ISLAND VOLUNTEER TRIP #12 - PART III

A quiet moment on the deck of the Pastoral Centre after lunch.
The Pastoral Centre was a very busy place this week!  

Fergal Redmond (above) and Kimberley Olliver (below) make sure the donations we send down are protected and used as designated. 

Part of the weekday Mass group with Bishop County presiding in Saint James Chapel in the Pastoral Centre. 

Msgr. George Bardowell, the oldest priest of the Diocese. 



HEADED OUT FOR THE PARISH MISSION

Father Elton and Father Mark, two of the four Redemptorist
priests on the Mission team, head out for the first night of their week-long Parish Mission.



A VISIT TO SAINT MARTIN SECONDARY SCHOOL FOR BOYS

Mr. Wendell Edwards, Principle of Saint Martin Secondary School for Boys, Fergal Redmond and Bishop County paying a visit to Saint Martin School to discuss a possible future project below.



Opening night of the 2019 Lenten Parish Mission in Stubbs featuring the Redemptorist priest mission team. 



Father Boniface who oversees the parishes on the islands of Canouan, Mayreau and Union will see to it that the 96 Easter baskets we sent down will be assembled and distributed to the kids on all three islands at the Easter Sunday Masses.

Five of the six boxes of Easter goodies have already arrived at the Pastoral Centre. The sixth and final one should be here this week!
I am excited because I now know they will actually be here in time for Easter! 
Thanks to all who helped with this project! 






Sister Martha, a Saint Joseph of Cluny Sister, teaches the second grade at Saint Mary's School. We dropped off quite a few boxes of pens at the convent for the school kids. The pens are compliments of my youngest brother, Mark. 



Saint Mary's Cathedral Primary School Principal, Ms. Eula Johnny. 



There are more than 500 children in Saint Mary's grade school and believe me thy are packed in to small spaces. Located in a crowded downtown, there is no playground on the campus, just a courtyard between the school and the Cathedral not large enough for any organized sports - except for things like jump rope, hop-scotch and kicking a small ball around - a few kids at a time.  

Saint Mary's School is out for spring break. Here is one of the empty classrooms. We dropped off a box of items for one of the booths at their upcoming June Festival fund-raiser.

WEDNESDAY



This morning, since I was presiding at the 7:30 Mass, I got up at 5:30 and took a cup of coffee out on the deck. This is what I saw - a windjammer ship docked in front of the house. The port is off to the left. In contrast, a small dingy dinghy just passed with two fishermen heading home. 



The new Saint James Chapel we built a few years ago. 




Lots of "Jameses and friends" made it happen!



Waiting for Mass to begin. This is the view from the Chapel. 



Father Mark, Colin and Father Ako



Reader, Jerry Jensen, Bishop County and Father Mark



Father Ako, Bishop County and Father Mark



Bishop County and myself


ANOTHER IMPORTANT MEETING



On Wednesday morning I met with Shanda Boyer, Youth Minister, to check up on our plans for this coming summer's Kids Computer Camps on three of the islands and a Kids Field Day for the orphanages in Georgetown. 
Thank you Beth Kolodey, Karen Crook and Tim Tomes for coming down in July to help with those programs. 


RAPHIQUE SARGEANT


I was happy to see an old friend again, Raphique, on this trip.
I have watched him grow up since I started coming down. 
He is the son of Collitta, the Pastoral Centre cook. 
We were able to sponsor him to go to World Youth Day in Poland a few years back. He is now 21 years old. 
He is a very likable young man and I have great hopes for him. 




MARTIN FOLAN'S 74th BIRTHDAY

Martin Folan, a volunteer from Ireland, celebrated his 74th birthday today. He is in the dark shirt under the yellow plant picture of the wall behind him in the center of the photograph. He went swimming at Bequia Island for the day and joined us for snacks and drinks at the end of the day. 

ISLAND VOLUNTEER TRIP #12 - PART II

I AM NOT HERE VOLUNTEERING ALONE




On the left is a psychologist on the left, Jerry Jensen, of Minnesota. He is working with some adults who can help him offer care to the children who need counseling. 
 In the center is Bishop County.
On each side of the bishop are Redemptorist priests conducting  Lenten Missions in some of the parishes, There are four of them working as a team. 
On the right is one of the Catholic school teachers. 



