Baccalaureate Mass

Msgr. Jerome Feudjio posed with the high school graduates of Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas after the Baccalaureate Mass at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on May 29. The commencement ceremony is at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports Complex this Thursday, June 2, at 6 p.m.

Dominican Mothers Day

The last Sunday in May is Mothers Day in the Dominican Republic. After the Spanish Mass at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas this afternoon, Dominican men prepared and served a banquet to Dominican mothers in the Hospitality Lounge.

Senior Class Fundraising

The Class of 2011 from Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas held a soup and bake sale outside Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral between Sunday Masses this morning to raise money for their prom.

Anniversary Blessing

Deacon Bernard Gibs gave Fr. Charles Crespo a blessing at the end of Sunday Mass at St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas on May 29. Fr. Crespo had celebrated his 10th anniversary of priesthood three days earlier.

Confirmation Masses

His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard, and Fr. John Mark posed with the new confirmands after the Confirmation Mass last night at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix.

Fr. Patrick Lynch, CSsR, pastor, and Bishop Herbert Bevard, posed with the new confirmands outside St. Patrick Church on St. Croix today.

First Communion

Readers for the First Communion Mass at St. Ann Church on St. Croix prepared in the sacristy on May 29. Left to right, they were Kimani Elijah Sackey, Michaela Veronica Clarice Matthew and Matthew Aidan D'Iapolito.

Baptism

Fr. Charles Crespo baptized six-year-old Christian Belcher during this past Sunday's Mass at St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas.

Birthday Blessings

Msgr. Jerome Feudjio blessed Jeanne Richards on her 75th birthday after Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on St. Thomas tonight.

Champions 2011




Romani Hansen




Deondre Simmonds



St. Mary School on St. Croix captured the Interscholastic Baseball Championship on May 28 by defeating Elena Christian Jr. High School with a score of 10 to 9.

Bishop Bevard Meets Caribbean Redemptorists

His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard met in his office today with two Redemptorists who served on St. Croix in recent years, Fr. Mark Owen and Br. Leonard Samuel.

Cathedral Roof Is Replaced

As the roof is being replaced at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas, first the old aluminum siding was removed, then plywood sheets were fixed into place, now the roof is being covered with tar paper.

Test Preparation

Akil Bello (pictured center) spoke with Robert Laseter’s students at Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas on May 24. Mr. Bello, Class of 1989, is the founder of Bell Curves, a test preparation company that helps students prepare for standardized tests.

May Is the Month of Mary

Catholic Hispanics on St. Thomas gather in various homes every night in May and October to pray the rosary.

Deacons Retreats

His Excellency Bishop Herbert Bevard led a retreat for the St. Croix deacons, deacon candidates and their wives at Light of Christ Retreat Center on May 23. He is shown at Mass with concelebrant Msgr. Michael Kosak, acting director of the diaconate.

Bishop Bevard also led a retreat for the St. Thomas deacons at Columban Hall on May 12-13.

Magnificat Meal

Aurea Olive of St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas was the guest speaker at Magnificat's luncheon today at Victor's New Hideout. Magnificat is an international ministry to Catholic women with two chapters in the Virgin Islands.

Confirmations

Sixteen confirmation candidates and their sponsors prepared to enter Ss. Joachim and Ann Church on St. Croix on May 22.

The new confirmands at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on St. Thomas received certificates and gifts from Msgr. Jerome Feudjio and their catechists, Deacon William Kenny and Lucy Douglas, after Mass on May 22.

Confirmation Mass

Bishop Bevard posed with the confirmation class at Holy Cross Church on St. Croix on May 21. Deacon David Capriola is partially hidden in the upper left and Father Kenneth Gaddy, CSsR, pastor, is in the upper right.

Cathedral Restoration Project

Workers began removing the galvanizing on the roof of Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas.

Afterwards, His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard, climbed onto the roof to see the new plywood base.

St. Joseph High School Students of the Month

The newest Students of the Month at St. Joseph High School on St. Croix were announced after the school Mass at St. Joseph Church on May 18. They are, left to right, Ashley Joseph, Grade 12; Shandelia Hendrickson, Grade 9; Ashley Bruney, Grade 11; and Donald Pickard, Grade 10.

Marriage Encounter

Twenty-six couples participated in a Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) half-day enrichment at St. Ann Church on St. Croix on May 15.

Light of Christ Retreat Center on St. Croix will host a WWME weekend on October 14-16. WWME has been offering weekend experiences for over 42 years and has a presence in over 90 countries. Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers married couples the opportunity to spend time together away from the busyness of the world to focus on each other. It offers tools for building and maintaining a strong, Christian marriage in today’s world.

Confirmation Mass

His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard, confirmed youth from Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral, St. Anne Chapel and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on St. Thomas at the cathedral on May 15. Pictured right, many of the confirmands and their sponsors posed with Deacon Clement Danet, Bishop Bevard, and Msgr. Jerome feudjio, rector of the cathedral.

