PRIEST BECOMES AMERICAN CITIZEN

Very Rev. Neil Scantlebury, Rector of Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas, was among the nearly one hundred Virgin Islands residents who became United States citizens, at a swearing-in ceremony at the Reichhold Center on St. Thomas on June 30. Rev. Dr. George Franklin, President/Principal of Ss. Peter and Paul School, offered the invocation.

SISTERS CELEBRATE 60 YEARS

Sr. Germaine Convery, WIF, and Sr. Rose Marie Wilson, OSF, of California will celebrate sixty years of profession at St. Ann Church on St. Croix on Sunday, August 13, at the 9:30 Mass. They will renew their vows, Sr. Wilson as a Sister of Saint Francis and Sr. Convery as a West Indian Franciscan.

At age 13, both entered the Preparatory Class at Mt. Alvernia in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After their high school graduation they entered the postulancy and five years later made their final profession. Both celebrated their silver jubilee in 1971 and their golden jubilee in 1996.

Is God calling you to the priesthood, diaconate or religious life?

Speak with Fr. John Mark, Diocesan Vocations Director, at (340) 774-0201.

CASSIHILL PILGRIMAGE

Holy Family Church on St.

Thomas will be celebrating its 59th annual Our Lady of Cassi Hill pilgrimage with a novena, procession, Mass and benediction. The novena will be prayed August 6-14. The pilgrimage on Sunday, August 20, begins with a procession from Four Winds Plaza beginning at 2:30 p.m. Upon arrival at the church, Bishop George Murry, SJ, will celebrate Mass. Benediction follows at the adjacent Our Lady of Cassi Hill Shrine.

MINISTRY WORKSHOPS AND RETREAT

Evangelization has announced a series of workshops and seminars at the Light of Christ Retreat Center on St. Croix.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion from all parishes are invited to attend training on Wednesday, August 1, at 7:00 p.m. Prayer group leaders are asked to attend on Friday, August 4, at 7:00 p.m.

All lay leaders are invited to a retreat day on Saturday, August 5, and catechists and religion teachers are invited to a workshop on Saturday, August 26. Both of those conferences are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

HONORS DINNER

Rev. Dr. George Franklin, Principal/President of Ss. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas, will be honored for his twenty years of priesthood with a dinner at Palms Court Harborview Hotel on Saturday, August 12, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $60 and will go towards rebuilding and equipping the school library and school laboratory.

CHILD PROTECTION SEMINARS

Religious Education teachers and other parish staff and volunteers who have regular contact with children in the course of their ministries are required to attend Protecting God 's Children, a video and discussion seminar on protect­ ing children from abuse. Others are welcome to participate. The three­ hour program will be presented at the following dates, times and loca­ tions.

On St. Thomas, the seminar will be presented at the Columban Hall of Holy Family Church on Tuesday, August 22, at 6:00 p.m.

On St. Croix, the seminars are offered at the McAlpin Hall of Holy Cross Church on Friday, August 18, at 3 :00 p.m., the Hospitality Lounge and Learning Center at St. Joseph Church on Saturday, August 19, at 9:00 a.m. and the Marian Hall of St. Ann Church on Thursday, August 24, at 6:00 p.m.

THE CATHOLIC ISLANDER is published monthly by the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.           THE CATHOLIC ISLANDER is written, edited and printed entirely in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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THE CATHOLIC ISLANDER     *AUGUST 2006*    3