KEYS AND SWORD EVENT3 (1.) Bishop Bevard presents medallion of the Knight of the Order of St....

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M ar ch 2014 | c at h o l i c v i . c om

KEYS AND SWORD EVENTHonoring two individuals for their service to the diocese

LOCAL NEWS

March for LifeLENT 2014

Lenten DevotionsJOURNEY OF FAITH

Knolly Beazer

From the Bishop’s Desk

The Catholic Islander / March 2014 / www.catholicvi.com2

The Magazine of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands Most Reverend Herbert BevardPUBLISHER

Father John Matthew FewelEDITOR

Sarah Jane von HaackMANAGING EDITOR

Jenny BisGRAPHIC DESIGNER

Charlotte BanksLillia KingADVERTISING

Bernetia AkinPROOFREADING

Deacon Emith FluddCIRCULATION

Brother James Petrait, OSFSWEBMASTER

www.FAITHcatholic.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

4 local news

6 spotlight on youth

8 special report

10 march for life March for Life in Washington, D.C.

12 journey of faith Knolly Beazer.

14 lenten devotions Ash Wednesday and Stations of the Cross.

15 reflection Does God know everything?

16 theology 101 The Second Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain.

18 in the know with father joe My parish closed and I hate the changes.

19 spiritual fitness The touch of the master’s hand.

20 world news

22 parish calendars

PLEASE SUBMIT news, digital photography and advertising for the April 2014 issue of The Catholic Islander by

MARCH 3, 2014Submit news and articles to: [email protected] advertisements to: [email protected]

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3Keys and Sword Event

his year’s Keys and Sword Award Benefit Gala drew a record crowd to fill the Grand Harbour Ballroom of the The Marriott Frenchman’s

Reef Hotel in Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands. Honorees Mr. Athniel C. Ottley and Mr. Jean A. Dragin welcomed family and visitors from far and near to join members of the Diocese of St. Thomas for what has become the signature event of the year, hosted by His Excellency, Bishop Herbert A. Bevard on behalf of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.

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(1.) Bishop Bevard presents medallion of the Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great as honoree Sir Athniel C. Ottley looks on. He also was given a certificate and portrait (not shown in photo). (2.) Bishop Bevard presents Sir Jean Dragin with the Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great medallion, certificate and portrait. (3.) Bishop Bevard’s guests at the Keys and Sword event (l-r) Fr. Frank Foley, Bishop Bevard, Mrs. Kanchan Hemrajani, Mr. Tony Hemrajani and Bishop Michael Duca. (4.) Keys and Sword co-chairs Charlotte Banks (standing) and Lillia King (seated). (5.) (l-r) Father Frank Foley, Lillia King, Bishop Herbert Bevard, Charlotte Banks, Raiyna Lanclos, Bishop Michael Duca and James Hague (a Knight of Columbus and escort to Bishop Bevard). (6.) Lt. Governor Gregory Francis and Mrs. Cheryl Francis. (7.) His Excellency, Bishop Emeritus Elliott G. Thomas, former bishop of the Diocese of St. Thomas. (8.) Francis Callwood entertains the guests during the dinner hour.

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Local News

Festival of Santo Nino de CebuSunday, January 19 was a day of festivity and jubilation for all of St. Thomas, especially the Filipino community, as the Festival of Santo Nino de Cebu was celebrated at the cathedral. Visiting prelate of the Diocese of Cabalyog in the Philippines, Msgr. George To-michek, concelebrated Mass with His Excellency, Bishop Herbert Bevard. Afterward, Bishop Bevard presented a check for $15,000 to Msgr. Tomichek to aid in the recovery of the Diocese of Cabalyog, which recently was hit hard by a devastating typhoon. The money was raised among the people of parishes in the Virgin Islands.

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Family Fun Day In mid-January, Holy Family Church’s Family Fun Day activities were held at the UVI Golf Course.

Prison Ministry Bishop Herbert Bevard and Frank Kearney stand outside Golden Grove Prison on St. Croix, where Bishop Bevard recently offered Mass. On both St. Croix and St. Thomas, the bishop has encouraged and laid the groundwork for expansion and enhancement of Catholic ministries to those incarcerated and isolated from their families in the criminal justice system of the Virgin Islands.

ViNGN Digital Literacy Course On December 12, 2013, a ceremony was held at St. Patrick’s Learning Center for adult participants who completed the ViNGN Digital Literacy Course. (l-r) Stennett Dariah (ViNGN coordinator), Sister Claina Letang (program coordinator), with participants. Anastasia Doward, president of the St. Patrick’s Alumni Association, was on hand to present certificates to participants.

To see more photos of the Diocese of St. Thomas participants at the March for Life, see pages 10-11.

Catholic Charities’ March Food Drive

Please collect the following items at your church, school or workplace and bring them to Catholic Charities:

Non-perishable food items, such as canned meat, powdered milk, rice and lentils Children’s clothing and diapers Paper towels and napkins

Protection of Children

The Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands is committed to protecting children from all

harm. If you have knowledge of any church worker who may have

abused a minor, please contact the diocesan child protection coordinator, Callista Julien, at

340.778 0484 or 340.772 4214.


Spotlight on Youth

St. Joseph High School The end of Catholic Schools Week took place on Friday, January 31, when the students, teachers and some parents took part in the annual 5-mile Walkathon. Everyone assembled at the Frederiksted Fish Market at 7:30 a.m. After a short downpour and opening prayer, they were under way around 8 a.m. when the police escorts arrived. The walk began by passing through Frederiksted town and was marked by some more rain while going by the Oscar Henry Customs House. As the walk continued, with the beautiful scenery of the sea and sandy beaches on the left side, some more rain had everyone seeking shelter for a few minutes, but then the walkers continued to the end, which was near the sub sonar base. Then the walkers returned to the Frederiksted Fish Market, which was the four-mile point and added another mile by walking to the Vincent Mason Resort, located next to the Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge. During the several hours at the resort, lunch was served and some students and faculty played volleyball and some students enjoyed the beach and the water.

Sts. Peter and Paul School Awards displayed with pride by students during culminating festivities of Catholic Schools Week show the fruits of hard work and love of learning. Principal Samuel Belmar handed out certificates and praise to members of the student body of Sts. Peter and Paul School on Thursday, January 29. Closing the afternoon program was a presentation by the members of the Annual March for Life delegation: students, clergy, parents and teachers, who braved the record extreme cold of the Northeast in order to support the cause for justice for the unborn.