Pictured left, Bishop Bevard celebrated the Confirmation Mass at Holy Family Church on St. Thomas on May 14.

Moot Court

Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas won third place in the Virgin Islands Moot Court competition on May 13, as students from six schools on St. Thomas and St. Croix debated the constitutionality of a policy allowing for random drug and weapons searches on the grounds of public high schools.

Moot Court annually presents a hypothetical issue before student teams. The teams are partnered with actual lawyers and prepare their arguments. The students then present their arguments before the panel of actual judges.

This year's competition was presided over by Superior Court judges Audrey Thomas, Harold Willocks and Adam Christian. It was sponsored by V.I. Superior Court and the V.I. Bar Association.

Pictured top right is teacher Elmo Adams and his students from Ss. Peter and Paul School. Pictured bottom right, Michael Vante of St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas won Best Oralist.

Cathedral Restoration Project Progresses

His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard, and Msgr. Jerome Feudjio, rector, climbed to the bell tower of Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on May 10 to see how the workers would restore it.

See more photographs at http://www.cathedralvi.com/Pages/cathedral-restoration.html.

Business Class Simulates a Mall

The Introduction to Business class at St. Joseph High School on St. Croix converted a classroom into a makeshift mall on May 10. Students were assigned tables on which to arrange displays in the “Area 51 Mall.” Students created business plans and showcased displays, explaining the process specific to their stores.

Pictured above, Aerin Anthony, Grade 12, displayed her project, “where mysteries unfold.”

“I opened a small bookstore called The Scroll,” she explained. “Within my store, I sold age-appropriate books and supplies to young adults like myself. My store was one of the popular ones because of my E-Readers on display and my attractive display. I enjoyed the project because it gave me a chance to express my dreams and to explore future business opportunities.”

First Communion

Five youth from the Hispanic community received First Communion at the Spanish Mass at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas today. Three were also baptized.

May Crowning

Neisha Bennet crowned an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the beginning of the Spanish Mass at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix this morning.

The May Crowning at the Spanish Mass at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral today.

Gemmiicia Felix crowned the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Holy Family Church on St. Thomas on May 8.

New Ambo Blessed

Fr. Charles Crespo blessed the new ambo at Mass this morning at St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas. The ambo was made to match the altar.

Altar Server Commissioned

Fr. Charles Crespo commissioned Michelle Olive as a new altar server at Sunday Mass at St. Anne Chapel this morning.

Mothers Day

Msgr. Antonio Verzosa blessed the mothers at St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas at the end of Mass on Mothers Day.

Fr. John Mark and Deacon Guillermo Huertas distributed pins to mothers at the end of the Spanish Mass at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix.

Fr. Charles Crespo and Deacon Jose Vazquez distributed red carnations to mothers at the end of the Spanish Mass at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas.

Water Treatment Facility Is Under Construction

Kevin Allen, maintenance engineer at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix, reviewed the early stages of the construction of the water treatment building on campus on May 4.

St. Joseph High School Students of the Month

The Students of the Month at St. Joseph High School on St. Croix were announced after the school Mass at St. Joseph Church on May 4.

Pictured left to right, they are Kibwe Tom (Grade 10), Nicole Grey (Grade 9), Julie Dupie (Grade 11). Raedyance Nicks (Grade 12) is not pictured.

Knights of Malta Pilgrimage to Lourdes

The Knights and Dames of the Virgin Islands Area of the Order of Malta participated in the 53rd annual international pilgrimage of the Order of Malta in Lourdes. This pilgrimage was attended by 6,800 members who came from 35 countries. They brought with them 1,500 malades seeking physical and spiritual healing who participated in a week of Masses, processions and recollections. Archbishop Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York presided over the procession of the Eucharist.

The Knights and Dames of the Virgin Islands deposited petitions and prayers from parishioners to the Blessed Mother in the grotto of Massabielle. They were accompanied by Troy Schuster, who came on the pilgrimage as a malade.

Pictured left to right are Leslie Highfield Carter of Holy Cross Church on St. Croix, Mr. Schuster, Christine and Jerry Woodhouse of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on St. Thomas and Dr. Lina Batenga of Holy Cross Church. They posed in front of the Upper Rosary Basilica.

Divine Mercy Sunday

Altar servers Nicole Joseph and Xuxa Freitas led the chanting of the Divine Mercy chaplet at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas today.

May Procession

Members of St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas carried an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the end of the May Procession this morning.

Deacon to Be Ordained a Priest

His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard, will ordain Deacon Eduardo Ortiz to the priesthood at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on July 30. His Excellency, Bishop Francisco Gonzalez, ordained the seminarian to the transitional diaconate at St. Michael Church in Brandywine, Maryland, on April 30. Deaon Ortiz will serve in the Virgin Islands on summer assignment beginning May 20.

Pictured above, Bishop Gonzalez ordained Deacon Ortiz. Pictured left, Deacon Ortiz served Mass with Bishop Gonzalez and Msgr. Jerome Feudjio, the diocesan director of clergy and religious.