News of the Parishes

 HURRICANE THANKSGIVING MASS

St. Patrick Church on St. Croix celebrated its annual Hurricane Thanksgiving Mass at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Shrine on November 18. The outdoor Mass, celebrated by Fr. Kenneth Gaddy, CSsR, Director of Formation at the Blessed Peter Donders Residence, gave thanks to God for protecting the Virgin Islands during the hurricane season. The Mass was followed by a pot luck picnic and games.

SUNRISE MASSES

Three parishes on St. Thomas and St. Croix will celebrate traditional sunrise aguinaldo Masses in preparation for Christmas. The aguinaldo Masses will be celebrated in Spanish on December 16-24, followed by a light breakfast.

On St. Thomas, the Masses will be celebrated at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral at 6:00 a.m., except on Sundays at 12:30 p.m. and on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. On St. Croix, the Masses at St. Joseph Church will be at 5:30 a.m., except on Sundays at 10:00 a.m., and at Holy Cross Church the Masses will be at 6:30 a.m., except Sundays at 7:15 a.m.

EVANGELIZATION

Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas will lead a different kind of Advent Mission on December 3-15. Instead of inviting a guest speaker for a few nights of conferences at the church, Fr. Charles Crespo and the Legion of Mary's Presidium Maria, Arca de la Alianza, will bring the conferences to the homes of Spanish-speaking families who live within a few steps of the church. The goal is to begin a process of evangelizing and integrating these families into the community of faith in time for the traditional sunrise "aguinaldo" Masses at the church on December 17-24.

PENANCE SERVICES

Penance services during Advent provide Catholics with additional opportunities to receive the sacrament of reconciliation in preparation for the Christmas season.

Priests will be available to hear confessions at Ss. Peter and Paul Cathedral on St. Thomas on Tuesday, December 11, at 5:00 p.m. and at Holy Cross Church and St. Ann Church on St. Croix on Tuesday, December 18, at 7:00 p.m.

PATRONAL FEAST

Holy Family Church on St. Thomas will celebrate its patronal feast at Masses on Saturday, December 29, at 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 30, at 10:00 a.m. There will be no 7:00 a.m. Mass on December 30.

PRIESTS RETREAT

Virgin Islands priests will have their annual retreat at Light of Christ Retreat Center on St. Croix on January 21-25. Fr. John Theodore, CSsP, of Trinidad and Tobago will lead the conferences. Communion services will replace Masses at the parishes where necessary.