1823 MARCH 17 1998

On March 17, 1823, a small estate chapel, now known as "St. Ann's Church," was formally consecrated by the Catholic Church. From its humble beginnings, it is now the largest parish in the Catholic Diocese of the Virgin Islands. However, to understand the background of this 175th anniversary celebration, we must know our history and the circumstances in which our Parish was born.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ST. CROIX

St. Croix shares its reputation with other Caribbean islands as a place of enchantment and beloved by God. Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493, it was named after the HOLY CROSS. St. Croix was governed by seven nations: Spain, England, France, the Knights of Malta, the Netherlands, Denmark, and now the United States of America. It shares the wonderful histories of these cultures. Most prominent, however, is the legacy of those who were forcibly brought to St. Croix from West Africa during the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1848, Governor Von Scholten made his ‘emancipation proclamation’ - an event that St. Croix is celebrating this very year- its 150th ANNIVERSARY. In 1917, Denmark sold St. Croix (along with the other Danish West Indies, St. Thomas and St. John) to the United States of America because of the islands' strategic location on shipping lanes between Europe and the Americas. The Virgin Islands are currently an unincorporated territory of the United States.

Due to an economic boom in the early 60’s, St Croix became a melting pot of the Caribbean Islands with the intermingling of many nationalities and languages. Each group of arrivals brought its own beliefs and customs. The population continued to grow with residents from every continent in the world. Tourists began to pour in from the continental United States, Canada, Europe and beyond. America’s Paradise was on the map.

RELIGIOUS HISTORY OF ST. CROIX

During the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries, the Catholics were served by the Jesuits, then the Irish Dominicans, itinerant priests and by the 1850’s, the Redemptorist Fathers were already stationed in Christiansted and Frederiksted.  The 1960’s Census reported a christian community that was shared equally among the Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans and Moravians. A small Jewish community also lived on St. Croix. Today, Evangelical Churches abound and there are growing numbers that follow the beliefs of Islam, Hinduism, Bahai’s and Buddhism. The Catholic Church however, has the largest membership and two of the four parishes are served by Diocesan Priests.

THE ESTATE AT BARRENSPOT & ITS CHAPEL

During plantation days, it was customary for wealthy owners to provide facilities for worship on the estates themselves--lack of roads and transportation were formidable obstacles to attending the formal churches in townships--for their own families, their workers, and neighboring country people. These were usually in the form of small chapels, holy places constructed tastefully in the manner of the owner's religion, and formally blessed by the religious authorities. A visiting priest or minister was always welcome, and a small graveyard often adjoined these chapels. The chapel at Barrenspot was built in this same tradition.

Estate ownership of Barrenspot was in the prominent Markoe-McEvoy families from at least 1765 until 1880, Maria Markoe having married Christopher McEvoy, Sr. By 1804, the owner of record was Christopher McEvoy, Jr., who was as wealthy as his father and probably the builder of the stately Whim Greathouse on St. Croix, now a museum. He is credited with the construction of the Chapel . McEvoy Jr. died on St. Ann's Day, July 26, 1838, and was buried in Copenhagen. The estate passed on through the McEvoy family but along with other sugar estates on St. Croix encountered hard times, eventually being sold at auction in 1880 to one Frederik Raphael. The graves in the small cemetery at the Chapel entrance contain the remains of both Frederick and his infant son. There are also two unmarked graves on the eastern side of the Church wall.

In 1897, the estate was bought by a sea captain, Andrew Jackson Blackwood, who deeded the Chapel and the land it was on--one half acre--to the Catholic Church. It is at this point that the Chapel's history separates from the Estate, although the workers and tenants of Barrenspot as well as the neighboring country people made up the bulk of the worshippers.

While the Catholic Church acquired ownership of the Chapel and its land in 1897, it was dedicated to St. Ann on November 25, 1900. The Chapel remained a mission of Holy Cross Catholic Church, Christiansted until July 26, 1970 when it became an independent parish church.

BARRENSPOT SCHOOL

The American Redemptorist priests who arrived in 1917, replacing their Belgian counterparts, were greatly interested in promoting education. A group of Nuns from Belgium, the Canonesses of St. Augustine, had already begun the first Catholic School at St. Patrick’s in Frederiksted; next, St. Mary’s School opened in Christiansted; finally, a small school was established in Barrenspot for the benefit of the country children. Initially, over 150 children attended, but harsh economic conditions led to a reduction in the island's population and a devastating hurricane demolished most of the school in 1928. Grades 1, 2, and 3 continued in the Chapel until the school building was repaired during 1932. Although the second floor was not replaced, the school remained opened until 1964. Free government transportation now made it possible for the children to travel to St. Mary’s School or one of the public schools in Christiansted.

It is noteworthy that St. Ann's School briefly reopened during 1968-1970, ironically during the economic boom of those years, for the education of children of many foreign workers who were not eligible for U.S. public schooling during that period. The school building remains but built upon, restructured and expanded over and over again, sometimes due to the natural havoc of hurricanes (David ‘79, Hugo ‘89, Marilyn ‘95), However, it remains a happy memory in the hearts of many Virgin Islanders, including those who were its students and are now devoted parishioners of St. Ann’s Church.