Catholic Schools Week

¡Buenas Noticias!

La fiesta de Ntra. Sra. de la Altagracia patrona de la República Dominicana se celebró en la iglesia de San José el domingo 19 de enero durante la misa de las 10:00 a.m. Nuestras felicidades a todos los dominicanos. Después de la misa tuvimos un compartir en el Salón de Hospitalidad.

Protección de niños

La Diócesis de Sto. Tomás en las Islas Vírgenes está comprometida a proteger a los niños de todo daño. Si Ud tiene conocimiento de algún empleado de la iglesia que haya abusado de algún menor, favor de comunicarse

inmediatamente con la Coordinadora Diocesana de la Protección de los Niños, Calista Julien, al 340.778.0484 or 340.772.4214.

Eventos Mensuales

• Oración Carismática • Las oraciones en español se ofrecen

en el Salón de Hospitalidad de la Catedral de San Pedro y san Pablo

los lunes a las 6 p.m.

• La Ultreya • Los jueves después de la misa de

las 7 p.m. los cursillistas tienen su Ultreta. Las reunions en el trailer, en la oficina del Movimiento de

Cursillos, y son en español.

• Legión de María • El presidium hispano María,

Arca de la Alianza se reúne en el Salón de Hospitalidad de la Catedral

de San Pedro y San Pablo los domingos a las 2 p.m.

• Nueva Misa en Español • La iglesia Nuestra Señora del

Carmen de la isla de Saint John está ofreciendo una misa en español todos los domingos a las 6 p.m. El celebrante oficial es el padre

Eduardo Ortiz Santiago, párroco de la comunidad hispana de la catedral.

• Oración y Reflexión • Se reza el Santo Rosario y se

comparten las reflexiones de las lecturas del domingo siguiente, en la iglesia de Holy Cross los martes

alternados a las 7 p.m. Las reuniones son en español.

• Rosario por los no nacidos • La iglesia de San José invita a los

rosarios bilingües en español e inglés por los no nacidos todos los viernes

a la 6 p.m.

• Santo Niño • En la iglesia de San José se rezan las devociones del Santo Niño (el Santo Niño Jesús) los primeros sábados de cada mes a las 4:30 p.m. Durante este

tiempo se ofrecen confesiones.

Lleva tu cámara digital a la iglesia! E-mail tus imágenes de la parroquia o eventos de la escuela a [email protected]

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Canonization ofJOHN PAUL II AND JOHN XXIII

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Special Report

John Paul IIKarol Józef Wojtyła was born on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland. On October 16, 1978, he became

John Paul II, the first Polish pope and the first non-Italian pope since 1522. By the time of his death on April 2, 2005, he was one of the longest serving popes in history.

One of the most influential leaders of the 20th century, John Paul II was instrumen-tal in bringing an end to Communist rule both in Poland and the whole of Europe. His pontificate also was marked by tremen-

dous strides in ecumenism and interreli-gious dialogue, as he was the first pope to visit both a mosque and a synagogue.

At his funeral in 2005, the faithful filled St. Peter’s Square with banners and shouts of “Santo subito,” or “Sainthood now.” In response, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI waived the traditional five-year waiting pe-riod for the canonization process to begin.

John Paul II was proclaimed “Venera-ble” on December 19, 2009. He was beati-fied on May 1, 2011, on the feast of Divine Mercy. His beatification is the fastest on

On July 5, 2013, the day that his first encyclical, Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith), was released, Pope Francis approved the canonization of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII. After signing decrees from the Congregation for the Causes of

Saints, he immediately called for a consistory of cardinals to set the date and make plans for the ceremonies. The canonizations could very well take place at the same

time. Pope Francis indicated in an interview following World Youth Day that one date being considered is the first Sunday after Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, on April 27, 2014.

The Pontificate of John Paul II by the Numbers ...

People beatified Saints canonized Encyclicals promulgatedForeign trips made Languages spoken

1342483

14104

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Reuters©

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The Path to Sainthood at a Glance…The current procedure for causes of beatification and canonization can be found in the Apostolic Constitution Divinus Perfectionis Magister promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1983. The various stages leading to canonization are as follows:

Servant of GodThe process can begin after at least

five years have passed since the death of the candidate and involves a diocesan level investigation into the candidate’s exercise of Christian virtues considered heroic. At this point, the candidate can be called Servant of God.

VenerableThe investigation is passed on to the

Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. After a summary report obtains the necessary votes of nine reviewing theologians, the cause is passed on for examination by cardinals and bishops of the Congregation. A recommendation then is made to the pope that he issue a proclamation of the candidate’s heroic virtue. From the point of the pope’s proclamation, the candidate is referred to by the title of Venerable.

Blessed (Martyrs)In the case of a martyr, the Prefect

of the Congregation presents the results of the investigation to the pope, who gives his approval and authorizes the Congregation to draft the relative decree of beatification. The public reading and promulgation of the decree of beatification grants the candidate the title of Blessed.

Blessed (Confessors)If the candidate was not a martyr but

rather a confessor who died peacefully after a life of heroic virtue, a miracle attributable to the intercession of the candidate after his or her death is necessary. If the miracle is verified, a second decree is promulgated that with the decree on heroic virtue grants the candidate the title of Blessed.

SaintIn order for the Blessed to be canon-

ized and acquire the title of Saint, another miracle is required and must have occurred after his or her beatification.

record, coming a little more than six years after his death and beating out Mother Teresa's record beatification in 2003 by a few days.

The required second miracle for canon-ization was certified as authentic by Pope Francis on July 5, 2013. According to a report from Catholic World News, the second miracle attributed to John Paul II reportedly involves a Costa Rican woman, who was cured of a cerebral aneurism on May 1, 2011, the date of the beatification of John Paul II.

John XXIII Born the son of Italian share-croppers and one of thirteen children, Angelo Guiseppe

Roncalli (November 25, 1881 – June 3, 1963) was ordained a priest in 1904 and went on to serve in various posts such as papal nuncio in several countries. He was elected pope on October 28, 1958, at the age of seventy-seven. Because of his age, many expected him to be a “stop gap” pope, but things did not turn out that way.

Things got interesting right away with the man that would become affectionately known as “Good Pope John.” The fact that he chose the name John was significant because he was the first to do so in more than 500 years. Other popes had avoided the name because of the antipope John XXIII (1410-1415).

