Youths Told They Are Worthy of Call Saints, Souls Remembered Bishop
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WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | Nov. 11-24, 2016 | Volume 78, Number 2 ORLANDO DIOCESE PALM BEACH DIOCESE VENICE DIOCESE Leon George Decatrel, a parishioner of St. Peter in Jupiter, sits in quiet prayer near his wife’s grave. He Bishop John Noonan confirms 36 candidates from was one of many faithful visiting Our Lady Queen of communities of the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana Peace Catholic Cemetery Nov. 2 to pray for loved ones A Eucharistic Procession takes place during the 2016 in the Dominican Republic. (COURTESY) and all the souls who have faithfully departed. He lost Diocese of Venice Youth Rally Nov. 5 at the Charlotte his wife of 57 years in August. (LINDA REEVES | FC) Harbor Event and Conference Center in Punta Gorda. (BOB REDDY | FC) Bishop Noonan Saints, souls Youths told celebrates with remembered they are sister diocese It has been only a few months since Leon worthy of call George Decatrel, a parishioner of St. Peter Parish In the six villages that comprise the sister dio- in Jupiter, lost his wife. On All Souls Day, Decatrel cese of San Juan de la Maguana in the Dominican sat quietly in prayer as Mass began at Our Lady The Venice Youth Rally was filled with spiritual Republic, family has a wide definition. Queen of Peace Catholic Cemetery in Royal Palm enrichment and Diocesan solidarity as the youth Parents, grandparents, children, neighbors, Beach. represented their parishes with enthusiasm and and friends all make up a large family, united by “We were married 57 years,” he told the Florida open-mindedness to the call the Lord has for each their faith and relying on one another in difficult Catholic. I am learning to live alone. It will take of them. living conditions. Missioners and visitors are also some time.” “Young people are hungry for Jesus, and to see warmly welcomed and immediately drawn into Gerald M. Barbarito celebrated the All Souls’ them growing in their faith while having fun with the family. That is what a group from the diocese, Day Mass Nov. 2, and presented a comforting and so many other young people from the Diocese is who included 15 Catholic school teachers, recent- inspiring homily. All Souls Day is a time to re- a joy,” Bishop Frank Dewane said. “It is easy to be ly discovered. member the saints and all the fait inspired by their enthusiasm.” Click on the ORLANDO DIOCESE above for Click on the PALM BEACH DIOCESE for more Click on the VENICE DIOCESE above for more more on this story. on this story. on this story. E-EDITION E-EDITION EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE Election results Prelates’ bet of ballot has winners initiatives in Chicago across the and in nation Cleveland 500 religious leaders join Standing Rock Sioux WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | Nov. 11-24, 2016 FLORIDACatholic ORLANDO DIOCESE Bishop John Noonan confirms 36 candidates from communities of Fifteen teachers from six different schools throughout the Diocese of Orlando lead workshops to train the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana in the Dominican Republic. instructors from the four schools in the Dominican Republic. (COURTESY PHOTOS) Bishop Noonan celebrates with sister diocese GLENDA MEEKINS Following its dedication, Bishop Noonan con- of the Florida Catholic staff firmed 36 candidates from the communities, in- cluding nine high school youth from the diocesan ORLANDO | In the six villages that comprise residence in Azua who came up the day before to the sister diocese of San Juan de la Maguana in the celebrate the events. Dominican Republic, family has a wide definition. Bishop Noonan was moved by the students he Parents, grandparents, children, neighbors, met and their outgoing personalities. He recalled and friends all make up a large family, united by one teen who made a point of thanking the bishop their faith and relying on one another in difficult for confirming him and called his faith, “the best living conditions. Missioners and visitors are also gift of his life.” Bishop Noonan noted, “The young warmly welcomed and immediately drawn into people are advancing well in our schools. I see the the family. That is what a group from the diocese, communities coming together more and sharing who included Bishop John Noonan, Henry Fortier, more.” superintendent of Catholic schools, Kevin Casey, Throughout the week, 15 teachers from six chief financial officer and 15 Catholic school different schools in the Diocese of Orlando led teachers, recently discovered. workshops to train an estimated 75 instructors “We see them as brothers and sisters in Christ,” from the four schools in the sister diocese. Direc- said Bishop Noonan who confirmed 36 youth and tors of State