MONSIGNOR Richard Albert was a man who infiltrated and lived peacefully with people from all strata of society.

“Father Albert was a remarkable human being with an amazing ability to walk with kings and at the same time with the poorest of the land,” Lady Allen, wife of Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, said in her tribute to the priest who died two weeks ago after falling ill. He was 68.

“Among his many friends were some of Jamaica’s richest and most powerful but Monsignor Albert was most comfortable serving and moving among the poor where he found his true calling,” she continued, with other mourners who packed the Stella Maris Roman Catholic Church to celebrate the life of the well-loved priest nodding in agreement.

Often referred to as “the ghetto priest”, Monsignor Albert impacted the lives of numerous Jamaicans who yesterday thanked his family for sharing the revered clergy leader with the country.

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, he came to Jamaica in 1976 and surrendered his American citizenship to become a Jamaican. Following his assignment as a diocesan priest in the Arch Diocese of Kingston, he was assigned to the Saint Patrick’s Church in the mid-1980’s where he founded the Saint Patrick’s Foundation — “a symbol of hope and an advocate for the poor and destitute of the inner cities”.

Known to have walked the streets of what is considered inner cities, Albert was said to have earned the respect of all he came in contact with.

“The people of Riverton City, Callaloo Mews, Olympic Gardens, Seaview Gardens, and White Marl recognised him not as a priest, but a compassionate man who was willing to share his time with you. He felt the pain, frustration and concern of the inner-city people. He was not just balancing the book but balancing people’s lives,” Junior Rowe, a member of the Riverton community, stated in his tribute.

He highlighted the many works of Albert and urged the congregation to continue Albert’s legacy of servanthood. He further announced that the community decided to name the health centre in honour of the priest.

Education Minister Ronald Thwaites, who delivered the homily, compared Monsignor Albert to Jesus Christ because of the manner in which he was able to be a part of all strata of society.

“Jesus worked among all social classes. Is this not a metaphor of the late Richard Albert operating in a highly stratified Jamaican society?” Thwaites questioned.

“Richard Albert moved between Stony Hill and Riverton with ease and sincerity,” he continued.

In delivering the remembrance, which at times evoked laughter and sounds of agreement, Joseph Matalon, first chairman of the St Patrick’s Foundation, described Monsignor Albert as a man with “a marvelous, mischievous sense of humour”.

“Referring to the many occasions when he would join my family for dinner he joked that he lived with the poor, but ate with the rich,” he said of Albert.

“This, in fact, was because of his success in garnering material support for his ministry. For while his friendship was entirely genuine it also allowed him to greet me and my colleagues in the private sector face-to-face with the poverty and suffering that surrounded us and to inspire us to help him in whatever way we could in his ministry,” he continued.

The long list of mourners at yesterday’s service included Opposition Leader Andrew Holness; former Prime Minister Bruce Golding and his wife Lorna; Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Anthony Hylton; Opposition members of parliament Daryl Vaz and Delroy Chuck; US diplomats, ATL Group Chairman Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart and Deputy Chairman Adam Stewart; religious and private sector leaders; and members of communities within which Monsignor Albert worked to transform.

Tributes were also read by Kevin Fay, close friend to the deceased and his family. Additionally, the programme was filled with written tributes from Daryl Vaz, friend of the deceased; Beverly Lopez, chairman of the Stella Maris Foundation; Fabian Brown, first executive director of St Patrick’s Foundation, among others.

Mourners were treated to musical items from Kevin Williams, the Stella Maris steel orchestra, and Dwight McBean. Due to limited capacity in the church, persons unable to make it inside were accommodated in two large white tents outfitted with television sets.

The body of the late monsignor will be cremated at a later date.