Black History Month

As part of a Black History celebration, St. Patrick School on St. Croix celebrated an African American Family Day of Prayer on February 29.

School Chapel Opens

The chapel at St. Joseph High School on St. Croix has opened. Students and staff meet there for prayers at the beginning and end of each day. The chapel is open all day for students to visit and the Blessed Sacrament is in the tabernacle. Above, Father John Mark, principal, is shown leading the prayers.

Underwater Class

Ziggy Livnat, a professional photographer, conservationist and educator, gave an hour-long presentation to the students of St. Joseph High School on St. Croix on February 28 in the school library. His videos featured underwater films made on St. Croix.

Welcome, Fr. Kusek

Holy Cross Church on St. Croix formally welcomed its new associate pastor, Fr. Wojciech Kusek, CSsR, with receptions after Mass on February 26.

The congregation at Sacred Heart Chapel on St. Croix hosted a welcome reception for Father Wojtek Kuzek, C.Ss.R. after Sunday Mass on February 19.

Ash Wednesday

His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard, and Deacon Clement Danet imposed ashes at the midday Mass at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on Ash Wednesday, February 22.

Fr. John Mark and Deacon Guillermo Huertas imposed ashes at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix.

Fr. Eduardo Ortiz Santiago and Deacon Bernard Gibs imposed ashes at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on St. Thomas.

Msgr. Jerome Feudjio imposed ashes on principal Samuel Belmar at the Mass for the students and staff of Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral.

Camera Team

The camera team from Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas: Jose Cossio, Luis Chevalier, José Chevalier, Christopher Brooks, Timothy Olive.

Caregivers Workshop

Twenty-eight people attended a caregivers workshop at St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas on February 20. Tracy Sanders, a nurse who is a parishioner at Holy Cross Church on St. Croix and the founder of Continuum Care, facilitated the seminar. 

Parish Youth Fun Day

Young parishioners of Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas had a Fun Day at Lindbergh Bay Park on February 20.

Mass Celebrates Independence of St. Lucia

Parishioner Agnes Verhoff is shown leading the choir at a Mass celebrating the 33rd anniversary of independence of St. Lucia. The Mass was celebrated at St. Ann Church on St. Croix on February 19. The choir sang in Creole.

Altar Servers Commissioned

Msgr. Jerome Feudjio commissioned altar servers during Sunday Mass at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on February 19.

New Legionnaire

Denise Sibilly made her promises as a new member of the Legion of Mary to Fr. Charles Crespo at St. Anne Chapel on St. Thomas on February 15.

Catholic Charities Awareness

Odile de Lyrot, a member of the Catholic Charities board of directors, met with Second Lady Cheryl Francis, wife of Lt. Governor Gregory Francis, on St. Thomas on February 13 to develop proposals for raising the awareness of Catholic Charities programs among the public.

World Marriage Day

The weekend before Valentine's Day celebrated World Marriage Day at all Virgin Islands parishes. Pictured right, Father John Mark and Deacon Guillermo Huertas distributed certificates to many couples at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix.

Parish Prayer Group

The prayer group at St. Patrick Church on St. Croix celebrated its 30th anniversary with a Singspiration concert on February 10, a Mass of thanksgiving on February 11 and a pre-St. Valentine’s Day breakfast at St. Gerard Hall on February 12.

Raffle Winners

Theresa Richardson asked Tyra Hunt and other children to help draw the raffle winners at a St. Valentine’s Day brunch in the St. Anne Chapel hall on St. Thomas on February 12. Ms. Richardson handled the entire fundraiser almost singlehandedly and generated 25 prizes and $5,000 in cash.

Keys and Sword Award Benefit

The Keys and Sword Award benefit at the Marriott Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort on St. Thomas on February 11 honored the Dowling Family Foundation, Louis de Lyrot and the late Gerard Nicholson. Pictured right, His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard, read the inscription on the plaque awarded to Aracely Nicholson in honor of her late husband, Gerard.

Healing Mass

Father Eduardo Ortiz Santiago led a well-attended healing Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on St. Thomas on February 11.

