EXCLUSIVE NEWS INSIDE *New School Principal THE CATHOLIC *The Cathedral’s Patronal Feast *Mt. Carmel Lays Cornerstone *Wife of Deacon Mourned *Deacons Celebrate 20 Years ISLANDER *Politicians and Communion *Bishops on Gay Marriages VOL. 20, NO. 8 AUGUST 2004 *Listings of Coming Events A PUBLICATION OF THE DIOCESE OF ST. THOMAS IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ST. PATRICK CHURCH ON ST. CROIX SPONSORS THE SUNFLOWER SUMMER SPLASH FUN CAMP St. Patrick Church on St. Croix enrolled 120 children in On Sunday, August 1, the children will present a program ages 6-13 for its Sunflower Summer Splash Fun Camp, which will include a display of their arts and crafts. which this year ran from June 21 to July 30. Also on the program for August 1, the children will The camp, now in its fifth year, was coordinated by demonstrate quadrille and maypole dancing. Elizabeth Jacob, Prisca Aurelien and Alma Rivera, along with a staff of fifteen. Notes from the Bishop’s Desk The Most Reverend George V. Murry, SJ Bishop of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS RESIGNS David Corey resigned after serving two years as Superintendent of Catholic Schools. He and his wife have relocated to the states. “I thank Mr. Corey for his work and wish him well in whatever venture he decides to pursue next,” Bishop George Murry, SJ, told The Catholic Islander. SPECIAL ASSISTANT IN CATHOLIC EDUCATION APPOINTED Bishop George Murry, SJ, has appointed Dr. Susan NEW PRINCIPAL FOR Diverio to the new position of Special Assistant to the Bishop for Catholic Education. ST. JOSEPH HIGH SCHOOL As a liaison to all four Catholic schools in the Bishop George V. Murry, SJ, has announced the diocese, Dr. Diverio’s primary tasks will be the appointment of Fr. William Montgomery as principal of following. St. Joseph High School on St. Croix for the school year 1. Prepare a feasibility study for the application of 2004-2005. the Christo Rey program in our secondary schools. Fr. Montgomery is a priest of the Archdiocese of Christo Rey is a model utilized in some Jesuit schools. Washington and has a Ph.D. in Latin American History Students attend classes for an extended day four days a as well as Masters degrees in Theology and American Social and Religious History. He has served as an week in a college preparatory curriculum, and then associate pastor, high school teacher, university spend one day a week working in a profession, such as professor and campus minister in the Washington, D.C. law, medicine, engineering, or education. The students area. then formally study the discipline in college or graduate Fr. Montgomery was selected in 2004 and several school. times before as Teacher of the Year by the students at 2. Develop retreat programs for students, faculties Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington. and parents. “I have known Fr. Montgomery for more than ten 3. Develop service programs for students at our years. He has a wealth of experience in Catholic Catholic schools, such as visits to homes for the elderly, education. I am very happy that he will be principal for tutoring, and assisting with Catholic Charities. the 2004-2005 school year,” Bishop George Murry, SJ., Dr. Diverio will continue to reside on St. Croix, told The Catholic Islander. where she served as principal of St. Mary School from Fr. Montgomery, in addition, has offered to 1997 to 2001 and of St. Joseph High School from 2001 celebrate Masses for the community at St. Joseph Church. to 2004. BISHOP MURRY’S ITINERARY FOR AUGUST 2004 August 1-15 Vacation August 21 6:00 p.m. Mass Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral St. Thomas August 22 10:00 a.m. Mass St. Joseph Church St. Croix August 28 6:30 p.m. Mass Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church St. Thomas August 29 10:00 a.m Mass St. Patrick Church St. Croix THE CATHOLIC ISLANDER * AUGUST 2004 * 2 WIFE OF DEACON MOURNED Msgr. Michael Kosak celebrated the funeral Mass for Roslyn Charles, wife of Deacon Neville Charles, at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix on July 23. Numerous priests concelebrated the Mass, and many deacons and their wives were in attendance. Ms. Charles passed away in a Seattle hospital on July 13 after a CATHEDRAL’S PATRONAL FEAST lengthy struggle with sickness. CELEBRATED WITH CONCERT The patronal feast of Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas was CASSI HILL celebrated on June 27 with a concert featuring members of the Cathedral’s PROCESSION Senior Choir, the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Choir and the Cathedral’s 6:30 a.m. Door Choir. PLANNED Sara Connell directed the choirs with Prof. Austin Venzen and In honor of the feast of the accompanist Gwynneth Moolenaar. