January 2016 Issue - The Catholic Islander

January 2016 | catholic vi.com
150 YEARS
with the Redemptorist Fathers
JOURNEY OF FAITH
A life of purpose: Simonia Dagou
PG. 14
PROFILE
Most Rev. Edward J. Harper, C.Ss.R.
PG. 16
YEAR OF MERCY
The Jubilee Year of Mercy Indulgence
P. 19
Inside this issue
4 From the editor’s desk
The Door of Mercy
8 School spotlight
Annual St. Croix Catholic schools’
Thanksgiving Day Mass
10 Catholic charities Catholic Charities of the Virgin
Islands dedicates new food
kitchen in Charlotte Amalie
14 Journey of faith
A life of purpose – Simonia Dagou
16 Profile
Most Rev. Edward J. Harper, C.Ss.R.
First bishop in residence of the
Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands
18 Reflection
Continuing the Christmas season
19 Y
ear of Mercy
The Jubilee Year of Mercy
Indulgence
My Dear People,
With our celebration of Christmas and New
Year’s, 2015 is now part of history. I hope that
From the Bishop’s Desk
you can look back over the last twelve months
Bishop Herbert Bevard
and rejoice in great happiness and joy. As I
reminisce, I thank God for the many blessings that he has sent my way. With His divine
help, much work has been done inside the Cathedral. Bit by bit, that colossal undertaking
is getting finished. The Chapel of Venerable Pierre Toussaint and Catholic Charities
Outreach Center in Bovoni has become an intrigal part of our diocesan service to our
parishioners of Haitian decent and to the poor who live in that area. At the same tnne,
the St. Martin de Porres Soup Kitchen has been blessed and is nearly ready to serve the
needy in the western part of Charlotte Amalie. At Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church
in Mafolie, the Knights and Ladies of Malta continue to make strides in refurbishing the
Shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes. Our schools continue to educate hundreds of
young people and are becoming more and more updated in the field of technology. St.
Joseph High School on St. Croix is now an “IT” school and offers advanced courses in
technology. Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas will soon follow suit.
Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has designated 2016 as the Jubilee Year of Mercy. On
St. Thomas, the main door of the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul has been designated a
Door of Mercy. All those who pass through it can obtain a plenary indulgence for doing
so. At St. Ann Parish in Barrenspot, the Door of Mercy leads to the Shrine of Our Lady
of Barrenspot. As is true for the Cathedral, so this door on St. Croix offers the same
indulgence for those who pass through it. The Year of Mercy, however, means much
more than simply walking through a special door into a sacred space. The real meaning
of this year has to do with our eagerness to accept mercy from Almighty God as we
confess our sins and turn to him with repentance. It also has a great deal to do with our
inner attitude of forgiveness, kindness, charity and generosity to others. May this Year
of Mercy be a special time when we feel the love and kindness of a forgiving Father and
also a time when we turn to our brothers and sisters with open and loving hearts.
May Almighty God, the Father of Mercy, and His most holy mother Mary, the Queen
of Mercy, be with you every day of the New Year.
Bishop’s Calendar
22 Parish calendars
25 ¡Buenas noticias!
ON THE COVER: Holy Cross pastor
Father Edward Patrick Lynch, CSsR,
displays banner celebrating 150 years
since the Redemptorist Fathers brought
to the Islands devotion to Our Lady of
Perpetual Help.
Please submit
news and digital photography for the
February 2016 issue of The Catholic
Islander by January 4, 2016. Submit to
[email protected].
Submit advertising to:
[email protected]
2
JAN. 17
Santo Niño (St. Croix celebration),
Holy Cross Church, 11 a.m.
JAN. 3
Feast of Epiphany,
Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral,
10:30 a.m.
JAN. 9
Vigil Mass, St. Anne Chapel, Carenage,
5 p.m.
JAN. 10
Santo Niño
(Baptism of the Lord),
Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral,
10:30 a.m.
JAN. 11
St. Mary’s School Mass,
Holy Cross Church, 8 a.m.
The Magazine of the
Roman Catholic Diocese
of St. Thomas in the
Virgin Islands
Father John Matthew Fewel
EDITOR
Most Reverend Herbert Bevard
PUBLISHER
Jenny Bis
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
The Catholic Islander / January 2016 / www.catholicvi.com
Sarah Jane von Haack
MANAGING EDITOR
JAN. 21
Pro-life Mass,
Shrine of the Basilica of the
Immaculate Conception, Washington,
D.C.
JAN. 22
March for Life, Washington, D.C.
JAN. 31
Mass, Our Lady of Perpetual Help,
9 a.m.
Mass, Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral,
10:30 a.m.
Charlotte Banks
Lillia King
ADVERTISING
Deacon Emith Fludd
CIRCULATION
Brother James Petrait, OSFS
WEBMASTER
Christine Joseph
Advantage Editing
PROOF READER
www.FAITHcatholic.com
Bishop Herbert A. Bevard, Bishop of St. Thomas,
and
The Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands
Present:
The Seventh Annual
Keys and Sword Award Benefit
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Marriott Frenchman’s Reef Hotel
Grand Harbor Ballroom
Sara Watlington-Connell
Alicia Smith-Douté
Bishop’s Champagne Reception | 6 p.m.
Dinner | 7 p.m.
Program with special entertainment and dancing
(Complimentary shuttle service from Havensight Mall and
Red Hook Ferry Dock to and from “The Reef ”)
Tickets and ad sponsorships are available from ticket sellers at each parish and all church
offices. Refer to your parish bulletin for ticket seller names.
3
THE DOOR OF MERCY
What is an indulgence, and what makes it valuable?
Why would I need one; and, is it even appropriate for
the Church to offer such a thing?
Didn’t the whole Protestant Revolt
happen because of indulgences and greed
and other unscriptural practices?
No, Jesus said very clearly: “If they
hate you they hated me first.” (Jn 15:18)
The reason for every split and division
against Holy Mother the Church, though
perhaps instigated by a lack or an abuse
4
perceived in the Church, always is aimed
soon enough at Jesus Christ our Lord
himself who is head of the Church. That
is why holy Mass remains today, as it has
for more than two thousand years, the
only way a Catholic in good standing and
well-disposed to receive the sacraments,
can receive the precious body and blood
of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who
separated, for any reason, have no part in,
nor do they desire these things that define
the one, true, Church: the priesthood,
seven sacraments (notably including
confession and absolution of sin), the
visible head and vicar of Christ, or, the
pope, and above all, holy Mass.
