Boxing Day 2008

Hundreds of children and adults descended on the Mission compound today for the Annual Boxing Day fair for kids. Although there were a few rain showers, all had a tremendous time. Miss Gloria prepares the chicken and pork to jerk on the coal fire.

Father Brad deals with little Fitzroy (who loves the attention) before he begins his day selling raffle tickets for a Digcel CD player.

"Field of Fortune" is a favorite among the fair goers.

Many members of Saint Mary's participated in this day of fun for the kids as well as a fundraising endeavor. Our people are proud that they are able to do something in order to support their Church.

Santa "Claws"

"Father, Santa doesn't come to us poor kids - he only visits the rich kids in Kingston." While many children all around the world woke up this morning with eyes wide open to find all the goodies under the tree left by Santa, our little ones were not as lucky. Santa will visit them, thanks to the generosity of our Mission Friends, tomorrow at the annual Boxing Day Fair at Saint Mary's. Children will have the opportunity to play games, win prizes, jump in the bounce about and enjoy jerk chicken and pork, rice and peas and chicken foot soup.





Here Benie and his brothers know the real meaning of the Season as they adore the New Born King.







This afternoon the Friars and Sisters made the last minute preparations for the Boxing Day menu. Brother Michael and Sister Naomi worked on the chicken "claws" - feet for the soup to be enjoyed by all tomorrow.

Go Tell It On The Mountain

Merry Christmas to all our Mission Friends. The faithful of our four Church Community offered special prayers for all those who support us with their prayers and gifts. Our Liturgy today began at dawn (6:00am) at Holy Family, Cassava River. After Mass we gathered around the newly purchased Nativity Scene.

Liturgy at Our Lady of Lourdes was at 8:00 followed by a 10:00 Eucharist in Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Pinto. In Above Rocks the people sang out "Go Tell It On A Mountain" - very appropriate since we are located on a mountain!


Here the children gathered at the stable to welcome the new born (the new figures are the same size of many of our little ones)

One this day of the celebration of the Word made Flesh, all four Churches were honored to use new Gospel Books thanks to the generous contributions of students and teachers at Saint Rose Grammar School, Belmar New Jersey

The People Who Walked In Darkness

Today the faithful of the Mission were getting ready for the Feast of the Incarnation. The Creche (Thanks to Aunt Evie) was installed with the light of the star and our people prepared for Boxing Day (12-26-08)

(A BIG Thanks to our friends at Archbishop Curley High School for the toys). Unfortunately a fire at Parks Road knocked out power for 7 hours today but we know that Jesus Christ will bring Light into our darkness in just a few days!

O Little Town Of Rock Hall

The weather was coooold up in Rock Hall, the site of our Church Our Lady of Lourdes. This past Sunday night the people of our Church reenacted Greccio, the site of the first Nativity scene by our Founder, Saint Francis of Assisi.

Like those people of the small Italian town, our Jamaicans dressed as The Holy Family, shepherds, kings and angels and placed before our eyes the humble beginnings of Jesus, our Savior.

Following the program, hot chicken foot soup and hot chocolate was served to the "frozen" faithful who braved the 66 degree temps! With only a few more days until Christmas, our people are getting ready to celebrate the Feast of the Incarnation with Eucharistic Liturgies beginning at 6:00am on the 25th.

Thanks Bonnies! Eh

One the 3rd Sunday of Advent the Friars and Parishioners of The Franciscan Church of Saint Bonaventure in Don Mills Canada, invited Father Michael to speak at all the weekend Liturgies about the Jamaican Mission. Following the Masses there was a good will offering taken and the people were EXTREMLY generous! Although the tempature in Above Rocks was 35c and in Don Mills it was -3c with snow on the ground, the warmth of the Community truly made the difference. Saint Bonaventure is a vibrant Parish with many ministries and they take their call to spread the Word to all nations very seriously, especially to this little Carribean Country. Visit their web site http:www.st-bonaventure.ca/ to see this dynamic Community!

Kids will be Kids...

Christmas will be Christmas . . . even when it's over eighty, the fans are on high, the friars have shorts on and the sisters are wiping the perspiration from their foreheads - all to hear our children sing, Silent Night, in a packed auditorium. Yes even in Above Rocks our school children come together to re-enact the birth of Jesus, sing a verse or two of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and feast on jerk chicken. The Sunday Christmas Pageant put on by St Mary's All Age School was a two hour plus extravaganza.

The crowd was over flowing and the performance of the children was excellent.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

All is a buzz . . .

Today the campus was " a buzz" with students of St Mary's All Age preparing for the Christmas Concert this Sunday, 7 December. In the past four years we cannot remember the level of excitement and preparation for this event. The drawing card is the recently completed auditorium where each class will offer a poem, a song, or a skit. As you can see - even the front steps of the Church provided a perfect venue for practice. More on this big event on Monday.

