrent avec toi.

Sans ta souffrance, je souffrirais déjà moins dans ce monde.
Mais avec, par et en ta souffrance, je souffre d’avantage de te voir souffrir.

Alors, tout notre sang le sent si fort que tout notre sang entame ta souffrance!

Sens moi, avec, ou sans toi, et ressens tout ce que notre sang souffrant sens un peu plus ou un peu moins par, avec et à travers toi.

Décides alors de cesser de souffrir et de faire tous ceux de ton sang souffrir avec toi.

Demandes à notre ancêtre d’intercéder pour toi.

Qu’il souffle là où tu souffres, là où nous souffrons tous par, avec et en toi.

Joins ton souffle au sien.

Souffles ta souffrance vers Dieu.

Car Lui seul est capable de dissiper toutes nos peines au-delà des plaines.

Ressens alors Son amour, Sa paix et Sa joie couler en notre sang à tous.

Laisses enfin la couleur de notre douleur passer d’un ciel noir et menaçant a un ciel d’azur combien plus accueillant.

Thank God, thank Francois for setting an example. Long before the world thought globally, Francois recognized the importance of being at least bilingual on the globe. After the British conquered Mauritius, Francois personally developed an English dictionary for his children while he also taught them English grammar!

Leclézio, do you feel better already?

Is it not amazing what our ancestors can and indeed will do for us if and when we choose to remember them?

Therefore, pray that over the next 155 years your descendants may be at least as numerous as Francois’ are today. Remember how one of Francois’ grand sons took to heart God’s command: “Go… Multiply…” Henry did in deed. Thus Henry and Jenny were abundantly blessed with seventeen children!

Pray also that some of your descendants in the year 2161 will still cherish their catholic faith as much as Francois did from his baptism day in 1771 and as much as some of his descendants still do today! Then, just as we pray to Francois today to intercede for us, let us hope that likewise some of our descendants will pray for and or to us 155 years from now!

Leclézio descendants: We must always remember who are our ascendants?

“They are that multitude of invisible souls interceding for us as we in turn pray and join them in praising the eternal Glory of God in the infinity of time.”

“Thank You dear Lord for the gift of our life, for all those who have passed that gift from You to us and bless all those to whom we may be called to pass on that gift to in the future.”

Blessed be Francois Leclézio.

Louis Leclézio

FIFA WORLD CUP INSPIRES WINNING PHOTOS

Shadows and dreams surrounding the world cup will get forever taller.

Thanks to the FIFA world cup in Africa, the goal of many a child to sink that golden ball through the posts is now a reachable horizon.

Our local Iniesta strikes the golden World cup goal.

As one sun sets on FIFA, many a sun rises across the broadened horizons of budding players.

All over the world, far terrains away, FIFA has inspired Africans and all. To sink that golden goal ball through the posts is now only a horizon away.

Ile Maurice - Industrie Canniere - Juste Denouement Negociations Salariales

Cher Jacques,

Tu es le digne porteur du flambeau de l’idéologie de papa et de mon parrain.

Tu as le même bon regard franc et sincère de ton papa, de mon papa et de mon parrain.

Mon Papa: Fernand Leclezio

Mon Parrain: Claude Noel

Avant que mon frère Fernand me le fasse ressortir hier soir peu avant les nouvelles de 9 :00PM,
Je n’avais pas réalisé que tu es le fils de Bouboule !!!

Tu es avant tout le très digne fils de ton père qui avait dès son plus jeune age le respect de tous à l’école.

Avec toi à la barre, le dénouement de l’impasse concernant les négociations salariales n’était pas surprenant.

Le sang du Baron D’Unienville et ton sens de la justice t’ont donné la sagesse et le courage nécessaire pour prévaloir auprès des barons sucriers pour le meilleur avenir de tous et ‘nou tou pa pou tombe lor la paye’.

Avec l’aide de notre Gouvernement et surtout de notre Premier Ministre visionnaire, avec l’aide des syndicats, avec la bonne volonté admirable des artisans et laboureurs et avec ta propre vision, pour le bien être de tous, tu iras et tu conduiras l’industrie cannière toujours plus loin.

Félicitations.

Bien sincèrement,

Louis Leclezio.