INSIDE STORIES *Cassi Hill Pilgrimage THE CATHOLIC *Mass for Catholic Politicians *Priest Works for STJ Peace *KidsLearn Summer Program *Catholic Education News ISLANDER *Listings of Coming Events VOL. 22, NO. 9 SEPTEMBER 2006 *Página de noticias en español A PUBLICATION OF THE DIOCESE OF ST. THOMAS IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ST. MARY SCHOOL: ST. PATRICK SCHOOL: BLESSING OF TEACHERS FIRST DAY OF CLASSES Fr. Pat Lynch, Pastor of Holy Cross Church on St. Croix, Eighth grade students were happy to be back in computer blessed the teachers of St. Mary School at the first class on the first day of classes at St. Patrick School all-school Mass on September 1. on St. Croix. Because of the increasing enrollment at St. Joseph High School on St. Croix, two orientation sessions (for 9th and 10th grades) were held on August 17 and one on Rev. Dr. George Franklin, Principal of Ss. Peter August 18 (for 11th and 12th grades). Pictured above, and Paul School on St. Thomas, spoke at the first left to right, Sonya Jacobs Dow (School Board Chair), Parents-Teachers Association meeting of the school Marla Matthew (Principal) and Dennis Frimmer year on August 28. Enrollment has increased (Guidance Counselor) welcomed the 10th grade significantly, allowing the school to surpass its goal of students and their parents during orientation in the St. 150 students for this academic year. Joseph Church Hospitality Lounge on August 17. Notes from the Bishop’s Desk The Most Reverend George V. Murry, SJ Bishop of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands BISHOP MURRY’S BISHOP TO MEET HOMECOMING SEPTEMBER 2006 WITH RELIGIOUS MASS Bishop George Murry, SJ, will Bishop George Murry, SJ, will PUBLIC SCHEDULE thank the members of religious be the principal celebrant and Saturday, September 2, 6:00 communities serving in the Diocese homilist at the annual Homecoming p.m., Mass, Ss. Peter and Paul of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands Mass at St. Bartholomew Church in Cathedral, St. Thomas. at their annual meeting on Saturday, Camden, New Jersey, on Sunday, Sunday, September 3, 8:30 a.m., September 9, at the Blessed Peter September 24. St. Batholomew Mass, Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Donders Residence on St. Croix. Church was Bishop Murry’s home St. Thomas. The Sisters of Charity of St. parish; he also attended elementary Tuesday, September 5, 10:00 Elizabeth serve on St. Thomas. The school there. a.m., Board of Directors meeting, Redemptorists, Oblates of St. Catholic Charities of the Virgin Francis de Sales, Dominican BISHOP WRAPS Islands, St. Thomas. Daughters of the Immaculate 2006 APPEAL Saturday, September 9, 10:00 Mother, Missionaries of Charity, Bishop George Murry, SJ, a.m., Meeting with members of Missionary Sisters of the announced a successful conclusion religious orders serving the Diocese Immaculate Heart of Mary, Sisters to the Bishop’s Appeal 2006, which of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, of the Good Shepherd and West by September 5 had generated Blessed Peter Donders Residence, Inidan Franciscans serve on St. $454,000, surpassing its goal of St. Croix. Croix. $425,000. These funds bring Saturday, September 16, 6:30 Bishop Murry will listen to their immediate support to the ministries p.m., Mass, Our Lady of Perpetual concerns and ask how the diocese of Catholic Charities of the Virgin Help Church, St. Thomas. can better assist them in carrying out Islands and the four Catholic Sunday, September 17, 7:30 and their ministries. Schools in the diocese. 9:30 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, St. John. BENEDICTION Thursday, September 21, 1:00 p.m., Diocesan Finance Committee meeting, Catholic Chancery, St. Thomas. Sunday, September 24, 10:00 a.m., Homecoming Mass, St. Bartholomew Church, Camden, New Jersey. Wednesday, September 27, 10:00 a.m., Presbyteral Council and Consulters meetings, On-going Formation Seminar for Priests, McAlpin Hall, Holy Cross Church, St. Croix. Saturday, September 30, 5:00 Bishop George Murry, SJ, lifted the monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament p.m., Mass, St. Anne Chapel, St. as benediction concluded the pilgrimage to the Our Lady of Cassi Hill Shrine Thomas. on St. Thomas on August 20. THE CATHOLIC ISLANDER * SEPTEMBER 2006 * 2 CATHOLIC TWO SEMINARIANS SCHOOL OPENS BIBLE STUDIES IN FORMATION NEW LIBRARY Catholic Bible studies will be The two seminarians for the The new library was completed offered at the Light of Christ Retreat Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin at Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Center on St. Croix on Thursday Islands resumed studies and Thomas in time for the school year. mornings and evenings beginning formation in late August. Anthony A new science laboratory is September 7. Sr. Germaine Convery, presently being constructed. WIF, will lead