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15, Holy Family CORNERSTONE SET ON FEAST OF Church on St. Thomas will offer a OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL triduum on “The Life of Mary” from Wednesday, August 11, to Friday, August 13 at 7:30 p.m. The annual procession to the Our Lady of Cassi Hill Shrine will be on Sunday, August 15. This year, the devotees will gather outside the church at 7:00 p.m. and march in a candlelight procession around the church. This will be followed by Mass, benediction and a reception. A tradition since 1947, participants in the procession will The cornerstone was set at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on its patronal feast, pray for peace in the world and for July 16. A stone wall will be built above it. Pictured left to right are Fr. Charles Crespo, Pastor, and workers Gabriel Hyacinthe and Bernard Lascaris. the Blessed Virgin Mary’s intercession against hurricanes. ================================================================================= The Catholic Islander is published monthly by the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. The Catholic Islander is written, edited and printed solely in the U.S. Virgin Islands. P.O. Box 301825, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, 00803-1825 http://www.catholicislander.com Telephone: (340) 776-6339 Fax: (340) 693-7685 E-mail: [email protected] Publisher The Most Reverend George V. Murry, SJ Editor-in-Chief Fr. Charles Crespo Contributing Editor Bernetia Akin Copy Editor Madeleine Anduze Staff Photographers Faye Abdullah-Boschulte Webmaster Br. James Petrait, OSFS Circulation Deacon Emith Fludd THE CATHOLIC ISLANDER * AUGUST 2004 * 3 CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION Deacons Raymond Leonce and Guillermo Huertas led the procession with Fr. Cecil Corneille carrying the Eucharist at the annual Corpus Christi procession on the grounds of St. Joseph Church on St. Croix on June 13. FATHERS DAY CELEBRATIONS Men came forward for their Fathers Day blessing at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on St. John (left) and Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas (below) on June 20. With the help of the Catholic Daughters of America, the 6:30 a.m. Door Choir and the youth ministry, the Cathedral also hosted a Fathers Day breakfast next door at Ss. Peter and Paul School after each Sunday Mass. THE CATHOLIC ISLANDER * AUGUST 2004 * 4 STX PRIEST LEADS HONORING PARISH BENEFACTORS EUROPEAN PILGRIMAGE Fr. Pat Lynch, Pastor of Holy Cross Church on St. Croix, hosted a religious community of nuns on a pilgrimage to Poland and Prague. Some of the highlights of the pilgrimage included visits to the Our Lady of Czestochowa shrine, the Divine Mercy shrine, the tomb of St. Mary Faustina Kowalska and the shrine of the Infant of Prague. A The honorees at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church Second Annual Honors highlight of the trip for Fr. Lynch Luncheon at the Westin Resort on June 27 were (left to right) Rev. Hugh Chapman was the opportunity to celebrate of St. Ursula Episcopal Church, Starfish Markets, represented by Lenyse Shomo, Mass over the tomb of St. Clement and parishioners Benedict Regis, Rodney Varlack and Robert Nose. Mary Hoffbauer, CSsR. DOMINICANS CELEBRATE JULY 4 GOOD SHEPHERD SPIRITUALITY The Sisters of the Good Shepherd sponsored an evening of reflection for friends and volunteers at the Good Shepherd Center on St. Croix on June 8. The gathering reflected on passages which described Good Shepherd spirituality and the spiritual path presented in the Good Shepherd parable and then shared personal The Dominica Association of St. Thomas sang in creole during Sunday Mass at reflections. The evening concluded Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on St. John on July 4. with the singing of Psalm 23. June 8 was the feast day of Blessed Maria Droste, a Sister of the OLMC HAS A PRINCESS Good Shepherd who had a deep devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Christ appeared to her and made known his desire that the Pope consecrate the whole universe to his Sacred Heart. She wrote to the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIII, telling him of the Lord’s desire and asking him to consecrate the whole world to the Sacred Heart. The Pope acceded to her request in l899. Shortly after re- ceiving a personal copy of the Pope’s encyclical, Blessed Maria died in 1899 at the age of thirty-six as the first Vespers of the feast of the Sacred Heart were being sung. She was declared blessed in l975. Kierra Krigger, a parishioner of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on St. John, was named St. John Princess 2004 and rode in one of the first cars of the Carnival Parade on July 4. THE CATHOLIC ISLANDER * AUGUST 2004 * 5 MARRIAGE PREPARATION NEW LIFE IN CHRIST SEMINARS SCORE WELL Fr. John Mark baptized D’Yontae SaeJahny Aubain after Sunday Mass at Ss.