His decision on December 25, 1958, to visit children infected with polio at a hospital in Rome made him the first pope to make pastoral visits in the Diocese of Rome since 1870. He followed this visit with a trip to a Roman prison the very next day. He also had a habit of sneaking out of the Vatican late at night in order to walk the streets of Rome. This behavior earned him the name, “Johnny Walker.”

Administratively, he convoked a Roman Synod and established the Commission for the Revision of the Code of Canon Law. However, the calling of the Second Vatican Council was by far the greatest surprise of his papacy.

John XXIII made the call for the ecu-menical council less than three months af-ter his election on January 25, 1959. He had no detailed plan other than a very general idea of aggiornamento and a desire to seek Christian unity. He formally summoned

Notable Notes

On September 3, 2000, John Paul II made John XXIII the first pope since Pius X (1903-1914) to be declared “Blessed.”

John XXIII composed two encyclicals: Mater et Magistra and Pacem in Terris.

John XXIII offered to mediate between John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khruschev during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

From his early teens, John XXIII maintained a diary of spiritual reflections that was subsequently published as Journal of a Soul.

the council on December 25, 1961. He was beatified on September 3, 2000.

Interestingly, Pope Francis then waived the requirement for a second miracle on July 5 of this year to clear the way for John XXIII’s canonization. According to Catholic News Agency, Vatican spokes-man Father Federico Lombardi explained that the move “is something that is in the power of the pope; it's not something par-ticularly special ... For example, martyrs are beatified without any miracle, which means that miracles, because of tradition and theology, are commonly requested, but it's not an absolute necessity.”

The calling of the Second Vatican

Council was by far the greatest surprise

of his papacy.-On John XXIII

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March for Life

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March for Life in Washington, D.C.

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(1.) Father Eduardo with a group on their way to the March for Life. (2.) Huddled against the bitter cold behind the Bound 4 Life banner, Virgin Islands marchers sport bright orange, insulated hats for warmth and easy identification in the immense crowds at this year’s march. (3.) Bishop Herbert Bevard processes at the Opening Mass of the March for Life in Washington, DC. (4.) A March for Life participant from St. Joseph High School gives a presentation during the assembly at the school the week after the March in Washington, D.C. (5.) Bishop Bevard with brother bishops listens to Cardinal Sean O’Malley’s homily at the opening Mass of the March for Life.

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Knolly’s journey began in his childhood in Antigua, where he was born. “My mother went to Mass every day,” he said, “and she took my sisters and my brother and me. We would go daily at 6:30 in the morning. On Sunday, we had a break and would go at 9:30, but we would also do Sunday school in the afternoon and evening Benediction.” This routine would instill in Knolly a love of the sacraments and knowledge of the Mass and the seasons of the Church. It also would inspire a vocation in his family, as his older

sister joined the Franciscan Handmaids of Mary in New York.

Knolly left for St. Thomas in 1955 with a letter of recommendation from his par-ish priest. He traveled to Tortola, where he stayed while working out his emigration. “I had my letter from the priest, and I got a job working with the building of St. William’s Church in Tortola,” Knolly said. “I did a good job and when I came to St. Thomas, a priest said to me ‘You’ll be hearing from us,’ but I didn’t know what it meant at the time.”

Journey of Faith

here aren’t many people who can say they served four bishops in a row, including the first bishop of a diocese, but Knolly Beazer can say that and more. For more than five decades, Knolly was the sacristan

at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul – before it was a cathedral, before even the Virgin Islands was its own diocese. He is very humble about his life’s work, though. “Asking me to work in a church was something that I was accustomed to doing,” Knolly said, “because I would go to church every day ... you [just] have to learn the reins of what to do for each Mass.”

Knolly Beazer

In 1958, Knolly got a call from the priest. The sacristan at Sts. Peter and Paul had decided to pursue a vocation to the priesthood, and the church was in need of someone to fill the role. The job of a sac-ristan is to prepare for the Mass, which in-cludes laying out the vestments, the books and the items used in the celebration of the Mass. Knolly’s experience with daily Mass made him an ideal candidate.

“It really wasn’t hard for me because it’s a matter of teaching you how to set up for Mass,” Knolly explained, “and if you didn’t have an alter server, you had to be able to serve the Mass.”

“At the time,” he said, “Sts. Peter and Paul wasn’t the cathedral. The seat of the bishop was in San Juan. The church was a parish and I had to adjust to how things were done there.” Every Mass at Sts. Peter and Paul was celebrated as a high Mass, where the parts of the Mass were sung. Luckily for Knolly, he was a part of the choir on Antigua. He appreciated that his new job required him to have a deeper understanding of Latin.

In 1977, St. Thomas was elevated to a diocese. “Everybody was very proud,” he recalled. “[The church] was growing be-cause a lot of people were coming from the eastern Caribbean to St. Thomas for work, and now we had our own bishop – Bishop Edward Harper.”

When asked if his role changed once the diocese had been established, Knolly was characteristically humble. “No, it was not very different for me,” he said, “We still did Masses, and the bishops were all very nice men.”

Over the years, Knolly has worked for all four bishops. He was awarded a Papal Knighthood, to the Order of St. Gregory, for his life’s work. This rare recognition goes to someone for his personal service to the church. Knolly laughed modestly and said that, as far as he knows, he’s the only one on St. Thomas to have the knighthood. Today, Knolly lives just steps from the cathedral. He still attends Mass, though he has been retired from his sacristan duties for some time. Knolly continues to point to his moth-er and the example she set from his child-hood as the driving force behind his faith.

By Paul McAvoy

Editor’s note: During the Keys and Sword Gala held at the Frenchman’s Reef Marriott Hotel, on February 1, 2014, two new Papal Knights of St. Gregory were announced by Bishop Bevard. This year’s honorees – Mr. Athniel Ottley and Mr. Jean Dragin – were knighted by Holy Father Pope Francis for their years of service to the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.

Abide in love when persecuted

t. Cyril of Jerusalem (315–386) lived in a time of continuous conflict due to heresies and

the enemies created by these heresies. Caught in the many power

struggles between Arians (those who believed Jesus was not divine or one with the Father) and those remaining faithful to the church’s teaching, Cyril was exiled multiple times from Jerusalem, where he was bishop. One period of exile from his native Jerusalem lasted 11 years.