Part and parcel of her supreme
obligation and privilege as the one
true Church, she initiates, administers,
and dispenses, along with the seven
sacraments, many and various ways and
means for souls to obtain grace, mercy, to
grow in virtue, and to fortify themselves
The Catholic Islander / January 2016 / www.catholicvi.com
against sin and the evil one, in this life,
so that they may see Jesus eternally in
the next. Our Church has the authority
to make such binding and effective
arrangements for our eternal health and
welfare. This is because Jesus mandated
his first Apostles to do just this. (Matthew
16:19, 18:18) Today, the successor of Peter,
and all of the bishops in communion
with him, are the direct and authorized
sharers in the original Apostles’ direct
commissioning from Christ, and in their
specific work.
By obtaining the indulgence being
granted by Pope Francis in this Jubilee
Year of Mercy, one may obtain by God’s
unfathomable mercy freedom from
punishment, some or all, accrued and due
for sins committed in this life. This is the
refining fire of purgatory in which all of
those sins not unto death but nevertheless
offending our holy God are burned away
or “purged” by the merciful and just
judgement of Almighty God. (1 Jn 5:17, 1 Cor 3: 10-15)
When a mortal sin is forgiven in the
confessional, Sanctifying Grace, hence,
eternal life, is restored to the soul — yet the
days are long and the tempter never ceases
nor does he rest, as he and hordes of devils
strive to exploit the sinner’s remaining
attachment to the sins and temptations,
even of those sins already forgiven.
In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, seek and
obtain for yourself, a dead loved one,
or for the poor souls in purgatory, the
indulgence made available to us through
the Door of Mercy.
To learn about how to obtain this Jubilee
Year of Mercy indulgence, see page 19 in
this issue of The Catholic Islander.
From the Editor's Desk
By Father John Matthew Fewel
Local News
Visiting the prison: Missionaries of Charity and MOC associates visit Golden Grove prison weekly among their many apostolates. Father Fewel is
a monthly member of this group. On Tuesday, December 15 the group sang carols. Father spoke about the coming savior, the year of mercy, and they
distributed gifts to each of the men in the two cell blocks visited. Each name was called, and for those confined in cells, the gift of a bag of toiletries and a
bag of cookies and treats was brought to their cell. A wish of “Merry Christmas and the love of God to you,” was given to each. All are not Catholic, and
many, not Christian. But every heart was touched among those who received, and among those who gave, as well. As always, the staff and Correctional
Officers at Golden Grove were most kind and helpful.
Daughters of the
Holy Family arrive: Sister
Evelyn Tiokeng, DHFB, on
left, and Sister Elizabeth
Dzemfe, DHFB were officially
welcomed at Mass in the
Cathedral of Sts. Peter and
Paul on Nov. 8, by Msgr.
Jerome Feudjio. They join
Sister Joan and Sister Giselle
teaching at Ss. Peter and
Paul School, assistance in the
cathedral office, managing
the cathedral and chapel
sacristies, and countless
other contributions to the
cathedral parish and school.
They were accompanied to the
Virgin Islands by Sister Mary
Elizabeth, DHFB, superior
general of the Daughters of
the Holy Family of Baffousam.
The order’s motherhouse is in
Cameroon in central Africa.
Sister Joan
Sister Mary Elizabeth
Sister Giselle
5
Local News
Holy Family
40th
Anniversary
6
Visiting Father John Burger gave a parish
mission at Holy Family Church. On the 40th
anniversary of the parish. Father Scantlebury
was celebrant, with concelebrants Father
François, Father Burger, and priests of the
diocese. Bishop Bevard presided. Father
Burger was the homilist as well.
Catholic
Charities’
Food Drive
Please collect
the following
items at your
church, school
or workplace
and bring them
to Catholic
Charities:
▪ Powdered
milk, rice,
lentils and
beans
▪ Infant formula
and baby food
▪ Canned meat
and vegetables
7
School Spotlight
Annual St. Croix
Catholic schools’
Thanksgiving
Day Mass
St. Joseph Church,
Nov. 24
Students, teachers, and
administrators from the three
Catholic schools on St. Croix
assembled at St. Joseph Church at
Mt. Pleasant in Frederiksted for
Thanksgiving Mass at 9:30 a.m.
on Nov. 24. Father John Mark,
Father E. Patrick Lynch, C.Ss.R.,
Father Boniface Blanchard
Twaibu and Father Touchard
Tignoua Goula concelebrated.
Deacon Guillermo Huertas
assisted and students from
the three schools were altar
servers. Father John Mark was
the homilist and he conveyed
Bishop Herbert Bevard’s regret
at missing the Mass due to travel
complications.
1
2
Photos:
1. Students from the three
Crucian schools who filled
St. Joseph Church.
2. Students from St. Joseph High
School prepare for Mass.
3
3. (l-r) Father John Mark, Father
Boniface Blanchard Twaibu,
Deacon Guillermo Huertas,
Father E. Patrick Lynch, C.Ss.R.
and altar servers from the
three schools.
4. Members of the choir with
(l-r) Sister Lovena Reyes, choir
director; Mr. Shulterbrand,
keyboard player; and M. Bryson,
assistant choir director.
8
4
St. Croix
Catholic
education
honors and
high honors
recognition
Receiving high honors
for grades were:
Grade 12:
Jaina Warren
Grade 11:
Mhina Barry, One
Carrington, Djenne Green,
Xarquisha Somme and
Robyn Williams
Grade 10:
M'kaila Caines,
Amyah Estrill, Kadysha
Schoonmaker and
Taiesa Williams
Grade 9:
N'kayla Hughes and
Kayla Williams
Honor Roll
certificate recipients:
Grade 12: Utshana Barry,
Jeana Edney, Estelle Jules
and Jerome Philbert
Grade 11: Zyann Palixte,
Jahleem Edwards, Khaliah
Foster, Petra Hoover,
Zackaria Khaled, Omisha
Williams, Isabel Wilson and
Nyhne Daniel
Grade 10: Jacinta Mark,
Marilee Rinkevich and
D'nia Shillingford
Grade 9: Kezia Williams,
Leanne Williams and Osje
Wilson
Protection of Children : The Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands is committed to protecting children from all
harm. If you have knowledge of any church worker who may have abused a minor, please contact the diocesan child
protection coordinator, Callista Julien, at 340.778.0484 or 340.772.4214.
