NEW PRAYER GROUP

Several parishioners on St. Thomas who participated in Alpha in recent years have formed a prayer group called Souls for the Holy Spirit. Representatives from every Catholic parish on St. Thomas meet on Wednesdays in various homes. The members pray for the bishop, all parishes and priests, and the intentions of the Holy Father. They also pray for the sick and their own special intentions.

Souls for the Holy Spirit recently met for prayer at the home of Noreen Bryan of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.

BISHOP THOMAS HONORED AMONG OCTOGENARIANS

The Prayers, Hymns and Praise Steel Orchestra of Holy Family Church on St. Thomas honored Bishop Elliott Thomas and all Catholic parishioners who turn 80 years old in 2006 with a dinner at the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort on October 15. Pictured above, Msgr. Jerome Feudjio (left), Pastor of Holy Family Church, presented Bishop Thomas with a gift.

LOCAL HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS

Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands will participate in National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week on November 12-18 along with other members of the Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Continuum of Care. This is the fourth consecutive year of Virgin Islands participation in the national effort to bring public awareness to the problems of hunger and homelessness during the week before Thanksgiving.

The week's activities begin with a Day of Prayer for the poor and homeless. Pastors on all three islands have been asked to include prayers for the poor and homeless in their church services on Saturday, November 11, and Sunday, November 12.

The week of activities formally begins with a march from three St. Thomas locations, Emile Griffth Park, the Roy Lester Schneider Medical Center and the Department of Human Services on Monday, November 13, at 5:00 p.m. Many marchers will wear Hunger and Homelessness Awareness t-shirts, carry banners and hand out literature en route to Emancipation Gardens.

During the Awareness Week, representatives of the participating agencies will speak on hunger and homelessness in schools and on television and radio programs. The agencies will lead food drives to assist homeless shelters, soup kitchens and outreach centers. The agencies will encourage individuals and groups to write letters to their senators concerning the growing population of homeless persons and the need for action to address the problem; these letters will be delivered to the Legislature on Friday, November 17.

High School students on St. Thomas will participate in an essay contest, "Caring for the Homeless: Whose Job Is It?" St. Croix students will participate in an essay contest, "What We Can Do in Our Community to Help People Experiencing Homelessness" and an art contest, "What Homelessness Looks Like in the Virgin Islands." The St. Croix contests are open to students at the grammar, junior high and high school levels, and there will be first, second and third place prizes for each grade level.

St. Croix activities will culminate with an "Evening of Dining" on Friday, November 17, where the homeless population will be invited to a sit-down dinner. On St. Thomas, the week will culminate on Saturday, November 18, with a "Feeding the Homeless" program at Market Square. Participating organizations will disseminate literature outlining their services, and lunch and refreshments will be provided to the homeless and whoever wishes to partake.

THE CATHOLIC ISLANDER     *NOVEMBER 2006 *      8