Catholic Spirituality: Prayer works! FROM THE BISHOP Holy Cross Confirmation LOCAL NEWS International Festival of Food Saint Lawrence of Rome was one of the seven deacons of ancient Rome, serving JOURNEY OF FAITH under Pope Sixtus II. Saint Lawrence crowned by Baby Jesus Benjamin Parrilla by Claude de Jongh. Bishop Herbert Bevard and Deacon Benjamin Parrilla. Diaconate Ordination the Catholic The Newsletter of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands notes from the bishop’s desk Most Reverend Herbert A. Bevard PUBLISHER Msgr. Michael Kosak, P.A. DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Simonia Dagou Sarah Jane von Haack Holy Cross WRITERS/ASSISTANT EDITORS Frank Iacovella GRAPHIC DESIGNER The Most Reverend Confirmation Herbert A. Bevard, bishop Bernetia Akin of the Diocese of St. Thomas Valerie Douté Thirty-five students were confirmed at Holy PROOFREADERS in the Virgin Islands. Cross Catholic Church on May 20, 2012. Deacon Emith Fludd CIRCULATION Br. James Petrait, OSFS WEBMASTER August 2012 • Vol. 28 : Issue 8 The Catholic Islander is published monthly by the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. P.O. Box 301825, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, 00803-1825 www.catholicislander.com Telephone: (340) 774-3166 ext. 211, Fax: (340) 774-5816 E-mail: [email protected] © FAITH Catholic™. Please submit news, digital photography and advertising for the September 2012 issue of The Catholic Islander by August 10, 2012. 12 On the cover: Benjamin Parrilla is ordained a deacon. 3 Local News 7 ¡Buenas noticias! 8 Catholic Education 9 Catholic Charities bishop’s calendar August 11, 7 p.m., Gala Dinner for the 65th 10 Spotlight on Youth anniversary of Our Lady of Cassi Hill Pilgrimage, 12 Cover Story August 4-5, Mission Appeal: Church of the Good Sugar Bay, St. Thomas Shepherd, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 14 The Church in the World August 12, 2:30 p.m., Lady of Cassi Hill Pilgrimage, August 9, 50th anniversary Mass for Sister Mary 65th anniversary 16 Saint of the Month Loretta, M.C., Christiansted 18 Catholic Spirituality August 13-15, Bishop Bevard will be receiving August 10, 9 a.m., Meeting regarding the direction of representatives from the Catholic Home Missions 20 Journey of Faith Sts. Peter and Paul School Society 22-26 Parish Calendars August 11, 11 a.m., 50th anniversary Mass for Sister August 18, 6 p.m., Mass at Sts. Peter and Paul 25 Pride of the Parish Florine Bailey ICM, St. Patrick’s Church Cathedral 2 The Catholic Islander / August 2012 / www.catholicislander.com Liturgical calendar: St. Sixtus II, pope and companions, martyrs August 7 | St. Dominic, priest August 8 | St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, virgin and martyr August 9 | St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr August 10 | St. Clare, virgin August 11 | St. Jane Frances de Chantel, religious August 12 local news OLMC Patronal Mission Father Herman Sharplis was the guest speaker at Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s Patronal Mission from July 9-13. OLMC is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The theme was “Together Building the Kingdom of God.” ICM Sisters’ Assembly The Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, also known as ICM Sisters, who have missions in Jamaica, Dominica, Haiti and St. Croix, will gather for their Retreat and District Assembly from Aug. 1-20 at the Light of Christ Retreat Center at Frederiksted, St. Croix. Sister Bernadette Hughes, CP, of Mount Calvary Retreat Center of Mandeville, Jamaica, will direct the retreat and facilitate the meeting. Sister Saveria Jeganathan, the ICM general superior from Rome, also will be present. The retreat will center on elements of Augustinian spirituality, which is part of the ICM spiritual heritage. The theme is “Journeying Together with the God of Creation,” Most Rev. Herbert Bevard, bishop of the Diocese of an invitation to “commit ourselves now to a transformation St. Thomas, photographed with Bruce Anderson (left), a of consciousness, take concrete actions to renew our life seminarian in the St. Thomas Diocese, who is studying and participate in the enhancement of the quality of all at St. Paul’s Seminary in Minnesota; Father John Meyer, a life.” (ICM Chapter Mandate 2010) priest from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; Msgr. Aloysius Callahan, rector of the St. Paul Seminary Deacons' Retreat in Minnesota; and Msgr. Jerome Feudjio, “Faith and the Call to Holiness” was the theme for the rector of Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral. deacons' retreat held July 14-15 at the Light of Christ Retreat Center in Frederiksted, St. Croix. His Excellency, the Most Rev. Kenneth Richards, bishop of St. John’s-Basseterre, was the retreat director. Callista Julien, Ms. Mason and the staff provided an excellent bishop’s calendar (cont.) menu and care August 19, 9:30 