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Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of my gift will be used for this project?
100% of all gifts will go directly to this project. The Province of St. John the Baptist will absorb administrative costs and Rich Radici and DMR Construction are donating services and expertise that are vital to this project.
How long have the friars of St. John the Baptist been serving in Jamaica?
In 2000, the friars arrived in the Diocese of Montego Bay. There was much to be done despite many obstacles and challenges. They had limited funds and resources and needed to understand and embrace the cultural differences. There was no roadmap for success, and many things were learned by trial and error and accomplished with sheer perseverance and God’s grace.
What are some of the other programs of the friars in Jamaica?
Here are several of the programs the friars run in Jamaica:
This program assists children from basic school (Kindergarten) up to high school. The goal is to get the kids to school every day.
This program assists bright, talented, and financially challenged high school graduates to go to college.
Serve breakfast to school children during the school year and lunch to the community each weekday throughout the year.
Provides vital medical and dental care in the rural area, aka “The Bush,” of Revival, Jamaica.
Do the friars serve any parishes in Jamaica?
Yes, in addition to the outreach programs, the friars serve at four parishes:
Mary, Gate of Heaven Parish, Negril: Serves the local Catholic community and visiting tourists from around the world. It is also engaged in significant outreach in the community. This includes St. Anthony’s Kitchen, the Get Kids to School Program, and the Get Kids to School Plus Program. See above for details on these programs.
St. Luke Parish, Little London: Under the care of Mary, Gate of Heaven, is a small church in the little town of Little London. Outreach includes food distribution, helping kids get to school and medical assistance.
St. Julie Billiart Parish, Orange Hill and St. Mary Parish, Revival: Located in a rural area known as “the bush,” The friars meet the spiritual needs of the people in these rural communities through Mass and celebration of the Sacraments, home visits, weekly Bible studies and prayer groups. The parish also is involved with Revival Primary School. The church helps provide breakfast, lunch, and necessary school supplies to assist students to attend school regularly. The church has worked to provide economic development opportunities in the communities through agricultural projects and microloans.
What are some of the differences between education in Jamaica versus the United States?
Religion is deeply rooted in the Jamaican culture. Jamaica does not have the same separation of Church and State as in the United States. Jamaica also does not have the same resources to spend on building classroom space needed for the student population. That’s where this project steps in to fill this tragic gap. With your help, we can build a school and offer faith formation while the Jamaican Ministry of Education and Youth staffs, supplies, and covers ongoing expenses of the school.
Fr. Colin and a church team help lead devotions every Monday at Revival Primary School. Also, the school celebrates Mass of the Holy Spirit at the beginning of the school year and before major tests that students will take which determine the High School they will be attending.
What does it mean that the school will have an Infant Department and a Primary School? Are they caring for babies?
While many of us in the US tend to think of an infant as a baby, an “Infant Department” in Jamaica is a term used for 3–6-year-old children. So, an “Infant Department” is equivalent to Preschool and Kindergarten in the United States. “Primary School” is 1st through 6th grades.
How will the ongoing costs of the school be covered?
The Jamaican Ministry of Education and Youth will be covering the ongoing costs of the Infant Department including staffing costs, utilities, and basic curriculum expenses. Obviously, this is vastly different from Catholic schools in the United States. The good news is that Catholic early childhood education will be maintained in “the bush” going into the future.
What is Fr. Colin King’s role in the school?
Since Revival Primary School is a Catholic school and Fr. Colin is the local Pastor, the Bishop of Montego Bay appointed Fr. Colin as chairman of the school board in January 2019. The two parishes where Fr. Colin is Pastor had Basic Schools attached to the churches. Unfortunately, one of the Basic Schools, Jubilee Basic School, has already closed due to financial difficulty. The other Basic School, St. Mary Basic School, is struggling to have the proper staff to accommodate the students. By concentrating resources into the one campus with both an Infant Department and Primary School, the educational needs of the students from both parishes will be met moving forward.
How can I contact someone with questions, for more information, or to schedule an on-site visit?
You can email us at friarworks@franciscan.org and we will get you in touch with the appropriate people.
What if I would like to give something besides money such as materials or school supplies?
While monetary donations are the easiest, we understand there are other means of giving. Please contact friarworks@franciscan.org with item information to see if they may be able to be used for this project.
Project Goal: $1,200,000
Currently Raised: $567,635
Your support of this project is so important to meeting the educational needs of these students. Thank you for your prayers and financial support!
The Friars are also grateful for the support of Rich Radici and DMR Construction in bringing this project to life! As construction manager for this project, DMR Construction brings both passion and expertise to projects like these.