Give Success To The Work Of Our Hands

It was warm and sunny as we began Labour Day 2007 - Jamaican Style. Unlike in the USA where the day is the "last fling" before the school year, Jamaicans spend the day doing volunteer service.

Parents and students from our Basic School (ages 3,4,5) in Pinto turned out in force to paint the wall in front of the Church and School. Here Father Joe is joined by students as they try to complete the project. The children are not standing on a snow pile but material that will be used to make a road into the bush.

The day went well until the heavens opened and we had a torrential rain storm. The project had to end at noon to be completed at another time - hopefully before next Labour Day.

The rain came to an end in late afternoon, just in time for the Labour Day Fair/Concert at our School in Cassava River. The Friars and Sisters we in charge of the basketball shoot. Prizes were donated by a generous benefactor from the USA. Stuffed animals and coloring books were the coveted items. Basketball is becoming more popular in this Land of Cricket due to the local Jamaican TV televising the NBA.

Labour Day - Feast of St. Joseph the Worker

Tomorrow, May 23rd, is a National Holiday - Labour Day and for the Catholic Church, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker is transferred to tomorrow as well. Throughout the island peoples will come together to bush, to paint, to fix and repair, and even the Prime Minister has been know to show up at some community Labour Day function.

Today we received a shipment of three barrels from a stateside benefactor. These barrels were received just in the nick of time - we have a clothing sale on Thursday. Here you will see Sr Marcia checking out some material and Sr Naomi checking out a hat. All these items and many other 'treasures' will be made available to the Mission on Thursday from 10am -2pm. Sr Marcia offers Miss Lewis a 'pre-sale sniff' of some of the toilet waters that will be sold... Miss Lewis is not impressed.

Fr Mike, Vernon and Clive move the basketball hoop out of the auditorium and get it on the truck for transport to Cassava River Infant and Primary School for their Labour Day School Fun Day and Gospel Concert. Needless to say we'll all be busy tomorrow: Fr Joe and Fr Mike are headed to Pinto for the painting project; Sr Marcia, Br Michael and Sr Naomi will be in the auditorium sorting clothes and getting ready for the sale on Thursday. Then at 4pm it's over to the Fun Day and then up to the Church for the concert at 7pm. More pictures after these events.

St. Edward School, Stafford Springs, CT

Last year we asked our Franciscan Parishes in the US to consider making St Mary's, Above Rocks, their designated charity for Lent. Fr Richard Jacob Forcier and the school children at St Edward School, Stafford Springs, CT responded with a check in excess of $600 US..."for your breakfast club." You see Fr Richard told the children about our morning porridge program. He then left an empty gallon milk jug in each class. The children were asked to donate their change from lunch or pocket change to help 'feed the kids' in Above Rocks. Without asking, St Edwards did it again this year and sent another check for over $600 to help with our feeding program. Here you will see Fr Richard (left, in grey) and Fr Vincent (to the right in black) with the 8th Grade Graduates, teacher and principal.

Mary Crowning

Sunday, 13 May 2007 we had our second Annual Mother's Day Mass, Luncheon and May Crowning. After Mass we honored the Franciscan Sister who once ministered here with a Jamaican Luncheon. At 3:00pm the ladies who received Sacraments at Easter made up the court to begin the May Procession, and Avagay crowned Mary. A nice number of church brethren joined us for this fitting tribute to Our Lady.

The Papal Nuncio to the Antilles

This past week the Caribbean Religious of the Antilles (CRA) met at the Allegheny Franciscan's, Immaculate Conception Convent. His Excellency, Archbishop Thomas Gillickson addressed CRA and celebrated the opening Liturgy for the thirty-something religious.

Noun 1. papal nuncio - in the Roman Catholic Church a diplomatic representative of the Pope having ambassadorial status; rank of archbishop, aka nuncio.

Western Connecticut State University (WCSU)

This past January, Fr Michael Lasky -director of Campus Ministry at WCSU, brought a group of twelve to St. Mary's. The theme for the alternate January Break: give success to the work of our hands!

The primary project was the painting of a classroom used for the Pre Vocational School housed below the parish office. This space had not seen a paint brush for many years... it had an open pipe draining to the room... and has been used Monday thru Thursday for young adults who left the formal education system (for many and varied reasons).

In addition the students assisted in the Cupertino Program and the feeding program. Much to our protestations, the school children swore the WCSU students we the cast from Scoobie-doo. On Thursday the paintings was complete so the guys dragged out the basketball hoop. Needles to say within a few minutes a crowd soon followed.

On Friday we went to Lime Cay for a day of Caribbean sand and sun. We began our day with Mass on the beach. Swimming, Kentucky Fried and Juci Patties carried us over until dinner at a local fish place - Glorias.

My Sheep Hear My Voice

On Good Shepherd Sunday two young ladies from our Church Community of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Pinto, celebrated their Baptism and First Communion. These teenage young women heard the voice of the Shepherd calling them to the Catholic Church and they responded wholeheartedly!


Here Avagay (left)
and
Sasha
receive the Light of Christ and are clothed in the white garment symbolizing their new life in Christ. Father Joe's mural can be seen in the background.

The Body of Christ. Amen! The Blood of Christ. Amen!