Fifty years after taking up her first assignment on May 17, 1966 as Secretary to the then Suffragan Bishop of Kingston, the Rt. Rev. Cyril Emerson Swaby, and the Director of Anglican Schools, Mr. Enos B. Johnson, Mrs. Laceta Morlese-Brown continues to work at the highest level of the Diocesan administration.
Reliable, efficient, highly confidential, and with a pleasing disposition, this soft-spoken lady is the ultimate professional. She has an unblemished record of service to five Lord Bishops – The Rt. Rev. Cyril Swaby (1968-1975); The Rt. Rev. Herbert Edmondson (1975-1979); The Rt. Rev. Neville deSouza (1979-2000); The Rt. Rev. Alfred Reid (2001-2011); The Rt. Rev. Howard Gregory (2012 to present).
Always willing to work behind the scenes to ensure the best outcome for Diocesan events, her knowledge of the office operations at Church House and the business of the Diocese is a valuable asset.
May 17, 2016 was like any other work day for the dedicated Mrs. Brown who was virtually speechless when her colleagues at Church House, including the Lord Bishop, and the Diocesan Secretary, as well as specially invited guests, surprised her with a lunchtime celebration, complete with a cake and gift.
She recalls that, in the early days, the thought of being in constant association with the Clergy and, in particular, the Lord Bishop, was a bit intimidating because “prior to coming to Church House, I had only seen a Bishop in person at Confirmation.”
However, as she overcame the initial anxieties, she accepted this opportunity as a great privilege, Among her treasured memories are the many visits to rural districts that she would not have known otherwise, for Services in vacant cures. Her attendance, as a first-time participant, at a Healing Convention in Philadelphia, USA is another special experience, especially since she helped to co-ordinate the trip from Jamaica.
Asked what made her stay so long at Church House, Mrs. Brown recounts the two occasions when the opportunity to leave presented itself. She was encouraged to stay by the then Bishop who told her, ‘No job is better than this one. It may be better pay, but not a better job.’
“I interpreted it to mean that it is more rewarding to work with the Church. My motivation to stay here is not about the salary; it is about doing something that I truly love and enjoy,” she affirms.
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