While St. Cyril could have responded to his many exiles with anger and a spirit of vengeance, he chose to focus on the heal-ing power of forgiveness and the Holy Spirit. He truly believed forgiveness holds the power to turn those in pain toward the light of God – and he lived this belief. Throughout his exiles, he never wrote anything negative or showed ill will toward those who wronged him.

In short, Cyril sought to be like Christ, who maintained his faith and forgave all those who betrayed him and engaged in his execution. When encountering persecution, Jesus, and St. Cyril, did not repay violence with violence – did not re-pay sin with sin. Instead, as Cyril writes, “I gave my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to blows; and my face I did not shield from the shame of spitting.” He decided, like Christ, to abide in love, thereby breaking the chain of hate.

PHOTO ▶ Wikipedia©Saint Cyril of Jerusalem; Greek fresco; 14th century.

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Cy r i l o f J e r u s a l e m | M a r c h 1 8

Saint of the Month

A family member posted a private

matter on FacebookWe are having some problems with one of our children. Another family member posted it on Facebook – asking for prayers. I really wanted this kept private – how do I respond?

Facebook as well as the other social networks were created to give people the power to share with family, friends and business associates their concerns and their feelings. In your situation, your family member posted a prayer request for your child via a social network without your consent.

Matthew 18:15 reminds that when we feel offended we must first sit down with the one who has offended us. Discuss with your family member that the boundaries and content of what is considered “private” differ among individuals. Relay your desire for privacy. Acknowledge your gratitude for the good intention however, help your family member understand that the means used were not necessarily the best.

You and your family may want to visit Facebook’s policy page www.facebook.com/policy.php and review the privacy settings together.

By Dr. Gelasia Marquez, a psychologist and family counselor.

Conflict Resolution

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Ash WednesdayAsh Wednesday is on March 5 this year. Ashes will be imposed at the following Masses:

St. Thomas▶ Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, 7 a.m.,

8:30 a.m. (School Mass), 12:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. (Spanish)

▶ Holy Family Church, 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.▶ All Faiths Chapel at Schneider Regional

Medical Center, 10 a.m.▶ Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church,

Novena 6:15 p.m. Mass 6:30 p.m.▶ St. Anne Chapel, 7:30 p.m.

St. Croix▶ The Herbert Grigg Home for the Aged,

10:30 a.m.▶ Holy Cross Church, 6:30 a.m., 8:15 a.m.,

noon and 6 p.m.▶ St. Ann Church, 6:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 3 p.m. (Children’s Service) and 7 p.m.▶ St. Joseph Church, 6:30 a.m. (English), 8 a.m. (School Mass) and 7 p.m. (bilingual)▶ St. Patrick Church, 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., noon and 6 p.m.

St. John▶ Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 7 a.m.,

12:15 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Lenten regulationsAbstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years and older on Ash Wednesday, March 5, and on all Fridays of Lent.

In addition, fasting is to be observed on both Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, March 18, by all Catholics who are 18 to 59 years old. Those bound by this may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted, if necessary, to maintain strength according to one’s needs, but eating solid food between meals is prohibited.

Stations of the CrossThe Stations of the Cross will be prayed at all parishes on the Fridays of Lent:

St. Thomas▶ Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, 5:30 p.m.

(English) and 6:30 p.m. (Spanish)▶ Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church,

6 p.m., followed by Eucharistic Adoration and Mass at 7 p.m. ▶ Holy Family Church, 6 p.m., Eucharistic

Adoration, Benediction and Stations of the Cross, followed by Mass at 7 p.m.

▶ St. Anne Chapel, 6 p.m., Eucharistic Adoration, Benediction and Stations of the Cross, followed by Mass at 7 p.m.

St. Croix▶ St. Patrick Church, 1:30 p.m. (Students)

and 7 p.m. (Parishioners)▶ St. Ann Church, 5:30 p.m.▶ St. Joseph Church, 6:30 p.m. (bilingual),

followed by Eucharistic Adoration▶ Holy Cross Church, 6:30 p.m.▶ Sacred Heart Chapel, 7 p.m. (Spanish)

St. John▶ Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 7 p.m.,

followed by Mass

Lent 2014

Lenten Devotions

The latest diocesan news and photographs,

updated twice weekly!catholicislanderplus.blogspot.com

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Does being omniscient also mean that God knows whether we will go to heaven or to hell? If this is true – and it is – then why does God permit or allow a person to go to hell, which is total separation from God for all eternity?

Scholars have struggled with such questions for many centuries. John Calvin, a French theologian, left the Catholic Church around 1530. He ended up in Switzerland and his followers were called Calvinists. Calvinists believe that God predetermines whether a person will go to heaven or hell. This doctrine has come to be known as predestination.

The Catholic Church stands in direct opposition to this belief. While it is true that God knows our final destination, we do not. That is why we do our best to live lives in conformity with the teachings of Christ; to love God and our neighbor. It is not predetermined wheth-

Does God Know Everything?

ou may remember from your re-ligion classes that God is omni-scient. What this means is that God is all-knowing. God knows

when the next tsunami or hurricane will occur. God knows if there is going to be a cure for cancer or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). God even knows what the end of our lives will be like – whether we will have a quick death or a long, slow decline.

Reflectioner we are going to be a good person or a person who continually chooses to do evil. We can freely choose how we are going to act.

Cain had a choice when he killed his brother, Abel. King David had a choice when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then or-dered her husband killed on the battlefield. Judas had a choice when he betrayed Jesus and then took his own life in despair.

The saga of King David is parable for us. While David sinned gravely, his adultery and act of murder are not the end of the story. He returned to God in sincere repentance for his acts. God wel-comed him back and forgave his sins. David went on to become a righteous king in the sight of God and the people he served.

The same would have happened in the life of Judas, had Judas the courage to admit his wrong, forgive himself and return to God. Per-haps he thought his betrayal of Jesus was too great a sin and that he could never picture himself back in God’s good favor. Or, more likely, he was afraid of what other people would think of him. That was Judas’ great miscalculation. Our mistakes do not determine our final desti-nation. It is what we do after we make a mistake that determines our future. If we continually choose to live outside of God’s love, then we have made our decision as to where we will live our eternity. We are not predestined to any one way of life. It is determined by our own free will.

