Cathedral Restoration Project Continues

One lone man worked alone in the rain today to try to complete the restoration of the cupola atop Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas.

Parish Welcomes New Priest

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on St. Thomas held a welcoming reception for their new priest, Father Eduardo Ortiz Santiago, in the parish clubhouse on August 28.

Pictured above, parishioner Carmen Sibilly presented him with a gift from the parish community.

Victoria's Kitchen Opens

The Religious of the Good Shepherd launched a new ministry at the Good Shepherd Center at Holy Cross Church on St. Croix on August 25. Named for Sr. Victoria Andreoli, RGS, who in 2010 returned to New York after 12 years on St. Croix, Victoria’s Kitchen is a weekly breakfast program for the homeless and the needy. Twenty-nine guests attended the first breakfast.

“When we learned that the local breakfast program is closed on Thursday, we realized there was a need in the community and we began planning to address it,” said Sr. Judy Mannix, RGS.

“On hearing about Victoria’s Kitchen,” added Sr. Digna Rivas, RGS, “parishioners approached us and asked how they could help. We are truly blessed with so many generous volunteers and benefactors who serve God’s people with such love.”

Supermarket Donations Help the Homeless

PriceSmart on St. Thomas donated $1,000 worth of food and cleaning supplies to Bethlehem House Shelter for the Homeless on August 23.

Irene Postpones School Openings

School openings were postponed one day when Tropical Storm Irene passed through the U.S. Virgin Islands. Wind and rain beat down on the territory on August 21-22, causing power shortages and flooding. St. Croix was in the eye of the storm for several hours during late afternoon of August 22. Pictured above, trash cans blew over from the wind in front of the school office building at St. Joseph High School on St. Croix.

Ushers Raise Funds for Church

The ushers at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas sold smoothies between Masses in the Hospitality Lounge. They were raising funds for the church.

Getting a School Ready

Parishioners from St. Joseph Church on St. Croix helped to take down a large tree on August 20. The tree was overhanging and endangering the St. Joseph High School office building.

Members of  the Knights of Columbus Council # 6482 on St. Croix volunteered to paint and spruce up the outside of the new chapel building on the campus of St. Joseph High School on August 20.

Catholic school teachers on St. Croix had a day of reflection at St. Joseph Church’s Hospitality Lounge and Learning Center on August 17. Pictured right, the speakers included, left to right, Father John Juszczak, CSsR, pastor of Holy Cross Church; Elizabeth John-Baptiste, principal of St. Joseph High School; Basil Williams, head of school at St. Mary School; and Father Patrick Lynch, CSsR, pastor of St. Patrick Church.

Cassi Hill Pilgrimage

Holy Family Church on St. Thomas celebrated its 64th annual pilgrimage to the Our Lady of Cassi Hill Shrine with a procession, benediction and Mass today. About 200 parishioners from all the St. Thomas and St. John parishes joined in a Eucharistic procession from Four Winds Plaza, followed by a brief prayer service at the shrine, which included benediction, then Mass in the church and a reception in the classroom. Pictured above, Father Neil Scantlebury, pastor, was at the back of the procession carrying the Blessed Sacrament under a canopy.

Paving Completed

After the backhoe spread and compacted the recycled asphalt this afternoon, brothers Lesley and Stephen Richardson, along with Fr. Charles Crespo (not pictured), smoothed the surface with a rake and shovel. Fr. Crespo is looking for a few volunteers who can come with rakes this Saturday at 9 a.m. to finish smoothing the surface.

Paving Land

A backhoe is scraping the land outside St. Anne Chapel's hall now so that it can be paved tomorrow. The land will allow for additional parking and easier access to the hall and office.

World Youth Day

Fr. Neil Scantlebury, pastor of Holy Family Church on St. Thomas, said farewell to the seven Young Vincentians and their chaperones at Cyril King Airport on August 10 as they prepared to fly to Madrid for a Young Vincentians conference and World Youth Day.

Spanish Cursillo Movement

As part of an evangelical outreach, members of the Movimiento de Cursillos de Cristiandad on St. Croix bring an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary to a different home the second Monday of each month and pray the rosary in Spanish. Pictured right, they are shown praying at the home of Maria Martinez on August 8.

Bingo Paints a Roof

Funds are needed to re-paint the roof of St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas, so parishioners were invited to play bingo in the hall on August 7. The next bingo is on Sunday, August 28, at 4 p.m.

Breakfast for Children

The Missionaries of Charity on St. Croix offer hospitality to the children from two projects after Sunday Mass.

Painting the School Cross

Repainting the cross at St. Joseph High School on St. Croix today meant climbing high up a pole!

New Chapel Door

Ivaughn Hurtault of St. Joseph Church on St. Croix installed a door today to the new chapel being prepared at St. Joseph High School.

Priest Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Parishioners of St. Joseph Church on St. Croix surprised their pastor, Fr. John Mark, with a meal in the parish's Hospitality Lounge on August 5 celebrating his 10th anniversary of priesthood. Pictured left, he blessed the food.

Farewell Dinner

Parishioners of St. Patrick Church on St. Croix had its chance to thank Father Kenneth Gaddy, CSsR, for his years of service on St. Croix with a dinner on August 5. He is pictured with members of the prayer group, which helped organize the dinner.

A Working Vacation

Father Andrzej Szorc, CSsR, of Holy Cross Church on St. Croix is visiting his brother’s farm in Znoski, Poland. “It is north-east east part of Poland,” he wrote. “My mother grew up here on the farm. The farm now is small. My brother has 40 bee hives there, but the harvest for honey is already done. Now is the time to harvest grain and grass. The picture was taken just at the beginning of the work. The sweating came afterwards. Before that, my brother and his wife and I hiked in Krynica Gorska, in the south of Poland, and that you can call a real vacation.”