p.m., Confirmation at Our Lady of Mount during the retreat. Carmel and Installation of Fr. Anthony Abraham as Pastor Bishop Richards gave five presentations August 23, 5:45 p.m., Meeting of the Home and School and made the retreat Association of Sts. Peter and Paul School interactive so that the theme was fully August 24, 6 p.m., Meeting of the Diocesan Finance Council understood and appreciated by all. August 25, 6:30 p.m., Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Forty members of the diaconate August 26, 8:30 a.m. Mass at Sts. Peter and Paul community Cathedral attended. Liturgical calendar: St. Sixtus II, pope and companions, martyrs August 7 | St. Dominic, priest August 8 | St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, virgin and martyr August 9 | St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr August 10 | St. Clare, virgin August 11 | St. Jane Frances de Chantel, religious August 12 3 local news Fathers' Day Events St. Patrick Church to Replace Shutters Father John Mark distributes gifts to fathers on Fathers' St. Patrick Church is in the process of having its aging Day at St. Joseph Church during the 10 a.m. Spanish Mass. shutters replaced. The shutters are being mass produced in a local warehouse in preparation for installation. Each shutter stands 15 feet high, in addition to its jalousie. The Frederiksted historical district required that all the old hinges and hardware be reused, whenever possible. The shutters are being made of mahogany to make them termite and weather resistant. Completion is scheduled for the fall. Fathers enjoy a Fathers' Day brunch at Our Lady of Mount Carmel. New Altar Server Liandra Dagou, front, introduced Linique Dagou (left) Joachim Diaz, an incoming fourth-grader at Sts. Peter Kitori Thomas and Liv Peltier before they recited a poem and Paul Catholic School, is being trained by Mgsr. Antonio for fathers during the brunch. Verzosa to become an altar server. He served at his first Mass on July 12 during the Santo Niño Mass at St. Anne Chapel. 4 The Catholic Islander / August 2012 / www.catholicislander.com St. Pontian, pope and martyr and St. Hippolytus, priest and martyr August 13 | St. Maximilian Kolbe, priest and martyr August 14 | Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary August 15 St. Stephen of Hungary, August 16 | St. Bernard, abbot and doctor of the Church August 20 Sacred Heart Society Retreat The Sacred Heart Society of St. Patrick Church, St. reflection on Scripture readings. Deacon Joseph Mark Croix, pose after their retreat day in honor of the feast of of St. Ann joined in for the Benediction. the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Members of the Sacred Heart Society met on St. Croix for a retreat to celebrate the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary on June 16. The theme was “Answering the Call by Loving as I Love You.” Parishioners from St. Patrick, St. Joseph and St. Ann were in attendance. The guest speaker was Elizabeth John Baptiste, M.Ed. The day was spent in praise, worship and ICM Sisters Celebrate Feast Day The ICM Sisters (Immaculate Heart of Mary) celebrated their feast day by attending Mass at St. Ann Church, St. Croix, on Saturday, June 16. They are shown below with Father Simon Peter Opira, associate pastor. St. Pontian, pope and martyr and St. Hippolytus, priest and martyr August 13 | St. Maximilian Kolbe, priest and martyr August 14 | Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary August 15 St. Stephen of Hungary, August 16 | St. Bernard, abbot and doctor of the Church August 20 5 local news Holy Cross Confirmation OLMC Kallaloo Kitchen Thirty-five students were confirmed at Holy Cross Catholic Suzanne and Madelyn Coles recently joined OLMC Church on May 20. Kallaloo Kitchen volunteers to serve food and distribute care packages to the homeless. New Member Our Lady of Mount Carmel welcomed Safiya Thomas into The Coles Family of Texas cooked and served the the parish on July 1. homeless on July 16. Sts. Peter and Paul Feast Day Celebration The Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral parishioners gathered to Caribbean Catholic Network – St. Croix hold a reception after Mass on July 1 in the Hospitality Lounge Livestream – St. Ann Church to celebrate the patronal feast day, which was June 29. The 9:30 a.m. Sunday Mass will no longer be on the radio. The Mass will be broadcast on Channel 7 — St. Croix, but also will be available on the Internet for our former parishioners and off-island friends on St. Thomas/St. John and throughout the Caribbean — indeed the world. Please feel free to tune in and experience our Sunday Masses, as well as many other special events. www.livestream.com/ caribbeancatholicnetwork7 6 The Catholic Islander / August 2012 / www.catholicislander.com Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, August 22 | St. Rose of Lima, virgin August 23 | St. Bartholomew, apostle August 24 | St.