Catholic Spirituality: Ash Wednesday and Stations of the Cross Bishop’s Appeal 2012 Launched The Journey of Faith of Sister Patricia Alexander The Catholic Response to the Flooding in the Philippines A TIME FOR LENT 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 Father Charles Crespo EDITOR Bernetia Akin, Valerie Douté Bishop’s Appeal Msgr. Michael Kosak PROOFREADERS Br. James Petrait, OSFS 2012 Launched WEB MASTER The Most Reverend Herbert A. Bevard, Bishop Deacon Emith Fludd CIRCULATION atholic schools and parishes in Catholic of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. Sarah Jane von Haack the Virgin Islands will introduce Charities WRITER/ASSISTANT EDITOR Cthe Bishop’s Appeal 2012 on the first The Bishop’s Appeal 2012 is committed Frank Iacovella weekend of Lent, February 25-26. This to helping Catholic Charities of the Virgin GRAPHIC DESIGNER year’s campaign will focus on the theme Islands (CCVI) bring help and hope to those February 2012 • Vol. 28 : Issue 2 “Working Together for the Kingdom of who are less fortunate and have nowhere The Catholic Islander is published God.” else to turn. CCVI has provided emergency monthly by the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. P.O. Box 301825, The Bishop’s Appeal is an annual food, clothing, shelter, counseling, medical, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, fundraising campaign designed to meet psychological and social services to our 00803-1825 www.catholicislander.com Telephone: (340) 774-3166 ext. 211, major needs within the diocese. Through homeless and needy. Fax: (340) 774-5816 this campaign, the Diocese of St. Thomas E-mail: [email protected] Catholic Schools © FAITH Catholic™. in the Virgin Islands generates vital financial support for the needy served by The Bishop’s Appeal 2012 will provide Please submit news, Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands, valuable assistance to our four Catholic digital photography and the hundreds of children who attend the schools. Tuition alone does not cover the advertising for the four Catholic schools in the territory, and actual costs of educating a student. The March 2012 issue of Bishop’s Appeal 2012 will help by providing The Catholic Islander by evangelization projects throughout the February 9, 2012. diocese. funds for tuition assistance, textbooks, Brochures are available at all parishes science lab supplies and other programs and schools. All money raised stays in the for the students. With this support, nearly territory. The public phase of the 2012 900 students this year alone will receive appeal ends on Pentecost Sunday, May 27. a strong foundation for a lifetime of faith, achievement and service. A Time for Lent Saturday, February 11, 6 p.m., Keys & Sword 11 Award Benefit, Frenchman’s Reef Hotel, On the cover: bishop’s calendar St. Thomas. Christ Carrying the Cross (by Hieronymus Bosch) February 12-18, Diocesan cruise aboard the 4 Local News Thursday, February 2, noon, meeting with Father Caribbean Princess. Wojtek Kuzek, CSsR, Holy Cross Church, 6 Save the Date St. Croix. Sunday, February 19, 9 a.m., Mass, Our Lady of 7 Catholic Charities Perpetual Help Church, St. Thomas. 8 Catholic Education Saturday, February 4, 6 p.m., St. Mary School dinner and auction, Divi Carina Monday, February 20, 1 p.m., meeting with Father 9 Spotlight on Youth Bay Ballroom. Janusz Sok, CSsR, Holy Cross Church, St. Croix. 10 ¡Buenas noticias! Sunday, February 5, 10 a.m., Mass, St. Patrick 12 Catholic Spirituality Tuesday, February 21, 9:30 a.m., meeting to form Church, St. Croix. 14 The Church in the World a foundation for the Catholic Church of the Virgin Islands, Catholic Chancery, St. Thomas. 16 Saint of the Month Tuesday, February 7, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Liturgy Workshop, St. Joseph Church, St. Croix. 18 Special Report: Wednesday, February 22, 12:15 p.m., Ash Wednesday Mass, Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Floods in the Philippines Wednesday, February 8, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Liturgy St. Thomas. 20 Journey of Faith Workshop, Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, St. Thomas. 22-26 Parish Calendars Sunday, February 26, 10:30 a.m., Mass, Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, St. Thomas. 22, 26 Pride of the Parish 2 The Catholic Islander / February 2012 / www.catholicislander.com Liturgical Calendar: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Feb. 2 | St. Blaise, bishop and martyr; St. Ansgar, bishop Feb. 3 | St. Paul Miki and Companions, martyrs Feb. 6 | Blessed Pius IX, pope Feb. 7 | St. Jerome Emiliani, priest; St. Josephine Bakhita, virgin Feb. 8 | St. Scholastica, virgin Feb. 10 Evangelization Caribbean Cruise The campaign’s evangelization and outreach eorts Bishop Herbert Bevard will host a seven-night southern include the operation and maintenance of Light of Christ Caribbean cruise aboard the Caribbean Princess on February Retreat Center on St. Croix, the home of many seminars 12-19. The Caribbean Princess departs from San Juan and for youth, deacons, music ministers, teachers, etc. The will port in St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Grenada, Bonaire and appeal also assists with Catholic media, specifically the Aruba. