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Prayers are solicited for the repose of the souls of Msgr. Bernard Campbell, who served most recently at St. Ann Church on St. Croix, Fr. Joseph Bertrand, CSsR, who served most recently at St. Patrick Church on St. Croix, and Deacon Frank Veraart, who served at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas. Msgr. Campbell died on St. Thomas on January 23. Fr. Bertrand died in Saratoga Springs, New York, on January 14. Deacon Veraart died in Virginia on January 19.

    Msgr. Campbell was born in Bedford, Canada, on October 29, 1913, and grew up in Vermont. After his parents died, he moved to St. Croix. He was ordained a deacon on June 24, 1984, and served at St. Ann Church on St. Croix, then Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas in 1989. Bishop Sean O'Malley, OFM Cap, petitioned the Holy See in 1989 to ordain Deacon Campbell a Catholic priest, and on December 30, Fr. Campbell received the sacrament of Holy Orders at the Cathedral at age 76. (Story continues on page 4)

    Fr. Bertrand was born on St. Thomas on June 27, 1925. In 1955, he became the first Virgin Islander to be ordained as a Redemptorist priest. Fr. Bertrand was assigned to Holy Cross Church on St. Croix from 1960 to 1970, then became rector of Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas until 1981. After assignments in St. Lucia and Dominica, he was assigned to St. Patrick Church on St. Croix from 1999 to 2005. He will be buried in the Redemptorist mausoleum on St. Thomas on a date to be announced. (Story continues on page 4)

    Deacon Veraart was born in Oest Geest, the Netherlands, on February 27, 1933. After marrying in 1957, he and his bride Marleen immigrated to New York and raised a family. They moved to St. Thomas in 1979, and Bishop Edward Harper, CSsR, ordained him at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on June 10, 1984. Later, Deacon Veraart worked with Bishop Sean O'Malley, OFM Cap, in establishing the Bethlehem House Shelters for the Homeless for Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands. (Story continues on page 4)