We know that our environment has much to do with the deci-sions we make and that many of these factors are beyond our con-trol. God knows these conditions and challenges better than anyone. God knows all about the self-described “gangsters” who drive the sleekest motorcycles and newest cars and pose as role models for our youth. God is aware of the desperation of people who are forced to live in poverty or who are separated from family or societal support. God knows all about the corruption at the top that can so effectively and quickly destroy lives below. And yet, the love of God cannot be eclipsed; except, perhaps, by the mercy of God.

I’ll end with a story of St. Francis de Sales, one of our greatest saints. Francis was a young man of 17 when he heard of John Cal-vin’s doctrine of predestination. He convinced himself that he was eternally damned to hell. This erroneous belief so affected him that he had to be confined to bed. He was sick for two years, but, gradu-ally, through reading Scripture, he discovered the God of love. Love, Francis learned, wants the best for others. Love would never aban-don someone like him to hell. When Francis recovered his health, he studied to become a priest; eventually, he became the bishop of Ge-neva, Switzerland. He spent the rest of his life gently teaching anyone who would listen that God never gives up on us.

Cain’s famous response to God questioning him about his broth-er was to ask if he was his “brother’s keeper.” We know the correct answer is “yes.” When we discover the best means available to us to educate our sisters and brothers and help clear the obstacles from their paths, then we are truly doing God’s work in the world.

Nothing is stronger than God’s love and no one has determined where we will live our eternity. As St. Alphonsus liked to say, “As long as there is breath, there is hope.” May we use the time we have left to reach back to our roots and pull up someone with us. It is our highest calling in life.

Father Kevin MacDonald, CSsR, is a priest in residence at St. Patrick Church, in Frederiksted. When he is not on St. Croix Father maintains a busy schedule preaching missions and retreats, logging thousands of miles annually traveling to parishes, retreat, and religious houses on the US mainland and abroad. To contact Fr. MacDonald, call St. Patrick Church, 340.772.1038.

By Father Kevin MacDonald, CSsR

The rhythm of the spiritual life is as follows: we first receive, and then we re-spond. Not surprisingly, the “ten words,” or the Decalogue, follow this same pat-tern. The gift of the Ten Commandments “is the gift of God Himself and His holy will.” Specifically, the “10 words” are the words of God that “point out the con-ditions of a life freed from the slavery of sin.” They show us a path of life that sums up and proclaims God’s law and will “make explicit the response of love that man is called to give to his God.”

The second gift: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

The “second word” refers to the gift of God’s name and reveals to us that this name is holy. This revelation is an act of intimacy and trust on God’s part as He “confides His name to those who believe in Him” in all its mystery. In addition, the “second word” reveals to us that not only is God’s name sacred, but that each of our own names also is sacred.

The proper responseFirst and foremost, the name is “the

icon of the person” that demands re-spect “as a sign of the dignity of the one who bears it.” Consequently, the proper response to the gift of receiving God’s name is the response of respect for it. Be-cause the Lord’s name is holy, we “must not abuse it. [We] must keep it in mind in silent, loving adoration. [We] will not introduce it into [our] own speech ex-cept to bless, praise and glorify it.”

The way of lifeThe Second Commandment teaches us

that the way of life demands that we bold-ly confess our faith, preaching and cate-chizing in a manner that clearly reflects “adoration and respect for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What’s more, we are taught that when we make promises in God’s name to others, we actually “en-gage the divine honor, fidelity, truthful-ness and authority” of God. This means that such promises must be respected be-cause our failure to keep them impugns God, making God out to be a liar of sorts.

The commandment makes the re-

Theology 101

The Second Commandment: You shall not take the name

of the Lord in vain

have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life,

then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God,

obeying His voice, and holding fast to Him.” (Dt 30:19-20)


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The Second Commandment

teaches us that the way of life demands

that we boldly confess our faith, preaching and catechizing in a manner that clearly

reflects ‘adoration and respect for the name of our Lord

Jesus Christ.’”

Bible geography facts

The Red SeaThe Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian

Ocean between Africa and Asia that has played an important navigational role since ancient times. The world’s most northern tropical sea, it has a surface area of approximately 174,000 square miles and is more than 190 miles wide at its widest point. It has a maximum depth of 8,200 feet, but its average depth is 1,640 feet. However, there are also extensive shallow shelves that showcase many of the more than 1,000 species of fish and 200 corals found in the sea, some of which are between 5,000 and 7,000 years old.

The Red Sea is famously associated with the Book of Exodus’ account of Moses leading the Israelites out of slav-ery miraculously through the sea in or-der to escape the pursuing Egyptians. In particular, this association comes from the Septuagint (Greek) trans-lation of the Book of Exodus. There the Hebrew Yam suph (meaning Reed Sea) is translated to the Greek Erythra Thalassa (meaning Red Sea). Interest-ingly enough, Yam Suph is the name for the Red Sea in modern Hebrew.

Did you know?The Red Sea is one of the most

saline water bodies in the world, due to several factors:

1) high rate of evaporation and very little precipitation;

2) a lack of significant rivers or streams draining into the sea; and

3) limited connection with the Indian Ocean (and its lower water salinity).

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jection of all false oaths a duty toward God. This is because God is the norm of all truth. Consequently, all human speech “is either in accord with or in opposition to God who is Truth itself.” For this reason, the way of life presented to us by Christ admonishes us with the following: “Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne … Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.” (Mt 5:33-34, 37)

This is not to say that we cannot make an oath “for grave and right reasons (for example, in court).” It does mean, how-ever, that such oaths must be made in truth and justice and never for trivial matters or for bolstering an authority that is unjustly requiring the oath.

The way of deathIn contrast, the way of death is further

revealed by this commandment. The “second word” shows us that the way of death includes an improper response to the great gift of God’s revelation of His most holy name. Most seriously, this improper response is constituted by an act of blasphemy. Blasphemy concerns an act of “uttering against God – in-wardly or outwardly – words of hatred, reproach or defiance; in speaking ill of God; in failing in respect toward Him in one’s speech; in misusing God’s name.”

The offense of blasphemy also extends to uttering against the Church, the saints and sacred things. In addition, this grave sin includes using God’s name to “cover up criminal practices, to reduce peoples to servitude, to torture persons or put them to death,” as each of these types of acts can cause others to repudiate religion.

While blasphemy is clearly the most seri-ous offense against the Second Command-ment, there are other dangers. For example, oaths that misuse God’s name without in-tending blasphemy and the magical use of the Lord’s name can both lead us to perdi-tion and so should be avoided. – Quotes are from the Catechism (2059, 2083, and 2142-2159) unless otherwise noted.

