WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | May 2020 | Volume 81, Number 7 ‘HURRICANE TOM,’ HAS NOT LOST HIS ENERGY TRICKY QUESTIONS FOR WHEN PUBLIC MASSES RESUME Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Florida bishops are working to ARCHBISHOP WENSKI’S 10th ANNIVERSARY — Archbishop Wenski met financial guarantee health of faithful. Archbishop Thomas Wenski prays goals, but says Church creativity will be tested by ‘new normal.’ See story on Page 1. (FILE PHOTO) over the gifts of bread and wine at the start of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. See story and Q&A on Page 2. (FILE PHOTO) Segunda época Mayo de 2020 PERIÓDICO DE LA ARQUIDIÓCESIS DE MIAMI Vol. 8 No 5 // www.miamiarch.org • Cuando la Misa nos Cuando reúna, P. 3 la Misa nos • Que el dinero se reúna convierta en esperanza, P.3 P. 4 • Con Don Shula se nos Que el dinero va un campeón, P. 5 se convierta en • San Josemaría Escrivá esperanza en Miami, P. 9 P. 4 • Mons. Thomas Wenski: 10 años como nuestro Con Don Shula se pastor, P. 10-11 nos va un campeón P. 5 San Josemaría Escrivá en Miami P. 9 Mons. Thomas Wenski: 10 años como nuestro pastor P. 10-11 Para que Cuba renazca P. 15 WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | June 2020 FLORIDACatholic MIAMI ARCHDIOCESE Class of A year for the history2 0 books 2 0 ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO of the Florida Catholic staff MIAMI | Prospects for the class of 2020 looked bleak in mid-March, when in-person classes were can- celed. As the coronavirus quaran- tine stretched past April and into May, the bleakness solidified: no prom, no class trips, no walk across the stage in cap and gown to receive a diploma. The world was living through unprecedented times, and students and teachers were forced to adapt practically overnight: teaching and Parents cheer from their car as a member of Msgr. Edward Pace High learning through Zoom and other School’s class of 2020 walks across the stage to receive her diploma videoconferencing platforms; get- from principal Ana Garcia, May 29, 2020. ting together with friends only through screens. GRADUATION SECTION, OF The teenagers adapted better see pages 5-20 for more stories CLASS 2020: to the new mode of learning. Par- about the class of 2020. BY THE NUMBERS ents with young children, and their teachers, faced a tougher time get- the class valedictorian and saluta- • 13: Catholic high schools in the ting the youngsters to stay on task torian live on Instagram and Face- archdiocese, including one virtual and learn their lessons without the book, dropping by the students’ school. teachers’ personal presence. homes to surprise them with the • 506: largest graduating class, Nothing in collective memory news. (https://www.instagram. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale. had prepared anyone for such a com/p/B_p6GX6HaWm/). They • 16: smallest graduating class, moment. The class of 2020 — both repeated the process to announce ADOM Virtual School. eighth graders in parochial schools the winners of other academic and • 1,021: attended Catholic and seniors in high schools — athletic awards. schools for 12 years; represent- would go down in history. Immaculata-La Salle High ing 34% of the graduates of And indeed, they did. But not for School honored its gradu- nine schools that obtained those what they missed. The pandemic ates with a new mural facing statistics. unleashed a wave of creativity in the athletic field (https://www. • 96%: college-bound. archdiocesan teachers and admin- facebook.com/ILSroyals/vid- • 68%: earned college scholar- istrators, a viral display of imagina- eos/2735171566710648/). Msgr. ships. tion and affection that transcended Edward Pace High School staged • 7%: recognized as national the physical distancing — and iron- a drive-by graduation. Archbishop merit finalists, semifinalists, com- ically, made graduation even more Coleman Carroll High held its cer- mended or Hispanic scholars. Dressed in cap and gown, and evenly spaced out, Archbishop Coleman memorable for the class of 2020. emony outdoors, with students Carroll High’s graduating class of 2020 listen to remarks during their Not for them a long, formal cere- masked and appropriately dis- • 1%: graduated from programs for exceptional learners (disability or outdoor commencement ceremony held May 30, 2020 on school mony with keynote speakers whose tanced and parents watching from impairments). grounds. (CRISTINA CABRERA JARRO | FC) names and words would be forgot- their cars. ten in a week. Not for them just one P.E. teachers turned into media • $199.6 million: amount ceremony, in fact, but a series of stars as they taught their classes earned in college scholarships. noisy, colorful celebrations. via Zoom, using objects