from the Dominican Republic were blessed a bridge that had been a year in the mak- so impressed with the diocesan students they ing during the visit from Oct. 17-21. have asked to send their own teachers for train- The village of La Cueva is bordered by a river, ing next year. which becomes impassable when the water is Sara Plumley, a teacher from St. Mary Magdalen high. Seeing the need to connect the village to Catholic School in Altamonte Springs, was struck its neighbor, La Cucarita, Ascension Parish in by the beauty of the Dominican people. “I was Melbourne raised the funds necessary to build a constantly blown away by the kindness and gen- bridge between the two communities. Missioners erosity shown by the people living there,” she said. from the parish and around the diocese worked “While sharing coffee with a local woman she told side-by-side with people of La Cueva and all six me, ‘This is your house. You are my people. Every- neighboring villages to pour cement by hand thing I have is yours. I do not have much, but I am to form the 24-foot high pillars that support the rich because I have God and I have friends. We are bridge and link the two communities. family because we are children of God.’ Puente Asención (Ascension Bridge) was inau- “This quote has stuck with me,” she said. gurated and blessed by Bishop Noonan Oct. 18. As “While the people living in the Dominican Re- many areas have no roads and people ride mules public have so little, they have so much to give. for transportation, the bridge will be essential to I always leave feeling like I receive more than I joining the communities so they can help one an- can give. Be it the child who waves every morn- other. Father Fred Ruse, who served in the Sister ing as I head to school, the teachers who encour- Diocese for many years, said everyone gained a lot aged and supported my struggling Spanish, or from the communal effort to build the bridge. singing in Mass with all the people of La Cucari- “Everyone agreed that we had learned from ta. I was constantly filled with God’s love during Bishop John Noonan blesses Puente Asención, the newly constructed bridge each other to ‘be’ a bridge,” he said. my week here.” n between La Cueva and La Cucarita, Dominican Republic. Nov. 11-24, 2016 Florida Catholic YOUR ORLANDO COMMUNITY 2 Parishes embrace cultural diversity GLENDA MEEKINS graphic. Elsie Torres, faith formation coordi- of the Florida Catholic staff nator at Holy Cross Parish, uses a bilingual curriculum, with all materials printed in ORLANDO | More than 2,300 people par- Spanish and English. She uses technology, ticipated in the Hispanic Heritage Mass at such as Remind 101, to improve attendance. the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, She also encourages parents to commit to Queen of the Universe, Oct. 15, the largest participating in a Mass in English at least group ever. once a week to help the youth connect. In the “The pews were packed and the people last three years, her faith formation classes were singing their hearts out. It was full be- have gone from 50 percent Hispanic to 80 yond capacity,” Bishop John Noonan ex- percent Hispanic. claimed. “They came to celebrate their faith Nurturing the community is a mission of in God and their love for their Hispanic heri- the Church. Father Jorge Torres, Diocese of tage.” Orlando director of vocations said it was Jesus Father José Muñoz, pastor of St. Isaac who asked the faithful to “go and evangelize Jogues Parish in Orlando, and several other the nations.” priests were instrumental in planning the “In this case, this group of nations is com- Mass, a six-month process. Parishes arranged ing to us. Jesus asked us to reach out to them for 23 buses to provide transportation so that and promote love and welcome them into the Catholics could participate, celebrate their Church,” Father Torres said. “The Gospel has Hispanic heritage and visit the Doors of Mer- always moved in between cultures.” cy, which will close Nov. 13. St. Isaac Jogues Parish in Orlando is a mod- In his homily, Father Muñoz touched upon el for uniting communities. It includes 6,000 the issue of immigrants feeling displaced. Angelica Godinez Lopez prays at the Hispanic Heritage Mass at the Basilica of the registered families, of which 70 percent are “When they are coming from other coun- National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe Oct. 15. (STEPHEN DOWELL | FC) Hispanic. tries they feel like they are away from home. “Every activity that we do in Spanish, we When they go to church, they feel close to most wonderful ways they express their faith.” of the country, but that moment when we get do in English,” Father Muñoz said. “We never their relatives. They make of the Church their Holy Redeemer parishioner and choir together to celebrate our heritage with the had a problem with the language.