Rt. Rev. Monsignor Richard J. Albert, KHS, was born in the Bronx, New York, United States of America, on June 29, 1946. He joined the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement at a young age and was assigned to Jamaica in 1976. Although initially reluctant to relocate out of the USA, he quickly grew to love the people and the island and became a citizen of Jamaica some years later.

Father Albert was touched by the plight of the poor and indigent, who would often go without food, so he developed soup kitchens in Gregory Park. He was determined to help to break the cycle of poverty in Jamaica.

His passion for justice, protection of the poor, the disadvantaged and empowerment of the youth through education and skills training, led him to establish St. Patrick’s Foundation in 1994. This started as a soup kitchen through St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Patrick’s Church, Waterhouse. His forty years in Jamaica were dedicated to service.

Fr. Albert worked to develop churches in Braeton and Waterford, St. Catherine and took charge of the old church in Christian Pen. His establishment of the Church of Reconciliation in Bridgeport, St. Catherine, in 1977, is truly a Landmark achievement. Here, the Anglican and Roman Catholic Church communities worship in the same building at different times. He established five Human Resource Outreach Centres, for providing skills training, education and outreach programmes for the people in the inner-city communities of Western St. Andrew, Seaview Gardens, Olympic Gardens, Waterhouse, Riverton Meadows and Callaloo Mews as well as the St. Monica’s Home for the abandoned elderly and adults with HIV/AIDS. When Fr. Albert learned that the Hanson Home for Lepers was being closed late 1970s, he appealed to the then owners of Caymanas Estate, who donated the property on which the Home was located. The remaining residents then had a place to stay. This was the birth of St. Monica’s Home for the Abandoned Elderly. The home now includes care for adults with HIV/AIDS. Early in his assignment, Fr. Albert while working in Riverton City, the Kingston City Dump, was saddened when he saw little children at the dump and not attending school. He immediately began a campaign for this practice to stop and started having the children enrolled in primary schools. Early 1980’s he established Riverton Meadows Basic School, a health clinic and community outreach centre. This has expanded to include after school training in computer studies and homework centre. Christ the Redeemer Human Resource Centre, located in Seaview Gardens and St. Margaret’s Human Resource Centre, Olympic Gardens were established to provide skills training for young people aged 17 years and older to assist them in attaining economic independence. Most of these programs are HEART certified.  Remedial assistance in English and Mathematics is also offered. Today, some of those children he placed in schools are teachers, nurses, bank officials, police officers, responsible parents, port officers, entrepreneurs and construction workers. Some have returned to the Centres as teachers. In 1991, he was made an honorary prelate of the Vatican, because of his service to the church in Jamaica and conferred the title Monsignor in recognition of his years of dedicated service to the Church and the country. St. Patrick’s was formalized as a Foundation in 1994 with Monsignor Albert as the CEO. His passion, dedication and genuine love and care for people, in particular the disadvantaged, endeared persons to his cause. Early 2000, Monsignor Albert was appointed pastor of Stella Maris Church, St. Andrew and shortly after his assignment there, he co-founded Stella Maris Foundation in the neighbouring Grant’s Pen community. This was patterned after St. Patrick’s Foundation. Skills taught at Stella Maris Foundation include Early Childhood Training; Electrical Installation; Craft; Call Centre Training; Computer Training; Commercial Food Preparation and Literacy. There is a panel of doctors and dentists who give of their time freely to the people of Grant’s Pen. Monsignor Albert was responsible for the construction of the Stella Maris Pastoral Centre, which is used by numerous persons and organizations for various functions. Monsignor Albert was chaplain of the St. Catherine District Prison and counselled numerous persons. His civic and national involvements are well known. He was an active and vocal member of Jamaica for Justice. Monsignor Richard Albert died suddenly on November 30, 2015. He was truly a man of Vision, Passion and Integrity. Monsignor has left a legacy of practical action, humanity and compassion for the poor and disenfranchised.  We honour him by continuing his work.

Awards

2001     Servitor Pacis Award from the Vatican Path Peace Foundation
2004     Opus Prize Humanitarian Award from “Helping Hands for the Poor” USA

Hermine Metcalfe O.D., BH[M]
Chair, St. Patrick’s Foundation