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Catholic operation of the two local Catholic television stations and schools in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Bishop Bevard will the publication of the monthly Catholic Islander. It likewise offer an episcopal blessing to married couples among the supports outreach by the diocesan Oce for Youth passengers at a Valentine’s Day Mass celebrated aboard the Ministries. In addition, it assists in the formation of future ship, and couples will have the opportunity to renew their priests for the diocese and other needs. marriage vows. Parish Goals Bishop Bevard at the Cathedral The parishes’ goal for the Bishop’s Appeal 2012 is Bishop Herbert Bevard greeted those who attended Mass at $291,000. They are, as follows: Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on December 18. Holy Cross Church, St. Croix $56,000 Holy Family Church, St. Thomas $40,000 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, St. John $19,000 Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, St. Thomas $35,000 St. Ann Church, St. Croix $40,000 St. Anne Chapel, St. Thomas $13,000 St. Joseph Church, St. Croix $16,000 St. Patrick Church, St. Croix $22,000 Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, St. Thomas $50,000 Keys & Sword Preparation Filipinos Celebrate the Santo Niño Bishop Herbert Bevard and Msgr. Jerome Feudjio met Bishop Herbert Bevard celebrated two Masses honoring the with members of the Keys & Sword committee in the Santo Niño de Cebú on St. Thomas and St. Croix. The Mass at Hospitality Lounge of Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on Holy Cross Church on St. Croix was on January 8 and the Mass St. Thomas on December 20. The third annual at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas was on January Keys & Sword Award Benefit will take place at the 29. Pictured below, left to right, at Holy Cross Church are Frenchman’s Reef Resort on Saturday, February 11. Deacon David Capriola; Msgr. Antonio Verzosa, parochial vicar at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral; Bishop Bevard; Father John Juszczak, pastor; and Deacon Roy George, a seasonal visitor. Visit the website of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands at www.catholicvi.com Liturgical Calendar: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Feb. 2 | St. Blaise, bishop and martyr; St. Ansgar, bishop Feb. 3 | St. Paul Miki and Companions, martyrs Feb. 6 | Blessed Pius IX, pope Feb. 7 | St. Jerome Emiliani, priest; St. Josephine Bakhita, virgin Feb. 8 | St. Scholastica, virgin Feb. 10 3 local news Operation Rice Bowl Parishes in the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands will promote Operation Rice Bowl beginning Ash Wednesday, New Assignment February 22. For 36 years, this Lenten program of Catholic Father Wojtek Kuzek, CSsR, is the new parochial vicar Relief Services has called participants to pray with their families at Holy Cross Church, eective February 1. He replaces and faith communities, fast in solidarity with those who hunger, Father Andrzej Szorc, CSsR, who was transferred to Sacred learn about our global community and the challenges of poverty Heart Church in Manville, New Jersey, for four months overseas, and give sacrificial contributions to those in need. and then returns to Poland. Father John Juszczak, CSsR, remains as pastor. Liturgy Workshops Three Kings Visit Father Dennis Gill, the director of liturgy for the the Virgin Islands Archdiocese of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, will lead liturgy workshops for priests, deacons and music ministers in the In the Hispanic Catholic tradition, the Three Kings who Virgin Islands. Part of the purpose of the workshop is to help visited the baby Jesus continue to appear on the feast the ministers navigate their way through the revised Mass. of the Epiphany to bring toys and candy to all children. The workshops will be at St. Joseph Church on Pictured below, the three kings brought the offertory at St. Croix on Tuesday, February 7, and at Ss. Peter and Paul the Spanish Mass at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix on Cathedral on St. Thomas on Wednesday, February 8. The January 8. seminars for the priests will be at 3 p.m. and for deacons and music ministers at 7 p.m. Second Collection All parishes will have a second collection for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Catholic Relief Services (CRS) on the weekend of February 18-19. The collection: • alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need through the international Catholic humanitarian agency, CRS; • supplies outreach and pastoral care to refugees, migrants and travelers through the USCCB Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church; • provides assistance to victims of natural disasters and other emergencies through the Holy Father’s Relief Fund; • advocates for poor and vulnerable people and for international justice and peace through the USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development; After the Spanish Mass at Ss.