Advent Day of Recollection

The team from St Mary's and Missions (pictured below: Sr Naomi, Fr Brad, Fr Michael, Br Michael and Sr Marcia) took an overnight at the Immaculate Conception Convent in Kingston to pray and spend some time away to reflect (Dec 3/4). The twenty-four hour spiritual oasis allowed for quiet, shared prayer, holy hour and Mass...the day was concluded with a birthday dinner for Fr Brad.

Check Mate

Today St. Mary's College hosted various schools from Kingston in a chess tournament

Our students put up a good fight but fell just short of victory.

Christ The King Of The Harvest

This morning folllowing the 8:00am Mass, the members of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rock Hall, held their annual Harvest Festival. Prayers were offered in thanksgiving to the Lord for all the good things He has done. Various goods (passion fruit, oranges, cabbage, pumpkin, chocho, sugar cane, beans) and baked goods were on sale.

Wind Chill

Last night a "cold front" moved over Jamaica and the temps dipped to 65 - but with the wind chill factor it felt like 60! The students in Above Rocks were all bundled up this morning on their way to school. The friars also had their long trousers on. The sweaters that were sent from Saint Francis High School, Athol Springs and Saint Catherine's School Spring Lake sure did come in handy. Who knows, we might even get a snow day....

Psalm 121:8

"The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in." This school year has seen the addition of watchmen at the main gate of Saint Mary's. Jamaica has seen an increase of abductions of children as well as an increase of violence. To protect our children there is limited assess to the compound and the watchmen keep a sharp eye on all who come in and go out. We have been blessed up here in the mountains as we have not seen the violence that is common in Kingston

Here our workers construct the new Guard House at our main gate. We are grateful to our workers who are multi-talented!

During the day Marc, a trained tailor, keeps an eye on our front door while keeping his busy schedule. Marc sews vestments,makes school uniforms and keeps our visitor's hostel clean and in order.

The Breakfast Club

One of the new initiatives at St Mary's College is the monthly Breakfast Club. In an effort to reclaim our Catholic Schools and reach out to our Catholic students at St Marys we gather on Wednesday morning after school devotion for: prayers, breakfast and discussion. By gathering as a group our Catholic students (21 of 940) can develop some identity and support one another in their faith. Here you see some of the group with porridge in one hand a fresh jelly coconut in the other. Next month they want muffins...

Peace In Action

One day after the Friars and Sisters of Saint Mary's and Missions celebrated the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi they joined members of Holy Family Church, Cassava River and brothers and sisters from the City Mission, Baptist and Pentecostal Churches for a Peace Vigil in Glengoffe. Two men were shot to death on Sunday September 27 in this District of Saint Catherine. One man was the Uncle of a parishioner from Holy Family. Songs for peace and forgiveness were offered to the Lord by this Ecumenical group. The Friars and Sisters know that Francis is the Saint of Peace as well as the Saint who crossed religious boarders that took him to the Sultan in Egypt, in order to build God's Kingdom. Sunday evening was a true Franciscan Moment as we joined hands as brothers and sisters to pray that God's Kingdom may come!

In Memoriam

+ Mother Mona Brunner, FSE who was to be the third sister at St Mary's, Above Rocks, and Mission died at the Franciscan Family Life Center, Pocatello, Idaho, late the evening of 2 October 2008. +Mother Mona visited the Mission during the month of January 2008. +Mother Mona was an artist and a talented baker...during her stay here we were treated to her special orange swirl rolls.

+Mother Mona will be waked on Sunday, 5 October 2008, and her Mass of Christian Burial will be on Monday, 6 October 2008, all in Pocatello, ID.

In your charity, please remember all the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist who grieve her passing.

Eternal rest grant unto her Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace!

Sad Time In Yankee Land

Tomorrow the first pitch of the baseball post-season will be thrown in the USA. This will mark the first time since 1995 that Father Michael's beloved Yankees will be watching from home! With the arrival of Father Brad the Friary is not in total depression as he hails from New England and is a Red Sox Fan!!! Brother Michael's Os were eliminated sometime around July 4th so he is used to a Fall where football is the norm.

Thanks to some generous benefactors from Meriden CT, some of our kids have joined Red Sox Nation. Father Michael hopes that some generous and kind Bronx Bomber fans will send some Yankee shirts so these kids will be able to see the light!!

September 8th - BIrth of Mary

Today as Church we celebrate a special Lady - the Birth of Mary. We would also like to highlight two special ladies at St Mary's and Missions.