The story of the Israelites’ journey from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land has a large cast of characters. Test your knowledge of biblical figures and name this person:

He was Moses’ first-born son whose name

reflected the “strange” feeling of his immigrant father.

Gershom (literally, “I am a stranger in a

foreign land”).

QUIZ!

By Doug Culp, the CAO of the secretariat for pastoral life at the Diocese of Lexington, Ky.


What a beautiful heart you must have – to be so honest in both

your desire to do what’s right and in your recognizing your limitations. I think I can help you here, so let’s get to it.

First of all, you are right, we are sup-posed to evangelize. One of the first things Jesus says after his resurrection is what’s called a “commissioning statement.” The disciples are commissioned to go and tell people the good news!

But how do we do it? I’ve got some “rules” to help us with evangelizing.

Rule 1: Share as you are, not as you aren’t.God created you. Your personality is

not simply a result of social conditioning or environment. When you were in your mother’s womb, God created you. So, the personality you have is a direct result of divine intervention in the world – use that personality as your guide to how to evangelize. If you are a quiet, shy sort, then God is probably not calling you to stand on a chair and shout Scriptures at people as they walk by. If you are a person who loves humor and a large social circle, then God wants you to use that humor and those social skills.

Rule 2: Lack of knowledge is one of the most easily cured problems to run into.

With all the forms of communication available to us, we can find out almost anything we need to know in order to be knowledgeable people. We can read, we can learn. Beyond that, there are also some amazing podcasts out there that you can listen to and learn a lot. There are so many great choices! We can literally inun-date ourselves with Catholic information and inspiration.

Rule 3: It’s the everyday little things. For a lot of us, the problem can be that

when we think “evangelize,” we think of

In the Know with Father Joe

How am I supposed to evangelize?

Q: Dear Father Joe: I know we are supposed to evangelize, but I don’t know what to do. I’m rather shy and I don’t feel like I know much about the faith.

Besides that, I know I am a bad example at times. What do I do?

extensive travel or loud preaching. Some people are called to missionary evangeli-zation, but if you have a job and family, odds are that God is calling you to evange-lize in your everyday life. Start at home by treating your spouse with respect and hon-or. Treat your kids like the treasures they are – show them the importance and value of faith. At work, be on time, work hard, avoid gossip, be kind to the outcasts – all of these things are forms of evangelization.

Rule 4: It’s not for the perfect, it’s for the flawed.

Sometimes, I think we worry about the fact that we are sinners, but our evange-lization is like sharing with others why we like our doctor. She helped heal us when we were sick. Our faith is the same: we know we are sinners and what we’ve found is that there simply is nothing bet-ter than Jesus to heal our wounds. We can evangelize more through our repentance than we can through our perfection. Ad-mit when you are wrong. Ask forgiveness of those you have wounded, intentionally or unintentionally.

Rule 5: It can never be just you. You need accountability and communi-

ty. God didn’t create us to be Lone Rangers (unless you are the Lone Ranger, in which case, I loved your show). God created us to work together in and through community. Pope John Paul II wrote about this in his encyclical about the New Evangelization, and Bishop Boyea wrote about it in his pastoral letter – check them out!

Rule 6: If we don’t base our evangelization on a solid prayer life, we will fail.

The Holy Spirit can and will speak to us: if we haven’t practiced listening, how will we know? Our day should start with prayer and continue with prayer. We should allow God to move in and through

us, guiding our words and actions. Just a few moments in quiet to start our day will make a big difference.

This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but to serve as a guide. I hope it helps you. I want to offer a couple points for those moments when our evangelization turns specific. What to do when someone explic-itly asks us about our faith?

First, tell your story. Tell them why your Catholic faith is important to you. Don’t try to convert them to your ideology or po-litical leanings, bring them to Jesus. He’ll take care of the rest.

Invite them to Mass with you. Make it a package deal: “Hey, how about you and your family come to the 9 a.m. Mass with me this Sunday? You can come by after-ward for a brunch.”

When you are asked a question and you don’t know the answer, don’t be ashamed or get frustrated: simply say “Wow, I don’t know that one either; I’ll be sure and check it out!” The fact that you are honest about what you know or don’t know can be a good message to the person you are evangelizing.

There’s a whole world of people who need Jesus: Get out there and tell them about him!

And enjoy another day in God’s presence.

By Father Joe Krupp

In the Know with Father Joe

19

I never have had any occasion to use that poem formally. But recently I received a letter from a woman in prison. She had received from a friend a copy of my arti-cle on forgiveness and wrote to me about her life and her difficult circumstances ... I began to pray for her. This morning when I awoke, that poem, dormant in my brain for 60 years, came to life. I realized God was inspiring me and urging me to speak to her and to all of you who read this column of the immense love God has for us even when we have been guilty of

serious sin.Many of you reading this article have

known the terrible mistakes we can make – and deeply regret. We can harbor the wrong done to us that causes us to become hard and sour and bitter. Either serious guilt and/or hardened hearts and bitter spirits can destroy us.

Jesus Christ died upon the cross to break the bonds of sin and death. We can be re-leased from the agony of our own sinful-ness and we can be set free from the effects of injustice committed against us.

The Touch of the Master’s Hand

When I was about 9 or 10, I was asked to memorize the poem, Touch of the Master’s Hand. It tells the tale of a battered old violin being auctioned – the

auctioneer originally asks for three dollars, but ups the price to $1,000 after an old man steps forward to

play beautiful music on it. When the crowd asks, “’…what changed its worth?’ Swift came the reply. ‘The touch of the Master’s hand!’”

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How do you receive such grace and freedom?1. Believe in faith that Christ’s death on

the cross broke the power of sin in your own life. Therefore, you can conquer the sin patterns and habits in your life, but not by your own strength or determi-nation. Instead, you must decide daily – sometimes hourly – whenever you are tempted to sin, that you will ask God’s grace to assist you, right now, to over-come the temptation.

2. Humble yourself before God frequently. “Lord, help me. Without you I perish!” That’s not drama – that is the reality of our situation on this earth. We have been given many gifts that can be used to better everything around us but, no matter how great or impressive those gifts might be, they cannot save us eternally. Only God can do that and he will for all those who put their trust and faith in him daily.

