Help Me Give Some Special Young People a Life Changing Experience

I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME 
IN
BEING A WORLD YOUTH DAY SPONSOR

for 

Deserving Young People From My Adopted Island Country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 

DIOCESE OF KINGSTOWN





The Diocese of Kingstown has a Family Fun Day with an outdoor Mass,
lots of competitive games between the parishes and some great food.


Field Mass with Bishop Gordon, Priests, Deacons, Lay Ministers and Youth

The Choir with one of the Religious Sisters on the top far left. Catholic education is a priority in the Diocese of Kingstown. Catholics on the island of St. Vincent know how to sing! They put us to shame when it comes to singing at Mass!

Two happy Catholic youth enjoying the competition on the field.



One of the referees has a "Catholics Come Home" shirt on to
encourage the youth to stay in the Church.



Even Bishop Jason Gordon showed the youth that he still has it. He is racing with
the "old guys." That's him second on the left in the tan cap and dark green shirt.


WORLD YOUTH DAY IN KRAKOW, POLAND
 2016

From my 2016 speaking tours, and the help of some generous friends, I am committed to send Father Rex Ramos and three youth (two young women and one young man) from St. John Parish where I have helped out with Holy Week services last April and again December 13. I am also committed to send another young man from the island of Bequia for a total of five so far. Here they are!

Father Rex Ramos serves three islands in the chain of 23 islands that make up the country of SVG. He is a volunteer from the Philippines. He will be one of three adults escorting the youth group trying to go to World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. He lives on the island of Canouan, but also serves the islands of Union and Mayreau. 

Javron Da Silva is a faithful altar server from St. John Parish on the island of St. Vincent.

I am also committed to Jescina Joe and Breana Marksman ( photos to come) who are also active in St. John Parish on St. Vincent.

Ewansee Arrindell, is another faithful altar server from St. Michael Parish on the island of Bequia.

Here is what the Diocesan Youth Minister, Mrs. Tomiko Browne, wrote to me when I asked for information on how to help.

Most of our youth who would like to attend WYD come from very low income families & simply cannot afford to attend this once in a lifetime pilgrimage. We currently have 25 youth who are very interested in attending but are facing financial challenges. I have been in contact with our regions secretariat in order to apply for some funding from the USCCB....I hope that we are able to receive a grant to offset some of the cost associated with WYD.To avoid high cost of a hotel stay, I've made contact with Polish Ursuline Sisters so that we could cut down on the cost of accommodations by requesting for our youth to seek lodging at the Monastery. We have been asked to give a modest donation (50 Euro) for Days in the Diocese & breakfast (20 Euro) during our stay at the monastery. I have also been researching historical Catholic sites in Poland & would love for our youth to see some of Poland outside of the WYD activities. I've planned for some chartered tours ($1500 US for the group of 25 persons which includes transport, lunch & entry fees) to sites such as:

• Czestochowa-Auschwitz (St. Maximilian Kolbe & St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) 
• Yasna Gora Monastery (Black Madonna),
• half day excursion to Lagiewniki, the capital of the Divine Mercy, visit the shrine of Divinity dedicated by St. John Paul II and his birth place Wadowice.

That is about $2600.00 US per youth. We know that this is expensive for our youth, and we have worked diligently with our travel agent to provide the best pilgrimage experience that we can at the most reasonable price. The escalating cost of airfare and the fluctuating rate of exchange with the euro have made it difficult to plan for this trip in advance, but we are confident that this price will be final. Roundtrip air is included in the cost. For the safety and well-being of our pilgrims, we have chosen the monastery for our accommodations and private motor coaches for all transportation. Fr. Rex and I will supervise the youth throughout the pilgrimage. A registered counselor will be included among the chaperones. Additionally, the price includes tour guides and admissions to all the sites we will visit on the pilgrimage, World Youth Day Registration fees, as well as all breakfasts and dinners and lunches. 

We also have some fundraising activities lined up for the beginning of the new year (Pre-Valentine Dinner), TV raffle & sponsor walks. But due to the financial climate ,and with more & more businesses closing in SVG; we are finding it difficult to solicit donations.

       

I AM COMMITTED TO SPONSOR THREE FROM THE ISLAND OF ST. VINCENT, ONE FROM THE ISLAND OF BEQUIA AND ONE FROM THE ISLAND OF CANOUAN.   

If you are interested in helping with this and maybe some others, make your tax deductible checks out to

St. Bartholomew Church and send them to me:

From the five scholarships pledged,

___ I would like to help with a full scholarship of $2600.
___ I would like help with a partial scholarship of $________
___ I would like to sponsor a girl.
___ I would like to sponsor a boy.
___ I would like to sponsor either a boy or a girl as needed.

St. Bartholomew Church - SVG Mission Fund
% Rev. J. Ronald Knott

1271 Parkway Gardens Court

#106

Louisville, KY 40217 

The Catholics of SVG Know How to Pray and Sing and Celebrate God's Love!
The Next Generation of Catholics is Crucial to Maintaining the Vitality of the Church!
Youth Who Have Gone to World Youth Day Often Come Home As Leaders in the Church!