NEW PARISH OF ST. ANN’S CHURCH

On July 26, 1970, the Barrenspot Chapel was separated from the Roman Catholic Church of Christiansted and erected as a canonical parish --St. Ann’s Church. A young man from Brooklyn, New York, Father Michael Kosak, was ordained by Bishop Harper as the first diocesan priest for the Prelature of the Virgin Islands and assigned as Pastor of the new parish. Within a few years the church was too small and, in December 1977, a TENT was purchased. When Bishop Harper was approached with this temporary solution, he gasped so loud he told us, that all St. Thomas heard him. However, with a twinkle in his eyes, he gave his blessing. The TENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT became a real CENTER for EVANGELIZATION. In 1983, the Tent was replaced with an open-air parish center and 1100 chairs were filled every Sunday.

Charismatic Renewal was introduced to the parish after the Pastor, Fr. Mike, had a mountaintop spiritual experience on Mt. St. Benedict in Trinidad. This vibrant spirituality became the foundation for the vision of the Parish. It attracted many, even from other Churches. Our catholic identity had to be underlined with solid teachings and authentic devotions with particular attention given to the Eucharist, Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Blessed Mother. Rosary crusades, penance services, prayer meetings and other devotions helped to create a wonderful bond of fellowship and love.

The Permanent Diaconate program began in 1981 and St. Ann’s received the mandate for its formation. In 1984, there were seventeen ordinations in the Diocese with seven candidates from St. Ann’s. In 1987, a second program began and three more members from St. Ann’s were ordained in the Class of 1990 which had a total of nine candidates. Presently, the Diaconal Community of the Virgin Islands numbers twenty two with six assigned to St. Ann’s.

On November 1, 1985 the Caribbean Catholic Network- a twenty four hour Catholic television channel on St. Croix Cable- was initiated at St. Ann’s. Mother Angelica’s Network, EWTN, provided six hours of Catholic programming and our extensive video library filled the airwaves for the other eighteen hours. The following year, EWTN was a full time ministry and our local productions were aired from 5:00pm-9:00pm daily. Today, we have two Catholic Networks to cover the entire Diocese and they are supported by the Bishop and all the parishes.

The New Evangelization helped to influence many of the ministries in our parish: Holy Spirit Seminars, Marriage and Engaged encounter, Parish Renewal, Charismatic Conferences, Ecumenical Gatherings and many other programs which motivated the parishioners for service as teachers, lectors, acolytes, eucharistic ministers, musicians and eventually deacons. The Altar Society emerged followed by the Men’s Fellowship and the Mothers Club. The Sacred Heart Society had always been a part of St. Ann’s going back to the 1950’s. Most of the pioneers of the renewed parish still serve on the staff: Deacon Hyacinthe George, Lucy Bough, Aldon Rogers, Sr.Patricia Alexander and Fr. Bernard Campbell. Fr. Willie Dever from the Archdiocese of Miami served at St. Ann’s during 1984-1985. He drew up plans for the new rectory and also "broke ground" before returning to his home diocese. Sr. Germaine Convery O.S.F. returned to Pittsburgh in 1995 after 16 years of vibrant ministry not only at St. Ann’s but also for the Diocese of St. Thomas. Visiting priests from East and West Africa made significant contributions during the 80’s. Two of them were ordained for our diocese: Fr. Simon Obeng of Ghana, W.A. and Fr. Simon Peter Opira of Uganda, E.A. Fr. Simon has served as associate pastor of St. Ann’s since 1993.

Fr. Michael Kosak was transferred to the Cathedral on St. Thomas in 1989 and Fr. Elliott Thomas (now Bishop Thomas) served at St. Ann’s one year, primarily to heal after Hurricane Hugo. Fr. George Franklin succeeded Fr. Thomas and served from 1990-95. He continued the hurricane reconstruction, built up a ministry to youth and did considerable fund raising. Fr. Mike Kosak (now Monsignor Kosak) returned on October 1, 1995 and rebuilt from the ruins of Hurricane Marilyn. In September 1996, he began the long awaited construction of the Joachim Center, a permanent building which seats 750 worshippers. This 8000 square foot building was blessed on the Feast of Sts. Joachim & Ann - July, 1997. The final project was the transformation of the sugar mill into a Shrine to the Blessed Mother - a dream more than 25 years in the making. On the Vigil of the Immaculate Conception, December 7, 1997, Bishop Thomas dedicated the Shrine of Our Lady of Barrenspot Hill, the Ark of the Covenant. The prophetic ministry has revealed that signs and wonders will flow from this sanctuary of healing...this is holy ground.

We celebrate our 175th Anniversary during the YEAR OF THE HOLY SPIRIT and look forward with expectant hearts to yet another outpouring of the Spirit of God as we wait patiently for the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled (Luke 1:45)

Feast of the Annunciation
March 25,1998  

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