School Steel Pan Reharsal

Students of Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas practice playing the steel pan after school.

Liturgy Workshops

Father John Mark, diocesan director of liturgy, led a workshop for deacons and all liturgical ministers at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix on February 7. He will lead a similar program at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on February 8 at 7 p.m.

Pasta-Making Class

Chef Corey Magras, Class of 1994, returned to Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas on February 7 to teach sixth and seventh grade students how to prepare pasta and ravioli dishes from scratch.

Scout Sunday

Scout attended Sunday Mass at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on February 5.

New Priest at Holy Cross Church

Fr. Wojciech Kusek, CSsR, was born in Poland and was ordained a priest for the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists) in 2004. After ordination, Fr. Kusek served in Szczecin, Poland, for four years and in the Diocese of Metuchen in New Jersey for four years (pictured above). He began his new assignment at Holy Cross Church on St. Croix on February 1.

St. Mary School Auction

Bishop Herbert Bevard was among those in attendance when St. Mary School on St. Croix held its annual fundraising dinner and auction at Divi Carina Bay Ballroom on February 4. He is pictured with auction committee member Rita Schuster.

Catholic Schools Week: Quiz Bowl Winners

Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas won first place in the Law and You Program’s Academic Challenge Quiz Bowl hosted by the Virgin Islands Police Department’s School Security Bureau at the Magistrate Building on February 3. The Law and You Program instructs high school students on local laws and the crimes that affect them.  Students from All Saints, Charlotte Amalie, Ivanna Eudora Kean, Ss. Peter and Paul and the Seventh Day Adventist high schools were quizzed on their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, Virgin Islands laws and the criminal justice system. Pictured left to right are coach Melissa Griffith, Robert Greaux, Deja Joseph, Alex Athanase, Ashley Forney, Dahlia Daniel, Bianca Sibilly, coach Elmo Adams, Beverlin del Rosario, Sarah-Ann Charles, Lelah Salem and Nick Heilemann.

Catholic Schools Week: Walkathon

All students of St. Joseph High School on St. Croix participated in the annual 10-mile fundraising walkathon on February 3.

Catholic Schools Week: Fun Day

St. Mary School was among the schools that closed Catholic Schools Week with a Fun Day on February 3.

Catholic Schools Week March

Candace Bryan, Ahlam Salem and Alice Barber, students at Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas, demonstrated the placards they carried during the annual Catholic Schools Week march along the waterfront and Main Street.

Catholic Schools Week: A Visit by the National Guard

The Virgin Islands National Guard visited St. Joseph High School on St. Croix during Catholic Schools Week’s public service and field day on February 2. The guard landed its new helicopter on the soccer field and invited the students to try its inflatable obstacle course.

Catholic Schools Week: Honor Students

The students at St. Joseph High School on St. Croix who made Honor Roll posed for a photograph outside St. Joseph Church after a holy hour on February 1.

Students from Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas were inducted into the National Honor Society at a ceremony at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on February 2.

Catholic Schools Week: Muffins for Mom

Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas had a big turnout for Muffins with Mom this morning as part of the Catholic Schools Week. Dozens of mothers found the time to meet casually with their children's teachers and classmates.

Catholic Schools Week: Oratory Competition

St. Patrick School on St. Croix held an Oratory Speech Competition in St. Gerard Hall on February 2. Amyah Estrill won first, Aleeyah Milligan won second and M’Kaila Caines won third place.

Military Promotion

Father Alejandro Sanchez, a priest of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands serving as a chaplain to the National Guard in Puerto Rico, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel on February 1. He is presently on assignment in Kosovo.

Catholic Schools Week: Shadow Day

Basil Williams, head of St. Mary School on St. Croix, met his shadow, Devante Bailey, on Shadow Day, February 1.

Catholic Schools Week: Career Day

St. Patrick School on St. Croix celebrating Career Day on February 1 during Catholic Schools Week. Pictured left, third grader Markeymah Cargile wants to become a ballerina.

Marva O'Neal's first graders and kindergarten students came to school wearing the uniforms of their intended professions.