College Recruiters

Seniors at Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas met college recruiters on September 26. Additional recruiters will visit the school on designated days through November.

Bishop Bevard Installs Pastor

His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard, installed Fr. John Juszczak, CSsR, as pastor of Holy Cross Church on St. Croix at Sunday Mass on September 25.

Pictured left around the altar at Mass, left to right, are Fr. Kevin MacDonald, CSsR; Fr. Andrzej Szorc, CSsR; Deacon David Capriola; Bishop Bevard; Fr. Juszczak; and Deacon Vincent Colianni.

Catechetical Workshop

Dr. Carol Razza of Florida and Deacon Joseph Mark of St. Ann Church on St. Croix led a training weekend for St. Croix catechists at Light of Christ Retreat Center on September 24-25. Pictured above, His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard, thanked all the religious education teachers for participating in the workshop and encouraged them in their ministry.

Parish Mission

Fr. Kevin MacDonald, CSsR, parochial vicar of St. Patrick Church on St. Croix, concluded a four-night mission at St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas on September 22 with Mass. Over 40 people attended each night.

Bishop Celebrates School Mass

His Excellency Bishop Herbert Bevard celebrated his first Mass of the school year for the students and staff of St. Joseph High School at St. Joseph Church on September 21, the feast day of St. Matthew. Pictured left to right before the Mass procession are Msgr. Michael Kosak, pastor of St. Ann Church; altar server Benjamin Alicea (grade 11); Bishop Bevard; altar server Jonathan Morales (grade 10); Father John Mark, pastor of the church and principal of the school; and Father Patrick Lynch, diocesan superintendent of Catholic education.

Legion of Mary Annual Curia Meeting

The Curia Mary, Immaculate Conception held its annual meeting at the Hospitality Lounge of Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on September 18. Members of the Legion of Mary presidia of Holy Family Church, St. Anne Chapel and the cathedral, as well as from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on St. John, met to celebrate the memorial of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary (the feast day was September 8) and the anniversary of the founding of the Legion. Pictured above right, members of the cathedral's Presidium Maria, Arca de la Alianza, sang a song to Mary.

54th Wedding Anniversary

Msgr. Jerome Feudjio prayed a blessing over Petra ("Tati") and Deacon Jose Vazquez at the end of the Spanish Mass at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on August 18. The couple celebrated 54 years of marriage.

Cathechetical Sunday

Catechetical Sunday was September 19, and many pastors commissioned their catechists at Mass. Pictured left, Fr. John Mark blessed his teachers at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix.

Local Knights of Columbus Elect New Leaders

The St. Thomas/St. John Knights of Columbus elected new officers for the term of July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. They are Alrid Lockhart, Grand Knight; Anthony Francis, Deputy Grand Knight; John Baptiste Francis, Chancellor; Genio Etienne, Recorder and Treasurer; Winston Parker, Advocate; James Hague, Warden; John Belle, Inside Guard; Michael Charles, Outside Guard; and James Hunt, Cuthbert Bellot, Gilbert Pinney, Trustees.
Pictured above at their September 18th meeting at the Hospitality Lounge of Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas (left to right) are Mr. Brutus, Mr.Lockhart, Mr.Francis, Mr. Hunt and Mr. Pinney.

Spanish Mass

Fr. Eduardo Ortiz Santiago offered birthday blessings to two parishioners at the end of the Spanish Mass at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on September 11.

Members of the Cathedral's Spanish choir on September 11. About 115 people attend this Mass every Sunday.

Holy Cross Church Celebrates its Patronal Feast

Holy Cross Church on St. Croix celebrated its patronal celebration of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross with a week of activities. The celebration began with a parish mission on September 8-10 and concluded with Sunday Mass on September 11. A reception followed in McAlpin Hall. Pictured left, new pastor Fr. John Juszczak, CSsR, explained the importance of the cross in salvation history. The actual feast day was September 14.

Adult Sacraments

Fr. John Mark conferred the sacraments of first communion and confirmation to Jules Ramirez at the Spanish Mass at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix on September 11.