9
Catholic Charities
Andrea Shillingford,
director of Catholic
Charities of the
Virgin Islands
Catholic Charities
of the Virgin Islands
Dedicates New Food Kitchen
in Charlotte Amalie
10
The Catholic Islander / January 2016 / www.catholicvi.com
Msgr. Feudjio and
Dr. Alfred O. Heath in
front of the St. Martin
de Porres Outreach
Center on the day of
its dedication and
blessing by the
Most Reverend
Herbert A. Bevard.
Bishop Herbert
Bevard with
Msgr. Feudjio
and the staff
of the Virgin
Islands Housing
Finance
Authority
(V.I.H.F.A.).
Bishop Herbert Bevard prepares to cut the ribbon. Behind the bishop: Mrs. Andrea Schillingford, director of Catholic Charities of the Virgin
Islands, Miss Williams, director of V.I.H.F.A, Attorney Richard P. Bourne-Vanneck, Esq., Msgr. Feudjio and Miss Monique Dorset.
Bishop Herbert Bevard, Mrs. Ruby
Joseph, assistant director of C.C.V.I.,
Mr. Alvin Henley, Bethlehem House
manager, Mrs. Shillingford and
Miss Dorset.
11
Redemptorists who
served on St. Croix,
Father Mark Owen and
Brother Leonard Samuel.
150
YEARS
WITH THE REDEMPTORIST FATHERS
The Redemptorists' presence in the Virgin Islands started in earnest in 1858
when their superior general, at the behest of Pope Pius IX, sent American
Redemptorists to serve the Catholics of both St. Thomas and St. Croix.
The first Redemptorist superior, Father
Joseph Prost, arrived in Christiansted,
St. Croix, on March 4, 1858. Father Louis
Dold and Brother Henry Voss joined him
on May 19. However, on June 1, 1858,
Father Louis Dold was ordered to become
the pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish
on St. Thomas. So they were not able to
establish a formal community. Rather,
12
for the next 30 years, the Redemptorists
helped the local clergy — many of whom
were stricken with infectious diseases
so common to the tropics. In 1865, the
Belgian Redemptorists replaced the
American Redemptorists. After years of
struggle, Redemptorist communities were
established on St. Croix: in Frederiksted
(1891) and Christiansted (1897).
The Catholic Islander / January 2016 / www.catholicvi.com
The United States purchased the Virgin
Islands from Denmark on March 31,
1917, for $25 million. Because of that,
the American Redemptorists were again
given jurisdiction over the Virgin Islands
on Feb. 9, 1918. Three weeks later, the first
American Redemptorists arrived. Fathers
Joseph Kricker, Alfred Jones and John
Guillo went to Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in
C OV ER S TO RY BY
Father E. Patrick Lynch, C.S.s.R.
St. Thomas. Fathers George Englert, Joseph
Henrich and Andrew Schreck were greeted
at St. Patrick Parish in Frederiksted, while
Fathers Joseph Daily, Francis Clair and
Vincent Watson took possession of Holy
Cross Parish in Christiansted.
The Redemptorists were great supporters
of Catholic schools, especially in nonCatholic environments. When they first
arrived, they found two well-established
parish schools: St. Patrick School in
Frederiksted which dated back to 1866,
and St. Mary School in Christiansted,
which opened its doors on Oct. 4, 1915.
The Canonesses of St. Augustine (I.C.M.
Sisters) had arrived in 1914 from Belgium
and staffed both these schools for the
next 50 years. The Belgian nuns (“The
Mothers”) were gifted educators and are
well-remembered to this day.
In 1919, a convent and school were
established on the “Barrenspot Estate,” to
serve the children who were living in the
rural areas. St. Ann School in Barrenspot
closed its doors in 1964, but reopened
again from 1968 until 1970 to educate the
children of the down island immigrants
who were not permitted to be registered in
the public schools.
For many years, the Redemptorists were
the only priests serving Catholics in the
Virgin Islands. St. Ann, Barrenspot began
as an out-mission of Holy Cross Parish.
St. Joseph likewise was an out-mission of
St. Patrick Parish. Msgr. Michael Kosak
was ordained as the first diocesan priest in
1970 and took charge of St. Ann Parish.
Besides parish work, the Redemptorists
cared weekly for the leper hospital,
which was located in what is now Sacred
Heart Chapel, Christiansted. The island
in Christiansted Harbor, known as
the Protestant Cay, was used over the
years to quarantine the sick and control
immigration. The Redemptorist priests
served those populations as well.
From Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, the
Redemptorists established other parishes
and out-missions. In the days when
transportation was much more difficult,
especially for the poor, the Redemptorists
spent much time traveling. Over the years,
they founded St. Anne Parish, Frenchtown
(1922); Our Lady of Perpetual Help,
Mafolie (1926); Ss. Peter and Paul School
(1926); Ss. Peter and Paul High School
(1954); and Holy Family Parish (1969).
For many years, the Redemptorists
regularly said Mass on the islands of St.
John and Tortola. They established the
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in
1963 and the parish on Tortola in 1957.
The Virgin Islands became an Apostolic
Prelature in 1960 and its first bishop was
a Redemptorist: Bishop Edward Harper,
C.S.s.R. His episcopate lasted 25 years:
1960-1985.
In the recent past, there have been five
native Redemptorist priests from the
Virgin Islands. All are from St. Thomas:
Father Joseph Bertrand, Father Carlyle
Blake, Father Alfonse Olive, Father Jerome
Moody and Father Rodney Olive.
Over these 98 years, more than 200
Bishop Harper was with several other Redemptorist bishops
who came to Rome in October of 1962 to participate in the
opening session of the Second Vatican Council. It was taken
at the General House on December 6, 1962. His Excellency is
in the front row, second from left.
American Redemptorist priests and
brothers have served in the Diocese of the
Virgin Islands in Holy Cross, St. Patrick
and Ss. Peter and Paul. Some are buried in
the Redemptorist mausoleum in Charlotte
Amalie Cemetery. They often served in
very primitive situations among very
poor people. The Redemptorists were
founded by St. Alphonsus de Liguori to
preach the Gospel to the poorest and most
abandoned.
Many of those Redemptorists had a
great love for the people of the Virgin
Islands. They considered their apostolic
efforts a great privilege and a blessing to
themselves as well as to the people they
served. 2016 will be a sad year for them.
It is always hard to say goodbye to loved
ones. But in the Body of Christ we are only
a prayer away. We remember each other,
especially at the altar of the Lord.
But there is also a joy in leaving, because
of the many wonderful diocesan priests
of the Diocese of St. Thomas who are
taking charge. They are good shepherds.
Finally, Bishop Bevard has been very
kind and understanding in this time of
transition. He has been a good friend
of the Redemptorists for many years.
