Mad Hatter

Today Saint Mary's All Age held their annual Hat Day. Hundreds of students participated in this fun day. Hats were judged on creativity, originality, and the best use of recycled material. Scandal Bags (plastic), boxes, newspaper were turned into wonderful lids. The day ended with all students enjoying cookies donated by a generous benefactor.

Grade 5 girls pose wearing their creations.

The top three girls. The one on the left is wearing a real fish skin!

The top three boys. The boy on the left can wear his hat this Sunday.

GSAT Time Again

In the United States these days you can hear the phase March Madness. The annual tournament that leads to the final four and the NCAA Basketball Champion. Here in Jamaica March Madness has to do with the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). The GSAT is a two day test for all grade six students, island wide, this year March 26 & 27th. The GSAT determines your secondary (high school) placement. For weeks students have been taking extra lessons and preparing for this very important test.

On Wednesday, 25 March, all Grade Six students at St Mary's and at Holy Family came to church for a special pre-GSAT Mass. During the offertory pencils and loose-leaf paper were presented. Fr Brad blesses these tools for the GSAT and reminds the students "everything is possible with God."

Through the generous donation of "Quick Clot" product one person's life has been made a little more comfortable. Below is the thank you note Christine & David Bolio sent to Jeff the donor.

__________________________

Dear Jeff,

Thank you so much for your very generous gift of QuikClot supplies...The clinic @ Above Rocks Jamaica will be well stocked. Brother Michael is very, very careful with his valued supplies...opens 2x2's and cuts 4x4's into 2 and 3 pieces!!!

But here is a beautiful affirmation of your gift. Miss Mavis is a 81 year old woman who has breast cancer and she has opted to not receive any treatment. Her wound was draining and bleeding profusely which prevented her from leaving her home much to her disappointment and those of many people in the area. We arrived on Saturday noon and Brother and I immediately went to her home and applied a new variety of dressings. The periphery of her wound would bleed heavily when the dressing was changed and she never knew when it would soak through her dressing and clothes. The local priest offered to pick her up on his way back from celebrating Mass in another parish if she felt better on Sunday. Well who was sitting in the 2nd row at 11 AM Mass on Sunday...none other than Miss Mavis!!! It was cause for celebration for the whole church.

Thank you so much Christine and David

Rejoice Sunday - Washout

The rains started Saturday night and continued well into the afternoon on Sunday. Because the majority of our people walk to church, rain is a huge obstacle. Attendance for this 4th Sunday of Lent was low - Cassava River 3, Above Rocks 10, Rock Hall 15 and no one showed for Mass in Pinto due to a swollen river our people could not cross. We have been in a drought so the rain was a blessing - hope the Churches will be "full" next week.

THANKS to Faith Suzio

Faith Suzio, a senior nursing student, and associate of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, spent her Spring Break with us in Above Rocks. While Faith might have sunned herself on the beach in Cancun or Miami, she choose to assist at the Mission - seeing patients in the clinic, dishing out lunch in the feeding program and helping with homework in the Cupertino Program. Before she leaves for the airport, Faith poses with Sr Marcia (l) and Sr Naomi (r).

Thanks Faith!

FSE Land Program and the BOLIO's Visit

The TEAM: Ana, Chris and Anthony

Ana and the St Mary's Girls' Group

Chris is on table setting for 30 today...

Anthony plays a game of chess with the boys in the after school program

From their porch front the Bolios - Christina and David

Wave Hello to all who pass by...

With a name like Bolio...

you know who is in charge of cutting the pizza!

FSE's Land Program sing: "That's Amore"

The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist offer a one year volunteer program, known as the Land Program, to young adults who are interested in a year of service. As part of this year's experience they have joined us in Jamaica for an alternate land program experience. This evening the group, with Sr Naomi's assistance, made homemade pizza and ended the meal with a rousing rendition of "That's Amore"

CUA visits again this year!

Catholic Campus Ministry at The Catholic University of America (CUA) spends the day at St Mary's, Above Rocks. This is CUA's fourth visit to St Mary's. This year the group had four nursing students who helped in the clinic for the day. The remainder of the group assisted at St Mary's All Age Sport's Day. Thanks to Jeff (Co-Minister from CUA) and the group for a great visit.

TWIN PARISH - St Louis, Batesville, IN

The week of February 21st through 28th we hosted the medical team from our Twin Parish - St Louis, Batesville, IN. Dr Stephen Glaser, is a family practice doctor, Jane Wilke, doc's clinic assistant and member of the parish mission team, and Fr Stephen, parochial vicar at St Louis, joined us for a week of clinics, house visits, sick calls, Masses and Stations of the Cross. Dr Glaser saw in excess of 200 people during his 4.5 days of seeing patients... Jane was at his side for every person gathering data and collecting scripts from the pharmacy. Fr Stephen jumped right in, visiting the sick and home bound on Tuesday, taking a Mass on Ash Wednesday, and helping to put in the new playground at Sacred Hearts Basic School, Pinto.

A special word of thanks to the medical team and the entire mission team back in Batesville, IN. May the Lord bless you one hundred-hold for your generous support of St Mary's and Missions.