A British martial arts champion is building a chapel between the World famous twin pitons in St Lucia for people to come together and to worship.
Michael Jacques, 69,a St Lucian-born British martial arts grandmaster came up with the idea after he became embroiled in a protracted legal battle with Lord Glenconner,a British aristocrat which lasted for over 30 years in the St. Lucia courts.
Jacques claims that Lord Glenconner took a significant portion of his land and have written a book about his ordeal – The book ‘The Fallen Bud’ recounts his version of events and what transpired between him and the aristocrat.
He said that the idea to build the chapel has been something he has been thinking about for quite some time. ” I think we need a place where people of different faiths can come to congregate and to meet in the area. There are no places where people can meet and so the chapel will be a great place to meet and to congregate, where one can find solace.”
Jacques whose family comes from the Morne La Croix area where the chapel is being built remembers living there as a child in the 60s. He said: “It was a lovely place to be growing up as a child. I enjoyed my childhood there before coming to the UK”
He is set to challenge the new owners of the property which the late peer bequeathed to Kent Adonai, his carer. The legacy was contested by the aristocrat’s family, who claimed that he had not been of sound mind when he rewrote his will.
A deal was thrashed out in 2018, when Adonai agreed to give a portion of the 20 acre property to Cody Tennant, Glenconner’s grandson after the family appealed for him to do the right thing. Jacques made a public appeal to Cody Tennant by asking him to make amends for his grandfather by returning his part of the contested plot.
Speaking about the project which he said is close to his heart the Westminster Law and Society graduate said “Lord Glenconner took my land away from me and so I had to do something about it,”
He adds”The chapel which is almost completed will be an inclusive congregation seeking to share God’s love through worship, reading and hospitality. It is going to be a gift to the community.
“We are hoping to finish building work soon. Everything is being taken care of and we hope that it will be finished so people can start utilizing it fully.” The South Londoner said