The Redemptorists are grateful. May
Our Lord continue to bless the work of
the Redemptorists and raise up men to
continue the work of evangelization and
spread the Good News of the plentiful
redemption found only in our lord and
savior, Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory —
now and forever!
Redemptorist founder,
St. Alphonsus Liguori,
C.S.s.R.
St. John Nepomucene
Neumann, C.S.s.R.
13
Journey of Faith
A LIFE OF PURPOSE
I
Simonia Dagou
n the small town of Cruz Bay, St. John, you’ll find a
busy working port and many tourist attractions, as
well as scenic vistas and friendly faces. The Catholic
Church in the town, Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
is no different, and if you go there you’ll be greeted by
the friendly smile of Simonia Dagou. Though her official
parish title is “administrative assistant,” Simonia does
myriad things — from preparing booklets and bulletins to
answering the phones, scheduling appointments, teaching
religious education, updating the website and lending a
helpful ear to parishioners — to keep Our Lady of Mount
Carmel and all the projects of the pastor, Father Anthony
Abraham, running smoothly.
“I’ve been a parishioner here all my life,” Simonia says.
“Working at the parish is great, you get to meet all kinds of
people and help them. I find that in the job, many people just
want to talk. I like being there for them, and being here, in my
church, every day.”
Raised on St. John as the fourth of Mary and Simon Athanase’s
seven children, Simonia grew up in a big Catholic family where
the faith was taught early. “My mother is a very religious person,
she is grounded in the faith ... she definitely was my biggest
influence,” Simonia says. Her parents are still on St. John.
14
The Catholic Islander / January 2016 / www.catholicvi.com
Though she loved the island, she, like many people, commuted
to St. Thomas for work, where she spent 16 years at the Virgin
Islands Daily News. In that time, she worked in nearly every
job in the News Department, working her way up to become
features editor. The job was exciting and interesting, and she
probably would have stayed there for many more years, were it
not for the need to spend more quality time with her husband
and children.
A freak accident in the early 2000s would change her whole
perspective on life. “I was a passenger in a taxi cab,” she says,
“and we were going around a turn when suddenly this large
flatbed truck was coming the other way. It had a bulldozer on it,
and the bulldozer wasn’t strapped down — as the truck turned
the corner, the bulldozer slid off the flatbed and came right
towards us. If my cab driver hadn’t seen it and reacted the way
he did, it surely would have been much worse.”
The taxi van swerved just at the right moment, still hitting
the bulldozer, but not head-on. The side of the van was badly
scraped and dented, glass was broken and Simonia had cuts on
her and glass all over her hair, face, hands and ear. She recalls
the terrifying incident, “Some guys helped me get out of the cab,
because I couldn’t open my door. I sat on the side of the road
shaking and crying — and then something hit me. I was alive.
The fact that I was alive meant something. I began thinking God
had spared my life for a reason, though I didn’t know what that
was. That incident changed me completely and led me to think
about what purpose God had for me.”
Though she was involved in the
“I FIND
Church, Simonia began to join
more activities and pray more. Her
T HAT I N T H E
spirituality deepened, and she felt
JOB, MANY
closer to God. The accident made
PEOPLE JUST
her re-evaluate her priorities, and
when Father Anthony contacted
WA N T T O
her in 2011 to see if she’d be willing
TA L K . I L I K E
to take the position as the parish
BEING THERE
administrative assistant, she prayed
about it and was in a good position
FOR THEM,
to give a joyful “Yes!”
AND BEING
Today, Simonia lives with her
HERE, IN MY
husband Lindon and their three
children — Linique, Liandra, and
CHURCH,
Li’Undray – on St. John. She no
E V E R Y D A Y.”
longer has to travel to St. Thomas
each day for work, which keeps
her more closely connected to her family and the St. John
community. She spends her days at Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
energetically helping other people in their journeys to grow
closer to God, and making sure all the tasks needed to run a
busy parish are done accurately and on time.
By Paul McAvoy
Thanksgiving
Msgr. Jerome Feudjio and Bishop Herbert Bevard welcomed
visiting Father Eugen Nkcadzedze (seated at the bishop’s
right). Bishop Herbert Bevard celebrated Holy Mass on
Thanksgiving, distributing blessed bread as families went
home to Thanksgiving dinners. Afterward, the bishop helped
serve Thanksgiving dinner at Catholic Charities' Bethlehem
House in Hospital Ground.
15
Profile
Most Rev. Edward J. Harper, C.Ss.R.
First bishop in residence of the
Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands
From the archives
of Bishop Edward J.
Harper, C.Ss.R.
16
Edward John Harper was born July 23, 1910, in
Brooklyn, N.Y., to John Edward and Josephine
(neé Realander) Harper. Their second child — a
sister Frances preceded him — Edward Harper
was baptized in Our Lady of Angels Parish at
74th Street and 4th Avenue. The family moved to
Our Lady of Help Parish, where he made his first
Communion. He was educated in the primary
grades nearby at P.S. 118 on 59th Street, though, as
a seminarian, the future bishop recalled, "From the
way we were harped at by our Catholic teachers,
you would think that 118 was a semi-Catholic, if
not a Catholic, school.”
The Catholic Islander / January 2016 / www.catholicvi.com
It was at OLPH that he was catechized by Sisters
of St. Joseph. Harper’s family again moved, this
time into St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, at 9th Street
and 4th Avenue, where he received the sacrament
of confirmation at the hands of Bishop Thomas
Molloy. He entered high school at Commercial (the
future Alexander Hamilton High School). After
graduation, he went to work at W. R. Grace. He had
entertained the idea of going to the Redemptorist
preparatory school at North East, but initially
“backed out.” This would change, however, for in his
daily grind and in night school, he found solace in
the idea of doing something exciting and, he said,
“I nursed the new urge within me.” His vocation to
the Redemptorists was renewed and he entered the
juvenate at North East (1928-1933), only to find that
his many years of toiling at bookkeeping, typing,
shorthand and commercial law were for naught.
Nevertheless, he persevered to matriculation and to
hear the words of Father John Harkins, then socius
at the school: “Anyone who serves six years here
deserves a diploma!”
Upon entering St. Mary’s College at Ilchester, Md.,
he began the regular course leading to his entrance
into the Redemptorists. His first profession was
made on Aug. 2, 1934, and his final profession was
made on Sept. 2, 1937. He completed the theological
course at Mount St. Alphonsus in Esopus, N.Y., in
1940, and was ordained there by Bishop Stephen
Donahue of the Archdiocese of New York, June 18,
1939. His second novitiate was spent in Annapolis,
Md., at St. Mary’s Church, 1940-1941.