+Josephine Karwoski, also known as Aunt Josie, the auntie of our our Fr Michael Zielke, died almost two years ago. After her death her family wanted to memorialize their mom and made a donation to the Mission of vestments and a beautiful statue of the Blessed Mother. The journey of the statue is a novel in itself, but today we'd like to show you the beautiful statue and remember +Aunt Josie, a friend of the Mission, and a lady who had a great love and devotion to Our Lady. [l to r: Sr Mary Catherine, Mother Marcia and Sr Naomi)

Also today, Ms Rose Marriott, a faithful member of St Mary's, and life long resident of Above Rocks, marks a milestone... her 80th birthday. On Sunday afternoon her four children from local and foreign (Cayman Islands) pulled off a surprise 80th party for Miss Rose in our newly completed auditorium. After the 11am Mass all were invited to the auditorium for a delicious buffet and birthday cake. [l to r: Br Michael, Fr Michael, Sr Naomi, Miss Rose, Mother Marcia and Fr Brad]

Special Ladies in the life of the Mission who we remember today on the Birth of Mary.

Archbishop Curley’s reach extends to Jamaica

The news about St. Mary's Bible School . . . the Jamaicans' Olympic Fever . . . and Archbishop Curley makes the Baltimore Catholic Review. For the full story click the link:

http://www.catholicreview.org/subpages/sports-new.aspx#4462

The Day After Gustav

On Wednesday, 27 August 2008 the weather forecast said "Tropical Storm Gustav will be moving north of the island as it comes of Haiti." Thursday morning around 2am the power went as the winds had picked up a little... we though must be some spin off from the storm. The sisters and Br Michael headed off to town to do the Thursday Banking and some shopping in town... little did we know at the time that Gustav had taken a hard left over night and was headed to Jamaica.

Gustav took it's time getting to Jamaica, and the banking and shopping were expedited as most all stores were closing at noon. It wasn't until 9pm when the force of Gustav hit Above Rocks and unleashed it's winds and heavy rains throughout the night. By morning the friary bedrooms were flooded as the wind blew the rain right under the doors and in... trees were down and the mud slides had begun.

All day Friday it rained, at times heavy, and the winds came in bands throughout the day. By the time we turned off the generator at 9pm, the hills were crumbling butt he rains were beginning to cease. And best estimates say 26" of rain fell...

This morning we awoke to warm breezes and significant mud slides to our left and to our right, now the process of clean up can begin. While the past 36 hours have been trying, the imposition that our people experience, many of whom live in wood and zinc dwellings is almost inconceivable: the dampness and the noise.

The good news is: no loss of life in our district and as our four churches report in. The bad news: the roads are still blocked and there is no power. We pray that this year's outage is less than the 19 days we endured last year.

Continue to remember us and our people as we clean up and journey through this hurricane season.

4th Annual Shoe Sale

Tuesday, 26 August, 2008 marked our 4th Annual Shoe Sale at St Mary's and Missions. This year's sale saw the largest number of shoes available to date. Our primary supplier: St Louis R C Church, Batesville, Indiana. This year's sale was augmented with sport's shoes from Archbishop Curley High School, Baltimore, MD and St Paul R C Church, Kensington, CT. It took six (6) people all day Monday just to lay out all the shoes. At one point Fr Mike told Sr Marcia there's only a few more cases... seventy to be exact.

To give the brothers and sisters of the Mission a first shot at the goods - a new number system was utilized so they got in first during the first hour of sales. Fr Michael and Michael Stewart work the in door... we guesstimate the turn out to be about 400 people. The bull horn calls the next number, and asks the slow pokes to move along "hundred of people are waiting to buy shoes."

Sometimes your whole family can't make it the day of the sale... so Miss Daphney from our Rock Hall Church brings cut outs of her grand children's feet to find shoes for her family.

Ray, Monique and Miss Whyte look over the offerings on the table... yes, pick you four and head for the door - thank you! Sr Naomi and Miss Lewis will happily take your money and bag your shoes.

CNS Picks Up the Bolt-n-Bible Camp Story

On Monday we received a phone call from a reporter at Catholic News Service (CNS). A friend of the Mission on our email list passed our Link to CNS. After a 35 minute phone interview we were promised an email when our piece was posted... and late Monday night we were on CNS.

The piece:
Olympic fever, island pride dominate Catholic Bible camp in Jamaica.

The link:
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20080825.htm#head6

Thanks to all who help to promote the Mission... by word-of-mouth, email and now the press.

PJR to RIT

It is back to school time for many colleges in the USA. This morning Saint Mary's said good-bye to Peter-John Rowe as he made his way to America to begin his studies at Rochester Institute of Technology. Some of our students attend schools after Saint Mary's College right here in Jamaica. Saint Josephs' Teachers' College, University of the West Indies and Mico University College all have Saint Mary's graduates walking their campuses. This year is the first time in many years that we have a student studying in the States. Peter-John will be missed as he played the drums at Mass on Sunday and was an active member of the Youth Group.

Peter-John with his Mother who is the Vice President of our Church Council as well as the Vice-Principal of our All-Age School.
We oversee six school here at the Mission. School bells will be ringing September 1.