"Holly In His Heart"

We don't want to build up our hopes just as yet, but at a meeting last week with the Ministry of Education it was suggested that to ease our over-crowding issues at Saint Mary's All-Age (25 grade 9 students in a classroom built for 10 children) we should build a second floor on our existing school. The Ministry will help with the cost of materials and the Church will offer their assistance. Ozzy, in the white shirt on the roof, already measured the area to build four new classrooms.

Of course money is always an issue, especially here in Jamaica. We always appreciate the generous donations made to our Mission through the Franciscan Mission Association (FMA). We can't but help think of that 1945 inspirational movie...

If there is a Mr. Horace Bogardus out there with Holly In His Heart , don't forget us

down here!!

33 years for Mrs. Murphy!

This year marks the retirement of Mrs. Beverly Murphy, a faithful Roman Catholic Teacher at Saint Mary's All-Age. In addition to being a wife of 41 years and raising five boys, Mrs. Murphy was "Mother" to thousands of children in our School. The School Community recently "surprised" Mrs. Murphy with a "Retirement Service" where past students and colleagues gave Mrs. Murphy humorous and moving tributes. Although she is no longer in the classroom, Mrs. Murphy is an active member of Saint Mary's Church Community acting as Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Lector, Sunday School Teacher and lay leader of Communion Service. Thank you Mrs. Murphy and may God Bless You!

Province Chapter 2010

The week of April 12 - 16, 2010, the Conventual Franciscan Friars of the St Anthony of Padua Province, USA, gathered for their Ordinary Provincial Chapter. The friars gather on a four year basis to reflect on the past four years, elect new leadership and project a four year plan for the future. This Chapter was a historic event: we elected an Irishman as provincial, after 105 years of Polish leadership; we held the Chapter in Buffalo, NY, the place of our first provincial headquarters; and we voted to join our mother province - Immaculate Conception in 2014.

The three pictures below are, in order: the 103 friars gathered in Chapter; Fr James McCurry (center) our new provincial, and his Councilors; and the Minister General, Fr Marco, announces the vote for the joining of the provinces.

He has risen, truly He has risen!

We hear that the women went with thier burial spices to perfrom their last service to Jesus, only to find that he was not there. So Peter and John take off running to verify the women's story. And so it was - the tomb was empty. May we, like Peter, have to courage to look in and then go forth and proclaim: He is risen, truly He is risen!

P E A C E !

Triduum 2010

From darkness into light . . .