St. Peter Claver Mass

His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard, celebrated the annual St. Peter Claver Mass at the Center for Black Catholics in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 9. The Mass commemorates the saint’s ministry to African-American slaves.

Remembering 9/11

The seniors of St. Joseph High School on St. Croix presented a Patriots Day assembly to the student body and staff in the St. Joseph Church Hospitality Lounge and Learning Center on September 9. The seniors incorporated poems, dance and video and slide presentations related to the 9/11 event. Pictured above, Enrique Arroyo (left) and Ian Heath held the American flag during the singing of the national anthem. Students were allowed to wear casual dress in red, white and blue.

Cathedral Restoration Progresses

One worker was building a molding for the restored columns today at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas.

Preparing for the Month of the Rosary

Ruth Wolcott and Jean Dragin shopped for rosaries and other items from Jacqueline Hoye at the Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral bookstore on St. Thomas.

Cathedral Restoration Project

Msgr. Jerome Feudjio, rector of Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas, climbed to the roof to see the repairs being done to the cupola.

Chapel Roof Is Painted

Workmen painted the roof at St. Anne Chapel today. Funds to pay for this are still being raised through bingo on Sunday afternoons.

Monthly Rosary Walk

Catholics walk and pray the rosary throughout the neighborhood surrounding Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on the first Saturday of each month at 7 a.m.

Deacon Reassigned

His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard, has appointed Deacon Bernard Gibs to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on St. Thomas, effective September 10. Deacon Gibs served at St. Anne Chapel since his ordination on September 26, 2009.

School Mass

Father John Mark, principal of St. Joseph High School on St. Croix, celebrated a Mass for his students at St. Joseph Church on September 2. Normally the students have the weekly school Mass on Wednesday. That day is transferred to Friday on First Fridays to honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pictured right, Benjamin Alicea, junior, and Jonathan Morales, sophomore, prepared to assist Father Mark at Mass.

Military Promotion

Fr. Jose Herrera, a priest of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands who is serving full time in the U.S. Army, received his new rank of lieutenant colonel at the army’s Bicentennial Chapel in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, on September 1. Fr. Herrera received news of his promotion on June 21.

Fr. Herrera serves as command chaplain with the army’s Expeditionary Contracting Command (ECC) in Redstone Arsenal. He also serves as the garrison pastor for the Catholic community of the installation.

Pictured above, Brig. Gen. Joseph Bass, the commanding officer of the ECC unit, pinned on Fr. Herrera’s silver oak leaves. Fr. Herrera's brother Ted watched alongside.

Electronics Class

The 10 students in the electronics class of Brother James Petrait, O.S.F.S., at St. Joseph High School on St. Croix each have individual hands-on access to new circuit boards. Students made electronic circuits and studied the principles behind them on September 1. Senior Janeiro Lake is shown with his electronic kit during class.

Back to School and Physics

Senior students in the physics class taught by Brother James Petrait, O.S.F.S., at St. Joseph High School on St. Croix had a laboratory experiment on September 1. Students observed the acceleration due to gravity by rolling a tennis ball down inclined planes. Ian Heath (right) rolled the ball before fellow students (left to right) Roxane Grey, Jonique George, Yahaira Olmeda, Enrique Arroyo and Julie Dupie, Jr. Brother Petrait (not shown) made a video of the action, which was analyzed in slow motion on a computer screen in the next class.

Morning Assembly Prayer

Father John Mark, principal at St. Joseph High School on St. Croix, led the morning prayers in the library on September 1. Afterwards, the students started their first period classes. Most of the classes at the school are now on a single period all-year schedule. Formerly the school was on a double period class block scheduling with year-long courses taking only one-half a year.

Senior Students Raise Flags

Senior students raise the flags in front of St. Joseph High School on St. Croix at 7:35 a.m. each school day. Pictured right, Julie Dupie, Jr. (left) raised the Vatican flag as Enrique Arroyo raised the U.S. flag on September 1. The Virgin Islands flag will be on the third pole as soon as a new flag arrives.