Beginning in 1941, he undertook mission work
at La Candeleria, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and
was based there until 1946. For several months
at the beginning of his ministry, he went around
the territory on horseback, calling the people to
Mass by means of large rocket flares and building
chapels for them brick by brick. In October 1946,
he was among the first American priests to work
in Santo Domingo. From November 1946 to 1950,
he was rector of the community at Las Matas de
Farfan, Dominican Republic, having taken over the
mission — a territory of about 2,400 square miles
with 56,000 souls – from Spanish Capuchins. Here,
too, Harper traveled extensively in the back country,
often erecting a simple “bohio,” or small hut, from
palm fronds for his “rectory.” Before leaving for his
new assignment, he poured the concrete for what
became a permanent rectory. He returned to La
Candeleria and served as rector from 1950 to 1956.
There, he founded the Legion of Mary and built a
new high school for 400 pupils. Between 1956 and
1960, he was the vice provincial superior of the Vice
Province of San Juan, which encompassed Puerto
Rico, the Dominican Republic and the Virgin
Islands. In San Juan, he also served as the diocesan
vicar for religious and the director of vocations.
On July 23, 1960, on his 50th birthday, Harper
accepted the prelature nullius of the Virgin Islands
and accordingly was named Titular Bishop of
Heraclea Pontica. His episcopal motto: “Emitte
Spiritum Tuum,” which is translated as “Send Forth
Your Spirit.” He was consecrated a bishop in Our
Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Brooklyn, N.Y.,
Oct. 6, 1960, as the first residential bishop in the
United States Virgin Islands. Brooklyn’s Bishop
Bryan McEntagert was the principal consecrator
and Harper’s two brother Redemptorist bishops,
McCarty and McManus, were co-consecrators.
He took possession of the prelature October
18, 1960, at the installation Mass celebrated in the
presence of Archbishop James Davis of San Juan in
the church of Ss. Peter and Paul in the capital on St.
Thomas, V.I., Charlotte Amalie. Among Harper’s
episcopal duties was to serve as the secretary of the
Bishops’ Conference of Puerto Rico, as well as the
president of the Commission on the Inter-diocesan
Seminary of Puerto Rico. As a newly elected bishop,
he participated in all of the sessions of the Second
Vatican Council. In 1965, the Virgin Islands was
separated from the Province of Puerto Rico and
attached to the Province of Washington, D.C., which
counted it as its first suffragan see. Bishop Harper’s
prelature was raised to the dignity of a diocese and
was renamed the Diocese of St. Thomas in April
1977. He was installed as its first residential bishop
Sept. 18, 1977, in the Cathedral of Ss. Peter and Paul,
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. His Eminence William
Cardinal Baum, in the presence of the apostolic
delegate, Archbishop Jean Jadot, performed the
installation.
After celebrating his silver jubilee in the
episcopate, Bishop Harper became the ordinary
emeritus on Oct. 15, 1985, but continued to serve
as diocesan vicar general until August 1989, when
he returned to the United States for medical
treatment. Owing to Hurricane Hugo, which did
severe damage to his home in the Virgin Islands, he
remained in the United States, taking up residence
at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Rectory in Brooklyn.
He stayed there until Sept. 3, 1989, whereupon
he moved to the St. John Neumann Residence in
Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Bishop Harper died there
Dec. 2, 1990. His body was taken back to the Virgin
Islands and a Mass was celebrated in the cathedral
on Dec. 10. Bishop Harper’s mortal remains were
then transferred back to Brooklyn, where a funeral
Mass was celebrated on Dec. 12 in the Basilica
of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. His body was
then taken for burial in Mount Saint Alphonsus
Cemetery in Esopus, N.Y.
The prelature of the Virgin Islands grew under
Bishop Harper’s tenure. He established the Knights of
Columbus and Catholic Daughters of the Americas,
built St. Joseph’s High School and founded the Light
of Christ Retreat Center in St. Croix. He established
four parishes and missions. Among his contributions
to the social apostolate, he was most notably the
originator of the Catholic Social Action Program
— later transformed into the Christian Community
Consciousness Center — and formally launched
the permanent diaconate in 1981. By 1984, he had
ordained the first 17 deacons for the diocese.
Bishop Harper was among the consecrators of
Bishop (later Cardinal) Seán O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap.,
who served as Harper’s coadjutor until he succeeded
to the See of St. Thomas upon Harper’s retirement.
At Bishop Harper’s funeral, whose sermon he
preached, O’Malley noted that the late bishop was
both a friend and a mentor.
“... He found
solace in the
idea of doing
something
exciting and,
he said, ‘I
nursed the
new urge
within me.’ ”
17
An angel comforting Jesus
before his arrest in the
Garden of Gethsemane,
Carl Heinrich Bloch, 1873.
Continuing the Christmas season
Reflection
By Father Kevin
MacDonald, C.S.s.R.
"His life,
death and
destiny w ith
God the father
in heaven is
the focus of
our lives."
18
I recently had a birthday. No, I am not going to tell
you which one, but it got my attention. OK, I’ll tell
you. I’m a year away from 60. I’m not at the end (I
hope), but I am certainly not at the beginning either.
I bring this up because we are in the octave, or the
time of rejoicing during eight weeks, after the birth
of Christ the redeemer. Even though we know that
Christ has already been born into our world, we
celebrate His birth each year with increasing joy. His
life, death and destiny with God the father in heaven
is the focus of our lives. We have been born into this
world to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him and
to be with Him forever in world to come.
The key word is focus. Focus takes discipline.
Discipline is the root of the word “discipleship.” We
spend most of our lives trying to figure our lives out:
Am I to get married? Who should I marry? How big
of a family should we have? What kind of work best
suits me? What do I really believe? Does God know
me? Do I know God? And so on. We try to figure it
The Catholic Islander / January 2016 / www.catholicvi.com
out as best we can, but we are not alone. We have the
boundaries and parameters that have been passed on
to us by the Church. These are more than rules and
regulations, dos and don’ts. They are a tried and true
pathway to follow that leads to a fuller life in God.
Learning the meaning of our lives is the first stage of
discipleship.
