Our Lady of Mt Carmel

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish traces its roots back to July 1962 when it emerged as a modest chapel, offering services by visiting priests and chaplains. The driving force behind the chapel’s inception was William and Carmel Callahan, who generously contributed to its construction. Initially, the congregation consisted mainly of migrant workers from Puerto Rico, as most St. Johnians adhered to their Moravian or Lutheran faith. It wasn’t until 1970 that the parish welcomed its first resident pastor, Father Charlie Roddy.

Throughout the 1970s, the chapel community steadily grew. The resident pastor and visiting priests actively encouraged local participation in Mass. Evangelization efforts extended to the rising number of tourists from Caneel Bay. In 1978, Our Lady of Mount Carmel held services in honor of the late Governor Cyril E. King, whose body had lain in state at the Battery the previous day.

In the 1980s, the resident priests began holding Mass at Caneel Bay, even as the local population continued to attend services in the chapel. Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s congregation became culturally diverse but also faced internal divisions. Membership continued to increase in the 1990s, leading to the construction of extensions to the main chapel. Father Ken Stewart became the church’s first African-American priest. Finally, in 2005, after a slow and steady construction process, the new church was dedicated by Bishop George Murry, SJ, marking a significant milestone in the parish’s history. Our physical footprint in Cruz Bay now includes two buildings: the Church and Guadalupe Hall with the Rectory above.