Home Lifestyles Religion Sts. Peter and Paul Schedules Annual Keys and Sword Award Banquet

Sts. Peter and Paul Schedules Annual Keys and Sword Award Banquet

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Sts. Peter and Paul’s second annual Keys and Sword Award Banquet will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 22 at the ballroom of the Marriott’s Frenchman’s Reef Beach Resort Hotel.
The festivities will begin with a champagne reception, followed by a three-course plated dinner and music by Milo’s Kings. Special features include door prizes, a raffle, a silent auction, formal portraits and entertainment by the Cathedral Choir. Free shuttle service will be available from Havensight Mall beginning at 6 p.m. and continuing through the evening. For those who want to stay over, the “Reef” is offering a few rooms at special rates; for more information call 800-266-9432.
This year the Keys and Sword gala will honor the Virgin Islands’ own Dr. Alfred O. Heath, a Renaissance man, for his many years of outstanding contributions to the community. A general practitioner and thoracic and vascular surgeon, Dr. Heath has improved the lives of hundreds of residents. He has also served the community in a many other ways, including as an officer in the V.I. National Guard, an author and an educator.
Always on the front line in support of charitable causes at home, his generosity extends beyond the territory. Most notably, he has taken a lead role in several relief drives for Haiti and has used his skill as a licensed, small plane pilot to fly missions there. He is an active member of the Catholic Diocese and of Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral parish where he has served as a cantor, choir member and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. He devotes much of his spare time to music; he is an accomplished violinist and sings bass with various groups, including the newly formed Diocesan Choir, and – for 40 years — the Caribbean Chorale.
“We could not have chosen a more worthy recipient for this year’s Keys and Sword Award than Dr. Heath,” said Bishop Herbert A. Bevard, Catholic bishop of St. Thomas. “His extraordinary commitment and selfless dedication in service to others is truly exemplary.”
Bishop Bevard initiated the award to recognize individuals for remarkable contributions to others. The first recipient was Bishop Emeritus Elliot G. Thomas. The award takes its names from the symbols of the patron saints of the diocese’s cathedral: Sts. Peter and Paul. Proceeds from the event will support the restoration of the historic cathedral, which is over 160 years old. While the cathedral is the spiritual center of the diocese, it is also a landmark belonging to the entire V.I. community. The diocese is asking for everyone’s support in preserving it for future generations.
Tickets for the awards banquet are $150, with $90 tax deductible. They are available from individuals at Catholic parishes throughout the territory. For a full list of ticket sellers and to learn more about the Keys and Sword Banquet and about the restoration, visit cathedralvi.com. Interested persons may also call the Keys and Sword office at the Catholic Chancery at 774-3166, ext. 213.

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