The second stage of life in Christ is the movement
out of our natural selfishness into a wider embrace
that encompasses all of God’s creation. Of course,
the pinnacle of God’s creation is humanity. We are
born in God’s image and likeness. If this is correct,
and it is, then we give ourselves away to imitate our
savior, Jesus Christ. He gave Himself totally to the
Father in love, service and prayer. The night before
He died, He was terrified. St. Luke says that Jesus
was so scared He “sweated blood.” (LUKE 22:44) But
He did not run from suffering. He embraced the
cross. So, if we embrace the cross in our lives, be
it emotional suffering, physical hardship, spiritual
heartache or just watching the news and seeing how
much suffering there is in the world, then we are well
on our way to the third and final level of discipleship:
giving ourselves away in death.
Death will be our most difficult challenge. If
we give of ourselves as fully as we can in the years
leading up to death, then our final passage will
probably be that much easier. We will have learned
to give ourselves away. But if we hold on to our lives,
grasp them and do not let them go, if we deny others
free access, then we will be in danger of losing them.
We will have missed the mark and failed to find our
lives in Christ.
St. Alphonsus, the founder of the Redemptorists,
liked to say, “As long as there is breath, there’s hope.”
Christ is not done with us yet. Whether we are a
year shy of 60 or somewhere north or south of that
line, it makes no difference. Saints are made at God’s
choosing and timing. Christ’s birth has opened up a
world of possibilities. When we can incorporate the
following of rules with the more liberal extension of
love that extends to the whole world, then we will
have moved well down the pathway of Christ, and
we will find ourselves well prepared for the final
hurdle of death.
Father Kevin MacDonald, C.S.s.R. is a Redemptorist priest,
missionary preacher, evangelist and retreat master. He visits
the Caribbean, the U.S. mainland and overseas in his work.
To contact Father Kevin, call Sacred Heart Church in New
Smyrna Beach, Fla., 386.428.6426.
Year of Mercy
Jubilee Year of Mercy Indulgences
L
ike all previous Jubilees, the Jubilee Year of Mercy features a
very special plenary indulgence (the complete remission of
all temporal punishment due to sin).
“I wish that the Jubilee Indulgence may reach each one
as a genuine experience of God's mercy, which comes to
meet each person in the Face of the Father who welcomes
and forgives, forgetting completely the sin committed.”
-Pope Francis, Letter to Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Sept. 1, 2015.
There have been many Jubilee Years — 26 ordinary Jubilees and three
extraordinary —and each has featured a special plenary indulgence.
This time around, Pope Francis is seeking to make the indulgence as widely
available as possible. In the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, a Holy Door is
to be opened in every cathedral around the world, as well as in particular shrines,
such as the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts,
where large numbers of pilgrims come to honor the mercy of God.
Even though we can only obtain one plenary indulgence a day, if you perform
the required actions for other plenary indulgences on the same day, you can still
obtain multiple partial indulgences.
To receive the Jubilee Year indulgence, you must fulfill the usual conditions,
(specified below) and perform the indulgenced act: passing through a designated
Holy Door during the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy (between Dec. 8, 2015,
the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and Nov. 20, 2016, the Solemnity
of Christ the King) or performing one of the corporal or spiritual works of mercy.
As for the sick and the elderly, the Holy Father says, "For them it will be of
great help to live their sickness and suffering as an experience of closeness to
the Lord who in the mystery of his Passion, death and Resurrection indicates
the royal road which gives meaning to pain and loneliness. Living with faith and
joyful hope this moment of trial, receiving communion or attending Holy Mass
and community prayer, even through
the various means of communication,
will be for them the means of
obtaining the Jubilee Indulgence."
For the imprisoned, the Holy Father
says, "They may obtain the Indulgence
in the chapels of the prisons. May
the gesture of directing their thought
and prayer to the Father each time
they cross the threshold of their cell
signify for them their passage through
the Holy Door, because the mercy of
God is able to transform hearts, and
is also able to transform bars into an
experience of freedom."
You may receive the plenary
indulgence yourself, or offer it for a
person in purgatory.
To receive a plenary indulgence
To refresh everyone's memories, here
are the normal conditions for receiving a
plenary indulgence:
• It is necessary that the faithful be in
the state of grace at least at the time the
indulgenced work is completed.
• A plenary indulgence can be gained
only once a day. In order to obtain it, the
faithful must, in addition to being in the
state of grace:
- Have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin,
even venial sin;
- Have sacramentally confessed their sins;
- Receive the Holy Eucharist (it
is certainly better to receive it
while participating in Holy Mass,
but for the indulgence only Holy
Communion is required); and
- Pray for the intentions of the
Supreme Pontiff.
• It is appropriate, but not necessary,
that the sacramental Confession and
especially Holy Communion and the
prayer for the Pope’s intentions take place
on the same day that the indulgenced
work is performed; but it is sufficient
that these sacred rites and prayers be
carried out within several days (about
20) before or after the indulgenced act.
Prayer for the Pope’s intentions is left
to the choice of the faithful, but an Our
Father and a Hail Mary are suggested.
One sacramental Confession suffices
for several plenary indulgences, but a
separate Holy Communion and a separate
prayer for the Holy Father’s intentions are
required for each plenary indulgence.
• For the sake of those legitimately
impeded, confessors can commute both
the work prescribed and the conditions
required (except, obviously, detachment
from even venial sin).
• Indulgences can always be applied either
to oneself or to the souls of the deceased,
but they cannot be applied to other
persons living on earth.
- Adapted from the decree on the plenary indulgence
for the 2000 Jubilee Year.
19
WE ARE THE DOERS OF THE WORD
PREACHING WITH OUR LIVES.
"Behold, I am making
all things new."
Rev. 21.5
"With God, all things
are possible."
Luke 1:37
Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary,
Archdiocese of New York
CH ARISM:
Social Justice and
Pastoral Care
•A
n African American Franciscan Order Founded in Savannah,
Georgia, USA, in 1916.
•R
ejuvenating and Transforming into a Missionary Community
throughout the USA, the Caribbean and Africa.
Call, Come and See!!!!
347-994-4564 or 212-289-5655
Open House in June.
Date to follow.
"THE UPL IFT OF HUMAN DIGNITY"
20
The Catholic Islander / January 2016 / www.catholicvi.com
[email protected]
www.passionforsocialjustice.com
Order of Malta
Virgin Islands Area
The Order of Malta is raising
funds for Bishop Herbert Bevard’s
Catholic Scholarship Program
through the sale of commemorative
bricks. The bricks will be installed
in the Rosary Garden at Our Lady
Of Perpetual Help Church.
This is a great way to remember a
loved one or express gratitude to
God for answering a prayer.
Your message will last forever.
