The Annual Shoe Sale

It's hard to believe that today we ran our third shoe sale here at St Mary's, Above Rocks. Through the generosity of the good people at St Louis Paris, Batesville, IN, we are able to offer new and used shoes to the people in Above Rocks, just as school opens. Once again, Judy Wickens and her Mission Team, gathered 70 boxes of shoes and shipped them to us for our annual sale. The shoe sale was a huge success and all proceeds from the day's sales help run our feeding program.

One of the biggest sales is of 'sport shoes' especially football (soccer) shoes. Here you see Owen Clarke look over the sports section of today's sales.

The shoe sale is such a big event people were here at 6AM (some joining us for 6:30 Mass) for a 10 AM event. Father Joe has to keep the peace at the door to avoid anyone being crushed in the frenzy.

WELCOME - Fr Gary Johnson

Fr Michael Heine, the 3rd member of the friar team here in Above Rocks, has left for Missionary School in Brussels until 15 December. To lend a hand and cover the priestly duties during that period, Fr Gary Johnson has volunteered, and joined us on 23 August.

Fr Gary was born and raised in the Tonowanda area of Western, NY. He was ordained in May 2000 and has served in parish ministry in Chicopee, MA, and Syracuse, NY. For the past year Fr Gary has been involved in formation training in Cantebury, England. When Fr Gary leaves us in December he will be assigned to the House of Formation in San Antonio, TX. We welcome Fr Gary and hope his time with us is blessed!

Post Dean - The Putty Hulk and Generator ONLY

We have been blessed... a few windows were broken, a little tree damage here and there and some water blown under doors and through windows is the extent of the immediate damage at St. Mary's. The "hand" you see is not of Above Rock's incredible hulk but of Mike Stewart (our handy man) as he prepares PUTTY for window replacement.

We should let you know that we are without power, and the Jamaica Public Service promised service by yesterday... Fr Joe predicts: at least one month... meanwhile we do 12 hours a day on generator to keep the refrigerator and freezer at least cold. Pray that energy returns soon, as the sisters have no generator and the water pump is going low.

Hurricane Dean - An Update

Late last week we were told to prepare for Hurricane Dean. Dean was to be a Category 4 direct hit on Kingston. Here at St. Mary's and Missions we are less than 15 miles (as the crow flies) from Kingston; so any hit on Kingston would have a significant impact on us.

Friday and Saturday were dedicated to preparing: gathering food and supplies; stock piling water and fuel; boarding up windows and securing anything that could fly. Thanks to the RCIA Group from Meriden, CT, we were able to secure the property by late Friday (and the grounds never looked cleaner!).

Saturday was a beautiful day, in fact, we took the group down to the Franciscan Sisters pool for a little R & R before the storms hit.

Late Saturday night the first winds and rain bands began, and continued throughout the night... by day break it was clear we were staying on the property for the day. For security we stayed together: friars, sisters and visitors at the friary... the bulk of the storm hit us between 4pm and 8pm, and by 10pm we were able to get to bed. Throughout the night the howling winds continued, and on Monday morning we awoke to blue skies and a light breeze to begin the task of cleaning up.

Thank be to God other than some downed trees and some wind-blown water damage, we were spared any real damage.

Thanks to one and all who prayed for us, made Holy Hours for us, and called or emailed. We are blessed.

Lord Make Me An Instrument of Your Peace

This summer the children of the Cassava River and Above Rocks Communities participated in Summer Bible Camp. 30 boys and girls gathered at our Church of the Holy Family during the week of August 7-11 and over 80 kids came to Saint Mary's this week. The theme centered on the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis. Campers learned how to bring light into darkness, joy where there is sadness and pardon and peace into their families.

Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Jacinta lead the kids in their morning devotion.

After learning how to bring light into darkness and celebrating the fact that Jesus is the Light of their lives, children pose wearing the sunglasses they made because their future is so bright!

Andrew Storer - visiting Nurse Practitioner

Andrew Storer, St Francis High School Class of 1999, and a former member of our formation community in Philly (1999- 2001), has volunteered his serves for 10 days at the clinic here in Above Rocks.

Andrew is a Family Nurse Practitioner, a graduate of Temple University, and a doctoral student (DNP) at Jefferson University. Andrew is a practitioner at Jefferson University ER and Methodist ER, as well as a clinical instructor and a research investigator at Temple.

Andrew's skills have been most helpful these days with back-to-school and sports physicals, not to mention the infected ingrown toe nail and the man in hypokalemia.

PILGRIMAGE/WORK WEEK - RCIA Group, Meriden, CT

Six young adults from the FSE Motherhouse in Meriden, CT come to Above Rocks for a pilgrimage and work week under the guidance of Sr Margaret Mary...and our own Srs Marcia and Naomi. David, Francis, Theresa, Jacob, Paul and Leanne have worked hard these past months to make this trip happen. In the spring they held a pig-roast to raise funds to cover their air fare...throughout the spring and summer they have been collecting donations for the learning center (Cupertino Program) soccer balls and sports equipment, and materials for the clinic.

While they keep reminding us they are here to work: they are assisting with the Bible School this week; they are painting the learning center; they are observing in the clinic.

Yesterday the sisters took the group on a walk down into the gully behind the compound, they can be seen here waiving from about 1/4 mile away!

During this week the RCIA Group will live in community, join us for Mass and Morning Prayer, pitch in to prepare the evening meal and gather for Evening Prayer and nightly reflection. Needless to say they are a high powered group and we welcome them to St. Mary's.

WELCOME . . . Sr Jacinta, FSE

Sr Jacinta from the Center in Rome... via the Motherhouse in Meriden joins us for Bible School here in Above Rocks. Sister works in the Vatican Library and is an Education Student at Alfonsianum in Rome. (Notice Sister is well prepared... the aqua umbrella. We are in a wet season.) Welcome Sister Jacinta!

1st Annual Saint Mary's Football Camp

Young people from Saint Mary's and Holy Family are all thumbs up this week as they participated in the 1st Annual Saint Mary's Football Camp.


Over 50 boys learned various football skills.










The day began with prayer and ended with football games where the young players could put their skills to good use. Teamwork and sportsmanship were stressed.

The camp, a first in the Above Rocks area, was made possible through the generous donations of The Staff of Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care, Meriden, CT and The Seminarians, Staff and Students of Holy Apostles Colege and seminary, Cromwell, CT, who donated t-shirts, footballs, golie gloves and financial assistance. Our friends from Spring Lake New Jersey donated 100 pairs of new football shoes.





The kids are looking forward to next year's camp and we hope to expand our summer camp program so more kids can be involved. If any of our friends would like to make donations, please let us know.