Jesus Christ wants to be the savior of each of us. But He never violates our free will. He waits to hear from us. He waits to hear us say, “Lord, save me or I will perish.” Remember the apostles in the storm who cried out to God to save them? They were professional fisherman. They had lived through lots of storms. They had the wisdom that comes from experience. But they were confront-ed with a storm much too big for them to handle. When they cried out to God to save them, he heard and answered. So will God do for you in the internal and external storms of life that threaten to “capsize” us.

When the Master touches our lives, he doesn’t just free us but He heals and restores and makes whole. That is why we are prepar-ing to celebrate Easter. When Jesus rose from the dead and showed us the power He had, not only over the storms of this life but the power to conquer eternal death. The Master wishes to touch your soul with a healing love that brings hope and peace and new life. May you know a most blessed Easter this year. May you know the touch of the Master’s hand.

Spritual Fitness

Believe in faith that Christ’s death on the

cross broke the power of sin in your own life.

By Sister Ann Shields

College debt a factor in men and women delaying entry to religious life

According to a CARA survey, 10 percent of those who took perpetual religious vows in the U.S. in 2013 said educational debt delayed their applica-tion to religious orders or institutes.

Opus Dei announces beatification date for Bishop del Portillo

The prelature of Opus Dei has announced that Bishop Alvaro del Portillo, the successor to Opus Dei founder St. Jose Maria Escriva, will be beatified September 27 in Madrid.

Court continues injunction protecting Little Sisters from HHS mandate

The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a three-sentence order affirming, for the time being, an injunction blocking enforce-ment of a mandate to provide contracep-tive coverage in employee health insurance against the Little Sisters of the Poor and the Christian Brothers benefits organization.

New app aims to enliven Scriptures, boost accessibility

The Truth & Life Dramatized Audio Bible New Testament App comes in free and paid versions. The free version contains a complete text of the Bible in the Revised Standard Second Catholic Edition and a full audio book of the Gospel of Mark.

Pope advances sainthood cause of Sisters of Charity of Quebec founder

Pope Francis advanced the sainthood causes of eight candidates, including Mother Marie Ann Marcelle Mallet, the founder of the Sisters of Charity of Quebec.

Hilton Foundation awards grant to Religious Retirement Office

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, named after the founding magnate of the Hilton hotel chain, has awarded a grant of $2.5 million to the National Religious Retirement Office.

Vatican is studying possible papal trip to South Korea

A papal trip to South Korea is being considered that would coincide with the fourth annual Asian Youth Day in Dae-jeon scheduled for August 10-17.

New Mexico judge rules in favor of assisted suicide

New Mexico Second Judicial District Judge Nan Nash ruled that mentally competent patients who are terminally ill have the right to a doctor who will end their lives. The states of Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont also allow doctor-assisted suicide.

Prelates say religious freedom extends to people who run businesses

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bish-ops filed an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the plaintiffs in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius.

World News

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Order of MaltaVirgin Islands Area

The Order of Malta is raising funds for His Excellency, Bishop Bevard’s

Catholic Scholarship Program through the sale of commemorative bricks. The bricks will be installed in the Rosary Garden at Our Lady

Of Perpetual Help Church. This is a great way to remember a loved one or express gratitude to

God for answering a prayer. Your message will last forever.

î Call 774.2166 for information


Catholic Daughters of AmericaCourt 2049 meets at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral’s Hospitality Lounge on the third Saturday of every month at 3 p.m.

Charismatic prayer▶ Prayers in Spanish are offered at Sts.

Peter and Paul Cathedral’s Hospitality Lounge on Mondays at 6 p.m.

▶ Holy Family Church holds evenings of charismatic prayer on Mondays at

7 p.m.

Divine Mercy Chaplet ▶ Altar servers from Sts. Peter and Paul

Cathedral and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church lead the Divine Mercy Chaplet at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral on Mondays at 3 p.m.

▶ The chaplet is prayed at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Tuesdays at 3 p.m.

Holy Hours/Eucharistic Adoration▶ St. Therese Chapel-Divine Mercy

Shrine has Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. until Benediction at 5:30 p.m. (Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.) and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. until Benediction at 1 p.m.

▶ Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church has Exposition on Tuesdays from 7:30 a.m. until Benediction at 6 p.m. and on Fridays at 6 p.m., followed by Mass at 7 p.m.

▶ Holy Family Church and St. Anne Chapel have Holy Hours with Exposition and Benediction on Fridays at 6 p.m., followed by Mass at 7 p.m.

Intercessory Prayer GroupA team is prepared to pray for the needs of all who ask at Holy Family Church on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

Knights of Columbus Council 6187 meets at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral’s Hospitality Lounge on the first and third Sunday of every month at 10 a.m.

Legion of Mary▶ Presidium María, Arca de la Alianza,

holds meetings in Spanish at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral’s Hospitality Lounge on Sundays at 2 p.m.

▶ Presidium Mary, Mystical Rose, meets in Holy Family Church’s classroom on Sundays at 3 p.m.

▶ Presidium Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces, meets in the St. Anne Chapel Hall on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.

MagnificatMagnificat, an international ministry to Catholic women, meets at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral’s Hospitality Lounge on the first Saturday of every month at 8 a.m.

Men’s prayer groupThe Sons of Joseph and Mary meet at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.

Our Lady of Fatima devotionThe Children of Mary lead a devotion to Our Lady of Fatima at Holy Family Church on the first Saturday of every month at 4 p.m.

Our Mother of Perpetual Help devotionsDevotions to Our Mother of Perpetual Help are prayed before Mass on Wednesdays at:▶ Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral at 6:45

a.m. and noon▶ Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church at

6:15 p.m.▶ Holy Family Church at 6:50 p.m.▶ St. Anne Chapel at 7 p.m.

Pro-lifeBound 4 Life USVI, the diocesan pro-life group, meets at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church every other week. There is also a pro-life Holy Hour and Mass at 6 p.m. on the first Friday of the month. For more information, visit Facebook.com/bound4lifeUSVI or call the OLPH Church office at 340.774.0885.

St. Thomas Calendar

Pro-life rosaryPray a pro-life rosary at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Wednesdays at 5:45 p.m.

Rosary walkSts. Peter and Paul Cathedral hosts a rosary walk on the first Saturday of every month at 7 a.m., followed by Mass at 7:30 a.m.

St. Joseph WorkersThe St. Joseph Workers meet at Holy Family Church’s Columban Hall on the second Sunday of every month at 9:30 a.m.

