JUST THREE WEEKS TILL MY 8TH TRIP TO THE ISLAND MISSIONS

ALL PACKED AND READY TO GO





I now have a full set of clothes down there stored away in my
 CATHOLIC SECOND WIND GUILD HEADQUARTERS,
 so all I have to take with me these days is a backpack.  


Sun glasses?
Check!
Backpack?
Check!
Passport?
Check!
Global Entry card?
Check!
East Caribbean dollars?
Check!



Diocesan leaders: Sisters, priests, deacons, diocesan staff and lay volunteers.




Filipino Father Rex (waving) and Father Edmundo serve their three islands with a boat. To help them out, we bought them a boat motor a while back. They had a boat, but no motor.



The kids of ST. BENEDICT HOME with Sister Nyra Ann, Father Tom Clark and myself on a recent trip.



Last year's diocesan Christmas party on St. Vincent. This year we will have one on all the islands with parishes in the diocese: St. Vincent, Bequia, Union, Mayreau and Canouan.



Carmelite Sister Nyra Ann and one of her charges, another one of the amazingly bright-eyed children.



One of the many bright-eyed children, Daniel, hugged my leg most of the last time I was with him.




I have led a couple of deacon candidate retreats since I started down there.



Nothing like a gin and tonic on the deck in the evenings with Fergal. Irish humor and gin go together quite well.



Sister Zita and myself  with some of her BREAD OF LIFE kids.



That's me celebrating Mass at Corpus Christi Parish with the pastor, Father Peter, from Nigeria. They have no church yet, but meet in a classroom at a local community college.



I haven't actually seen the newly renovated living room yet, but I am anxious to see it. Such an improvement!



We are finally going to dedicate our newly created SAINT JAMES CHAPEL in the Diocesan Pastoral Centre on December 14.



What marvelous eyes so many of the kids have down there!



Fergal (diocesan CPA) and Desmond (renovation project manager) relaxing after a hard day of volunteering. These two guys can "git-r-done" as the famous "Larry the Cable Guy" says.



Bishop Gerard County, newest bishop of the Diocese of Kingstown SVG is ending his second year.



Teddy bears were a big request for Christmas gifts this year.



Mass at the Cathedral of the Assumption, Kingston SVG




My newly renovated SECOND WIND headquarters.Yes, that's a room air-conditioner above the window. I could not sleep without it! Sometimes I just go to the room to cool off!



The new entrance to my CATHOLIC SECOND WIND GUILD headquarters. Fergal Redmond and Martin Folan, full-time volunteers from Ireland, have rooms downstairs.



The toys we sent November 4 are en route and should already be there when I arrive.





Rest up, Santa! You're going to need it!