around the • 610,165: number of commu- Nearly all the schools held drive- house as exercise equipment. nity service hours completed. by events — the “new normal” The students, too, overcame the • Silver Knights: 9 winners, 14 equivalent of a party — where par- boredom of lockdown by getting honorable mentions. ents and students, their cars fes- creative: making masks and the ties tooned with balloons, posters and that bind them, making greeting banners, passed through a phalanx cards for health care workers, and member. They made history while of mask-wearing teachers handing even making a music video. living through unprecedented out gifts. Keeping up with the explosions times. Some teachers and administra- of joy and creativity has not been May the lessons of the previ- tors drove to their students’ homes easy. The Florida Catholic tried to ous three months prepare them to to drop off lawn signs extolling the cover as much as it could and in- confront whatever challenges the class of 2020, plus the traditional clude it in this June 2020 graduation future puts in their way. And may graduation regalia, yearbooks and edition, Pages 5-20. they continue making history by Double the grad power: Sisters Marissa, left, and Miranda Rodriguez, other memorabilia. It’s not clear yet whether in-per- putting their myriad talents to work right, are all smiles as they wait for the start of their commencement The Immaculate Heart of Mary son classes will resume in Septem- on creating another “new normal” ceremony on the grounds of Archbishop Coleman Carroll High on Sisters who administer Our Lady ber. What is certain is that the class — of unity, justice, solidarity and May 30, 2020. The twins are both headed to Miami Dade College of Lourdes Academy announced of 2020 experienced a year to re- peace. n in the fall. 2 YOUR MIAMI COMMUNITY Florida Catholic June 2020 St. John the Baptist: the Bible’s wild man A look at the art at his namesake church in Fort Lauderdale JIM DAVIS Florida Catholic correspondent FORT LAUDERDALE | He ate locusts, dressed in camel hair and lived in the wil- derness. He ranted at peasants, rulers and religious leaders alike. His loud mouth got him jailed, then killed. Yet St. John the Baptist, whose feast day is June 24, is honored for his courage and fore- sight, as a prophet who recognized Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” John, whose story is told in all four Gos- pels, was a cousin of Jesus. His mother, Eliz- abeth, was Mary’s cousin. As with Jesus, his birth was foretold by the angel Gabriel. While Jesus traveled, taught and healed, however, John preached explosively about Angels joyfully whip up the Jordan River as Jesus is baptized, in a window that fills the east gable at St. John the Baptist Church. judgment. (PHOTOS BY JIM DAVIS | FC) “You brood of vipers! Who told you to flee the wrath to come?” John thundered at his listeners. He then baptized the repentant in the Jordan River as a sign of their new life. John also foretold the coming of a great leader. “I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit,” he said. He was therefore reluctant when Jesus himself came to be baptized. “I need you to baptize me,” John said, but he complied and did the ritual for Jesus. He later bore witness that a dove settled onto Jesus as a voice from heaven declared him ““my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” John’s righteous rage, however, was not spent. He denounced King Herod for mar- rying his half-brother’s wife, prompting Herod to cast him into a dungeon. Herod’s St. John the Baptist Church presents a low profile to toney Wood, stone and faceted glass combine in the interior design at St. wife then nudged her daughter to dance for Bayview Drive, offering few clues to the many artworks inside. John the Baptist Church. the king, who vowed to give her whatever she asked. To his horror, the girl requested — and received — John’s head. By then, many of John’s disciples had left to follow Jesus, with John’s encouragement. “He must increase; I must decrease.” In Fort Lauderdale, the parish that bears John’s name was founded in 1969 by Arch- bishop Coleman F. Carroll. The 400 families first met at Cardinal Gibbons High School. But within two years, they dedicated their own house of worship on adjacent land. The 1,000-seat structure resembles a large house with a glazed tile roof, fitting in with its suburban residential neighbor- hood. Inside, the nave is finished with ex- posed beams, with walls of wood panel and pine log stone. Dominating the eastern gable is a fac- eted-glass window 66-feet wide, showing John baptizing Jesus. In the other direction, overlooking the chancel area, is a stone wall with a crucifix, on which the figure of Jesus stretches his hands in welcome.