I PREACHED THREE WEEKEND MASSES
with Redemptorist Father Rodney Concelebrating

Saint Benedict in Georgetown
Saint Joseph in Bellvue
Mary, Star of the Sea in Sandy Bay



Mass at Saint Benedict in Georgetown



Mass at Saint Joseph in Bellvue



I met Jamary at Mass when I came down for one of my first trips. He has really grown, but still carries the cross at Masses. 



The is the Deacon Best Family - Deacon Best, his wife, his two daughters and granddaughter. 



Adrian, the drummer at Mass, and I talked before Mass. 



A Methodist Minister and his wife, Reverend and Mrs. Brown, attended Mass today. 
Father Rodney was the main celebrant for this Mass and I preached, 



This little guy got a pair of swim goggles that I had brought in my gift box. 



I talked to some of the kids after Mass. One of the things I noticed here is that people still dress up for church - the kids are always dressed and combed and at their best! 



Mass at Our Lady Star of the Sea in Sandy Bay




Preaching in Sandy Bay.   



I brought everyone a small gift - children and adults. 
Everyone was excited about what I would pull of of the box next!



The parish in Sandy Bay knew my birthday is coming up so they presented me with a cake at the end of Mass and prepared a wonderful lunch for all who had attended the Mass,



WE MADE A STOP AT 
SAINT BENEDICT HOME FOR CHILDREN



Carmelite Sisters Nyra Anne and Carmen



"Yes, Sister, I agree! She certainly needs a new wheel chair!" 



I can't believe how much he has grown! 



Thanks to a couple of generous sponsors, the young girl in the middle with the red shirt, Aneisha, went to the Special Olympics 2019 in Abu Dhabi with Sister Nyra Anne and and some twenty-four other kids from Saint Vincent. She ran track and came home with two gold medals and one silver medal. There were 5 other gold medal, and one bronze medal, winners from Saint Vincent. 

ISLAND VOLUNTEER TRIP #12 - PART I

I'M ON MY WAY DOWN TODAY 
(SATURDAY)! 

I left Louisville at 7:00 AM 
I should be in Kingstown by 2:30 PM

(follow along this week - there will be several posts)








For the first time, I can fly all the way to Saint Vincent with only one stop in Miami. American Airlines now has a weekly Saturday flight in and out of Saint Vincent which makes the trip a whole lot less stressful.


I Can't Wait to See My Island Friends Again




Bishop County seeing me off at the airport at the end of my last visit.



Father Richard Paynter (on the right) and Daphne Paynter (on the left), former Anglicans, are married to each other. Father Richard is a Roman Catholic priest and Daphne is Bishop County's secretary.




A crowded Cathedral celebration in Kingstown SVG.



Some of the kids at Saint Benedict Home for Children with Carmelite Sisters Nyra Ann and Carmen.



Pastoral Centre Staff - Pam, housekeeper, and   Collitta, cook, in our newly renovated kitchen.



Some of the Caribbean dolls I give to the kids in the islands and people up here who help with my Parish Missions.



Fergal and Martin, volunteers from Ireland



Some of the kids from Bread of Life Home for Children



Parishioners of Mary, Star of the Sea, Church in Sandy Bay



Some of the kids at Saint Mary's School (Cathedral)



Most of the priests, Sisters and Lay Staff of the Diocese.



.....and many, many more!

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE

Encouraging Words for Discouraged Catholics

Number One Completed at Saint Brigid Church in Vine Grove

Number Two Completed at Holy Family Church in Louisville

THE ATTENDANCE, 

THE SINGING

and 

THE GENEROSITY TO THE CARIBBEAN MISSIONS

WERE SIMPLY AMAZING

Special thanks to Deacon Pat Wright, Administrator of Holy Family Parish. He was so helpful with advertising and organization from start to finish. 

The gospel group REFLECTIONS were again wonderful. They can really get people to sing  which "makes" any Parish Mission shine! 










The crowd was enthusiastic and they sang their hearts out! 
The turn-out was so good the first night that we had a parking problem! 



Greeters - night two. 



Night two crowd was as big as night one! 



Deacon Pat Wright and I have worked together before. He was a deacon at the Cathedral when I was pastor there! He is a wonderful deacon! 



Doing my thing - night two!



Greeting people at the door on their way home - night two. 



The Mission Team