St. Vincent de Paul SocietyThe Young Vincentians meet on the third Sunday of every month at 11:30 a.m. The adult members meet on the fourth Saturday of every month at 3:30 p.m. Both groups meet in Holy Family Church’s classroom.

World Apostolate of FatimaThe World Apostolate of Fatima meets at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Thursdays at 7:30 a.m.

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23Advertise your business in The Catholic Islander! Call 340.774.3166, Ext. 213, for rates.


St. Croix Calendar

Adult education▶ The St. Patrick Alumni Association offers

an After School Tutorial Program, which is coordinated by Sister Claina Letang, ICM. They are now also operating as a Public Computer Center, which is part of the ViNGN Digital Literacy Program. It is open to the public during scheduled mornings to mid-day.

▶ The Religious of the Good Shepherd offer adult education classes in Spanish at the Good Shepherd Center Monday through Friday. These courses include Spanish writing, English as a Second Language and computer courses in Windows, Word, Excel and Internet.

Bible Study Holy Cross Church hosts Bible studies in McAlpin Hall on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9 a.m., following morning Mass.

Carmelite SpiritualityThe Our Lady Star of the Sea Community shares Carmelite spirituality in the St. Joseph Church Hospitality Lounge and Learning Center on the fourth Sunday of each month at 1 p.m.

Charismatic prayer▶ St. Patrick Church has charismatic

prayer in the chapel on the third Friday of each month at 6 p.m.

▶ St. Ann Church has charismatic prayer in Marian Hall on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

▶ The Cenacle of Our Lady of the Rosary Intercessory Prayer Group meets at the Franciscan House on Wednesdays at 10 p.m.

Cursillo prayer group The Cursillo Movement hosts a Spanish prayer meeting in the St. Michael Chapel at St. Joseph Church on the last Monday of every month at 7 p.m.

Cursillo UltreyaCursillo members meet for Ultreya in the Cursillo office at St. Joseph Church on Thursdays after the 7 p.m. Mass. Meetings are in Spanish.

Devotions to St. Gerard MajellaPray a devotion to St. Gerard Majella at Holy Cross Church on Tuesdays at 8:45 a.m.

Divine Mercy ChapletSt. Joseph Church hosts Divine Mercy

devotions on the fourth Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. The hour-long program includes the chaplet, prayers, adoration and teachings of the Divine Mercy by Father John Mark.

Franciscan spiritualityThe Our Lady of the Angels fraternity of the Third Order of St. Francis shares Franciscan spirituality at Franciscan House on the fourth Sunday of each month at 3 p.m.

Rosary Prayer GroupCenacle of Our Lady of the Rosary Prayer Group meets at 10 a.m

Holy Hours/Eucharistic Adoration▶ Holy Cross Church has Holy Hour

following the 8:15 a.m. Mass, followed by Eucharistic Adoration until 1 p.m., on the first Friday of every month.

▶ Holy Cross Church has Eucharistic Adoration with confession from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Friday.

▶ St. Patrick Church has a Holy Hour with Exposition and Benediction on Fridays after the 8 a.m. Mass.

▶ St. Patrick Church has a full day of Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays

▶ St. Ann Church has a Holy Hour with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, evening prayer and Benediction every Friday at 5:30 p.m. except First Friday, when holy Mass is celebrated at 5:30 p.m.

▶ St. Joseph Church has a full day of Eucharistic Adoration every Tuesday beginning with Holy Mass at 6:30 a.m. and concluding with Benediction at 6 p.m.

Knights of ColumbusHoly Cross Council 6482 meets at Holy Cross Church’s McAlpin Hall on the first and third Thursday of every month at 6 p.m.

Legion of MaryPresidium Mary, Our Lady of Grace, meets in the Holy Cross Church rectory on Saturdays at 4:30 p.m.

MagnificatMagnificat, an international ministry to Catholic women, meets at Franciscan House on the third Sunday of each month at 3 p.m.

Neo-Catechumenal WayThe Neo-Catechumenal Way leads a

Celebration of the Word at St. Joseph Church on Mondays and Thursdays at 7 p.m.

Our Mother of Perpetual Help devotionsDevotions to Our Mother of Perpetual Help are prayed at:▶ St. Patrick Church on Wednesdays at

6:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. ▶ Holy Cross Church on Wednesdays and

Saturdays at 8:45 a.m. ▶ St. Joseph Church on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

Rosary for the unbornSt. Joseph Church hosts a bilingual English/Spanish rosary for the unborn on Fridays at 6 p.m.

Santo NiñoSt. Joseph Church hosts devotions to the Santo Niño (the Holy Child Jesus) on the first Saturday of every month at 4:30 p.m. The sacrament of reconciliation is offered during this time.

Shepherds of Christ AssociatesThe Shepherds of Christ Associates meet for prayer in the St. Michael Chapel of St. Joseph Church on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and on the second and fourth Sunday of every month at 5 p.m.

Spanish prayer and reflectionPray the rosary and share reflections on the readings of the coming Sunday Mass at Holy Cross Church on alternate Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Meetings are in Spanish.

World Apostolate of FatimaThe World Apostolate of Fatima meets in the chapel at Holy Cross Church on Tuesdays at 5 p.m.

Need spiritual direction? Sister Patricia Alexander, W.I.F., is available for spiritual direction at Franciscan House on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Call 340.778.5773 for an appointment.

Deacon Hyacinthe George is available for prayer and counseling at St. Ann Chapel on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.

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St. John Calendar

All-night vigilOur Lady of Mount Carmel holds an all-night vigil on the first Friday of each month after the 7 p.m. Mass.

Charismatic prayerOur Lady of Mount Carmel Church hosts an evening of charismatic prayer on Thursdays at 7 p.m.

Eucharistic AdorationOur Lady of Mount Carmel Church has Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction on Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Free MealsOur Lady of Mount Carmel Church’s Kallaloo Kitchen: Food for the Soul feeds the needy in the parish’s Guadalupe Hall on Mondays and Fridays at noon. Volunteers are welcomed.

Legion of MaryPresidium Mary, Queen of Angels, meets in the Guadalupe Hall of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.

Men’s FellowshipMen’s Fellowship meets the first and third Sunday of each month.

Spanish MassOur Lady of Mount Carmel has Spanish Mass at 6 p.m. Sundays.

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Visit the website of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands at

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27Advertise your business in The Catholic Islander! Call 340.774.3166, Ext. 213, for rates.

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