Call 774.2166 for information
21
St. Thomas Calendar
Magnificat
Magnificat, an international ministry to
Catholic women, meets at Ss. Peter and
Paul Cathedral’s Hospitality Lounge on
the first Saturday of every month at 8 a.m.
Men’s Prayer Group
The Sons of Joseph and Mary meet at
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on
Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.
Bishop Bevard speaks to SPPS
student body on the Feast of the
Immaculate Conception. Father
Bruce Anderson concelebrated
with the bishop.
Recitation of the Rosary
Intention of sick parishioners at OLPH
and the Order of Malta maladies. Second
Wednesday of each month at 5:45 p.m.
(followed by Mass) at Our Lady of
Perpetual Help Church in the Order of
Malta Rosary Garden. Everyone is invited
to attend.
Legion of Mary
Presidium Mary, Mystical Rose, meets in
Holy Family Church’s classroom, Sundays
at 4 p.m.
Catholic Charities of the VI
Catholic Charities serves the needy —
through our shelter, soup kitchen and
outreach programs — with help from the
community. There is an ongoing need
for financial support. Please contact us
at 340.777.8518 or [email protected]
to explore the many ways you can help.
Thank you.
Catholic Daughters of America
Court 2049 meets at Ss. Peter and Paul
Cathedral’s Hospitality Lounge on the
third Saturday of every month at 3 p.m.
Charismatic Prayer
▶ Prayers in Spanish are offered at Ss.
Peter and Paul Cathedral’s Hospitality
Lounge on Mondays at 6 p.m.
▶ Holy Family Church holds evenings of
charismatic prayer on Mondays at 7 p.m.
Divine Mercy Chaplet
▶ Altar servers from Ss. Peter and Paul
Cathedral and Our Lady of Perpetual
Help Church lead the Divine Mercy
22
Pro-life
Chaplet at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral
on Mondays at 3 p.m.
▶ The chaplet is prayed at Our Lady of
Perpetual Help Church on Tuesdays at
3 p.m.
Holy Hours/Eucharistic Adoration
▶ Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church has
Exposition on Tuesdays from 7:30 a.m.
until Benediction at 6 p.m. and on Fridays
at 6 p.m., followed by Mass at 7 p.m.
▶ Holy Family Church and St. Anne
Chapel have Holy Hours with
Exposition and Benediction on Fridays
at 6 p.m., followed by Mass at 7 p.m.
Intercessory Prayer Group
A team is prepared to pray for the needs
of all who ask at Holy Family Church on
Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
Pro-life Rosary
Pray a pro-life rosary at Our Lady of
Perpetual Help Church on Wednesdays at
5:45 p.m.
Legion of Mary
▶P
residium Mary, Morning Star, meets
at Our Lady of Perpetual Help every
Friday at 8 p.m. in the conference
room. For more information about the
Legion of Mary, call the church office at
340.774.0885.
▶ Presidium María, Arca de la Alianza,
holds meetings in Spanish at Ss. Peter
and Paul Cathedral’s Hospitality Lounge
on Sundays at 2 p.m.
▶ Presidium Mary, Mediatrix of All
Graces, meets in the St. Anne Chapel
Hall on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.
The Catholic Islander / January 2016 / www.catholicvi.com
Bound 4 Life USVI, the diocesan pro-life
group, meets at Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Church every other week. There is also a prolife Holy Hour and Mass at 6 p.m. on the first
Friday of the month. For more information,
visit Facebook.com/bound4lifeUSVI or call
the OLPH Church office at 340.774.0885.
Our Lady of Fatima Devotion
The Children of Mary lead a devotion to Our
Lady of Fatima at Holy Family Church on
the first Saturday of every month at 4 p.m.
Rosary Walk
Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral hosts a rosary
walk on the first Saturday of every month
at 7 a.m., followed by Mass at 7:30 a.m.
St. Joseph Workers
The St. Joseph Workers meet at Holy
Family Church’s Columban Hall on the
second Sunday of every month at 9:30 a.m.
St. Vincent de Paul Society
The Young Vincentians meet on the third
Sunday of every month at 11:30 a.m. The
adult members meet on the fourth Saturday
of every month at 3:30 p.m. Both groups
meet in Holy Family Church’s classroom.
World Apostolate of Fatima
The World Apostolate of Fatima meets at
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on
Thursdays at 7:30 a.m.
Our Mother of
Perpetual Help Devotions
Devotions to Our Mother of Perpetual
Help are prayed before Mass on
Wednesdays at:
▶ Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral at 6:45 a.m. and noon.
▶ Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church at 6:15 p.m.
▶ Holy Family Church at 6:50 p.m.
▶ St. Anne Chapel at 7 p.m.
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23
St. Croix Calendar
Rosary Prayer Group
Cenacle of Our Lady of the Rosary Prayer
Group meets at the Franciscan House
every Wednesday at 10 a.m.
Adult education
The St. Patrick Alumni Association offers
an After School Tutorial Program, which
is coordinated by Sister Claina Letang,
ICM. They are now also operating as a
Public Computer Center, which is part
of the ViNGN Digital Literacy Program.
It is open to the public during scheduled
mornings to mid-day.
Bible Study
Holy Cross Church hosts Bible studies in
McAlpin Hall on Wednesdays and Saturdays
at 9 a.m., following morning Mass.
Carmelite Spirituality
The Our Lady Star of the Sea Community
shares Carmelite spirituality in the St.
Joseph Church Hospitality Lounge and
Learning Center on the fourth Sunday of
each month at 1 p.m.
Charismatic Prayer
▶ St. Patrick Church has charismatic
prayer in the chapel on the third Friday
of each month at 6 p.m.
▶ St. Ann Church has charismatic prayer
in Marian Hall on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
Cursillo Prayer Group
The Our Lady of the Angels fraternity of the
Third Order of St. Francis shares Franciscan
spirituality at Franciscan House on the
fourth Sunday of each month at 3 p.m.
Rosary Prayer Group
Cenacle of Our Lady of the Rosary Prayer
Group meets at the Franciscan House
every Tuesday at 5 p.m.
Holy Hours/
Eucharistic Adoration
▶ Holy Cross Church has Eucharistic
Adoration every Friday following
the 8:15 a.m. Mass until 1 p.m. That
includes a Holy Hour on the first Friday
of each month.
▶ Holy Cross Church has Eucharistic
Adoration with confession from 11 a.m.
to 1 p.m. every Friday.
▶ St. Patrick Church has a Holy Hour
with Exposition and Benediction on
Fridays after the 8 a.m. Mass.
▶ St. Patrick Church has a full day of
Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays.
