Father Jolly dies

Fr. Clement S. Jolly, C.Ss.R. has died. He was 85.

After ailing for some time Father Jolly passed away quietly yesterday at the Mount Carmel Retirement Home at Morne Daniel, said Catholic Father Franklyn Cuffy.

Father Jolly was born in St. Joseph on November 13, 1932. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. S.L. Jolly.

He was schooled at the San Sauveur Government School and the Wesley Government School, where he won the newly-founded Co-operative Scholarship to the Dominica Grammar School.

After graduation in 1950, he taught at the St. Mary's Academy. He then emigrated to the U.S.A. where he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served for two years. After his military service he joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (C.Ss.R.).

Ordained priest in 1962, he has served in several parishes in Dominica. He has also served for more than three and a half years in Antigua, and, for a short while, in Montserrat.

In 1970, Fr. Jolly went to a University in Rome where he studied Dogmatic Theology leading to the Licentiate in Theology. He returned to Dominica and later obtained a Diploma in Religious Education at the Divine Word International Institute in London. Ontario, Canada. In 1990, he spent four and a half months at the Society of the Divine Word International Centre, Nemi, Italy on a course of Spiritual Renewal.

Father Jolly was one of Dominica's most prominent authors; he published about 25 books, one of them was a book of poetry with contributions by him and several other writers. His last book "A year to Remember" was published in June 2017 and recalls "A Journey With Christ (January 1 2015 to Dec. 31, 2015). Several of the articles were pre-published in the Sun newspaper and reflects Farther Jolly's impressions of Tropical Storm Erika that caused much damage in Dominica in August 2015.

In 1993, Fr. Jolly obtained the Meritorious Service Award. Later, he received the Golden Drum Award.