a discussion at 10:00 Abraham resumed studies at St. a.m. and Fr. Simon Peter Opira will John Vianney and the Uganda PRIEST FEATURED lead at 7:00 p.m. The sessions are Martyrs Regional Seminary in expected to last ninety minutes. Tunapuna, Trinidad. Ernesto IN TOURIST GUIDE Participants are asked to bring a Rodriguez joined the student body Fr. Charles Crespo, Pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on Bible. at St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, St. John, will be one of six Virgin Pennsylvania. On their summer DINNER TO HONOR Islanders profiled in the 2007 assignments on St. Thomas, Mr. edition of Discover. Discover is a BISHOP THOMAS Abraham served at Holy Family The Prayers, Hymns and Praise hardcover book that is placed in Church and Mr. Rodriguez served at Steel Orchestra of Holy Family every hotel room in the Virgin Church on St. Thomas will present Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral. Islands. “An Evening of Elegance” honoring Bishop Elliott Thomas and all others FRENCH MASSES who turn 80 years old in 2006. The dinner will be held at the Wyndham RESUME ON ST. THOMAS Sugar Bay Resort on Sunday, October 15, at 6:00 p.m. The orchestra will perform. Tickets are available from members of the orchestra for $60. SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED The St. Joseph Workers awarded certificates and a scholarship donation to three parishioners of Holy Family Church Msgr. Jerome Feudjio and Very Rev. Neil Scantlebury celebrated on St. Thomas after Sunday Mass on Mass in French at St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas on August 27. July 9. Odrique Badeau, Jr., Following the Mass, the St. Anne Youth Group hosted a small Khinean Casey and Jazmine Grell reception at the Parish Hall. The next French Mass at the chapel will were to use the gift toward their be on Sunday, October 1, at 5:00 p.m. college tuition. ================================================================================= The Catholic Islander is published monthly by the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. The Catholic Islander is written, edited and printed entirely 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 Please submit news, Editor-in-Chief Fr. Charles Crespo digital photography and Spanish Editor Ernesto Rodriguez advertising for the Staff Photographer Faye Abdullah-Boschulte October 2006 issue of Webmaster Br. James Petrait, OSFS The Catholic Islander Circulation Deacon Emith Fludd by September 15, 2006. THE CATHOLIC ISLANDER * SEPTEMBER 2006* 3 PILGRIMAGE TO THE OUR LADY OF CASSI HILL SHRINE Hundreds of Catholics participated in the 59th annual Our Lady of Cassi Hill pilgrimage at Holy Family Church on St. Thomas on August 20. A procession was followed by Mass in the church and benediction at the adjacent Our Lady of Cassi Hill shrine. PRIEST HELPS ORGANIZE MASS FOR CATHOLIC A LOCAL PEACE EFFORT POLITICIANS Several community leaders on St. John took to the Bishop George Murry, SJ, celebrated a Mass for streets during the month of August to promote peace on Catholic Politicians at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on the island. St. Thomas on August 13. All Catholic politicians and “All the residents of St. John suffered such a rough aspirants to office were invited to attend the Mass. In his summer last year because of a number of racially- homily, Bishop George Murry, SJ, spoke of the divisive incidents,” Fr. Charles Crespo, Pastor of Our importance of Catholic politicians remaining faithful to Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, told The Catholic Islander. religious values while working for the common good. “A number of these cases were coming to court in Politicians and aspirants of other faiths also August, so several community leaders decided we needed to proactively promote peace before tempers attended and listened to Bishop Murry’s message. began to flair.” Pictured with Bishop Murry after Mass were (front Two or three CIT members set up a table at Franklin row, left to right) Senator Louis Hill, Basil Ottley, Jr. A. Powell Jr. Park in the afternoons and engaged people and Senator Shawn-Michael Malone; (middle row) lounging in the park and those coming on or off the Judge Edgar Ross, Gregory Francis and Horace Brooks; ferry to “Think peace, talk peace, be peace.” Those who (back row) Senator Lorraine Berry, Patrick Simeon engaged in dialogue were given a flyer and a cold drink. Sprauve and John de Jongh. THE CATHOLIC ISLANDER * SEPTEMBER 2006 * 4 ¡BUENAS NOTICIAS! REUNIóNDERELIGIOSOS ORGANIZANDO UNA PAZ LOCAL CURA EN REVISTA DE TURISMO El Obispo George Murry, SJ, Varios líderes de la comunidad P. Charles Crespo, Párroco de la agradecerá a los miembros de las en St. John, incluyendo el P. Charles Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen comunidades religiosas que sirven Crespo, Párroco de la Iglesia en St.