▶ St. Ann Church has a Holy Hour with
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament,
evening prayer and Benediction every
Friday at 5:30 p.m., except first Friday,
when Mass is celebrated at 5:30 p.m.
▶ St. Joseph Church has a full day of
Eucharistic Adoration every Tuesday
beginning with Holy Mass at 6:30 a.m. and
concluding with Benediction at 6 p.m.
The Cursillo movement hosts a Spanish
prayer meeting in the St. Michael Chapel
at St. Joseph Church on the last Monday
of every month at 7 p.m.
Knights of Columbus
Pray a devotion to St. Gerard Majella at
Holy Cross Church on Tuesdays at 8:45 a.m.
St. Patrick Youth Ministry
Devotions to St. Gerard Majella
Cursillo Ultreya
Cursillo members meet for Ultreya in the
Cursillo office at St. Joseph Church on
Thursdays after the 7 p.m. Mass. Meetings
are in Spanish.
Divine Mercy Chaplet
St. Joseph Church hosts Divine Mercy
devotions on the fourth Sunday of each
month at 3 p.m. The hour-long program
includes the chaplet, prayers, adoration
and teachings of the Divine Mercy by
Father John Mark.
24
Franciscan Spirituality
Holy Cross Council 6482 meets at Holy
Cross Church’s McAlpin Hall on the first and
third Thursday of every month at 6 p.m.
Come be with us and enjoy a variety of
exciting activities as St. Patrick parents
and youths mix work and play to spread
the Gospel message on St. Croix. For
more information, contact Father
Boniface Blanchard at 340.772.0138.
Retired and living on St. Croix,
Msgr. Michael Kosak was the first
diocesan priest ordained for the Virgin
Islands diocese of St. Thomas.
Our Mother of
Perpetual Help devotions
Devotions to Our Mother of Perpetual
Help are prayed at:
▶ St. Patrick Church on Wednesdays at
6:30 a.m. and 8 a.m.
▶ Holy Cross Church on Wednesdays and
Saturdays at 8:45 a.m.
▶ St. Joseph Church on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.
Rosary for the unborn
St. Joseph Church hosts a bilingual
English/Spanish rosary for the unborn on
Fridays at 6 p.m.
Santo Niño
St. Joseph Church hosts devotions to the
Santo Niño (the Holy Child Jesus) on the
first Saturday of every month at 4:30 p.m.
The sacrament of reconciliation is offered
during this time.
Shepherds of Christ Associates
The Shepherds of Christ Associates meet
for prayer in the St. Michael Chapel of
St. Joseph Church on Wednesdays at
7:30 p.m. and on the second and fourth
Sunday of every month at 5 p.m.
Spanish Prayer and Reflection
Magnificat
Magnificat, an international ministry to
Catholic women, meets at Franciscan House
on the third Sunday of each month at 3 p.m.
Pray the rosary and share reflections on
the readings of the coming Sunday Mass at
Holy Cross Church on alternate Tuesdays
at 7 p.m. Meetings are in Spanish.
Neo-catechumenal Way
World Apostolate of Fatima
The Neo-catechumenal Way leads a
celebration of the word at St. Joseph Church
on Mondays and Thursdays at 7 p.m.
The Catholic Islander / January 2016 / www.catholicvi.com
The World Apostolate of Fatima meets
in the chapel at Holy Cross Church on
Tuesdays at 5 p.m.
St. John Calendar
¡Buenas Noticias!
All-night Vigil
Our Lady of Mount Carmel holds an
all-night vigil on the first Friday of each
month after the 7 p.m. Mass.
Charismatic Prayer
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
hosts an evening of charismatic prayer
on Thursdays at 7 p.m.
Eucharistic Adoration
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church has
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
and Benediction on Thursdays from
7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Free Meals
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church’s
Kallaloo Kitchen: Food for the
Soul feeds the needy in the parish’s
Guadalupe Hall on Mondays and
Fridays at noon. Volunteers are
welcomed.
Legion of Mary
Presidium Mary, Queen of Angels,
meets in the Guadalupe Hall of Our
Lady of Mount Carmel Church on
Tuesdays at 6 p.m. Presidium Mary,
Mystical Rose, meets in Holy Family
Church’s classroom, Sundays at 4 p.m.
Men’s Fellowship
Men’s Fellowship meets the first and
third Sunday of each month.
Spanish Mass
Our Lady of Mount Carmel has Spanish
Mass at 6 p.m. Sundays.
Sunday Mass in Coral Bay
Mass is celebrated each Sunday at
12:30 p.m. at the John’s Folly Learning
Center in Coral Bay. For questions or
transportation, call the church office at
776.6339.
Visit the website
of the Diocese of
St. Thomas in the
Virgin Islands at
www.catholicvi.com
Catholic Charismatic Renewal St. Thomas-St. John conference in October at Holy Family's Columban
Hall. Father Trevor Nathasingh of Trinidad and Father Elveau Augustine of Dominica spoke.
Eventos Mensuales
ORACIÓN CARISMÁTICA
Las oraciones en español
se ofrecen en el Salón de
Hospitalidad de la Catedral de
San Pedro y san Pablo los lunes a las 6 p.m.
LA ULTREYA
Los jueves después de la misa de
las 7 p.m. los cursillistas tienen su
Ultreta. Las reunions en el trailer,
en la oficina del Movimiento de
Cursillos, y son en español.
LEGIÓN DE MARÍA
El presidium hispano María, Arca
de la Alianza se reúne en el Salón
de Hospitalidad de la Catedral
de San Pedro y San Pablo los
domingos a las 2 p.m.
NUEVA MISA EN ESPAÑOL
La iglesia Nuestra Señora del
Carmen de la isla de Saint John
está ofreciendo una misa en
español todos los domingos a las
6 p.m. El celebrante oficial es el
padre Eduardo Ortiz Santiago,
párroco de la comunidad hispana
de la catedral.
ORACIÓN Y REFLEXIÓN
Se reza el Santo Rosario y se
comparten las reflexiones de las
lecturas del domingo siguiente,
en la iglesia de Holy Cross los
martes alternados a las 7 p.m.
Las reuniones son en español.
ROSARIO POR LOS NO NACIDOS
La iglesia de San José invita a los
rosarios bilingües en español e
inglés por los no nacidos todos
los viernes a la 6 p.m.
SANTO NIÑO
En la iglesia de San José se rezan
las devociones del Santo Niño (el
Santo Niño Jesús) los primeros
sábados de cada mes a las 4:30
p.m. Durante este tiempo se
ofrecen confesiones.
25
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