Members of the St. Croix and St. Thomas/St. John chapters of Magnificat attended the first Caribbean Regional Magnificat Conference held at the Holy Faith Convent's Credo Retreat Center in Couva, Trinidad, on October 4-8. Pictured above in ascending order: Very Rev. Neil Scantlebury, Spiritual Director; Ausselita deFreitas; Catherine Celaire-Morton; Esonia Hassell; Jeanne Garcia; Sr. Patricia Alexander, WIF; Irene Acosta; Winifred Garfield; and Lestelle Turbe.
Msgr. Michael Kosak, Administrator of the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, has appointed five new members to the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands (CCVI). They are Claire Foster, Dr. Dante Galiber, Gwendolyn Hall Brady, Eddy Rivera and Rabbi Arthur Starr. They join returning members Richard Bourne Vanneck, Elton Chongasing, Dr. Alfred Heath, Michael Kelleher, Deacon Joseph Mark, Shelley Moorhead, Henry Richardson and Yvonne Thraen. The new members replace outgoing members Deacon Ulric Benjamin, Deacon Emith Fludd, Dr. Alice Hamilton, Rev. Ray Joseph and Eugene Mallette.
Sr. Germaine Convery, WIF, will lead New Testament Bible class at Light of Christ Retreat Center on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. beginning November 1. Participants will need a New American Bible. The study will apply the Holy Scriptures to daily life and to the church today.
Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands is hosting Paths to Prosperity, a seven-week financial literacy workshop for persons who seek financial stability. Workshop participants will learn to save by paying themselves first, managing their money, using credit cards wisely, and more. Two-hour classes will be held at the Paul M. Pearson Gardens Housing Community Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning November 6 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.
All Saints Day on Thursday, November 1, recalls the saints in heaven. All parishes in the Virgin Islands will celebrate this day of precept with Mass. Some parishes will add Masses to that day's schedule.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 2042: "The first precept (`You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor') requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principle liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days."
On All Souls Day on Friday, November 2, Catholics are invited to pray for those souls still in purgatory. Two parishes are inviting congregants to participate in this remembrance in unique ways.
Congregants at St. Joseph Church on St. Croix are invited to remember their dearly departed by placing bottled candles at the altar in the St. Michael Chapel during Mass at 7:00 a.m. Parishioners at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on St. John may place a flower by the altar to recall their deceased loved ones at Mass at 8:30 a.m. or 7:00 p.m.
Director of Vocations, at (340) 774-0201.