FLORIDAWWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | July 2013 Catholic YOUR FAITH. YOUR LIFE. YOUR COMMUNITY. OF MIAMI NOTRE DAME D’HAITI’S Post-abortion programs NEW CHURCH NEARS COMPLETION heal, offer hope the wounded mothers, fathers, The Archdiocese of Miami Project Rachel and grandparents, siblings and offers two programs to help Rachel’s Vineyard friends. heal the emotional and spiri- Perhaps one of the most tual suffering that occur after provide mercy for deceptive myths of the pro- abortion: Project Rachel and choice movement is that a Rachel’s Vineyard. The pro- women — and woman can walk into an abor- grams are open to any woman, tion facility, have an abor- man, couple or family strug- men — after tion, and walk out unscathed. gling with the emotional and abortion The regrettable truth is that spiritual pain of abortion. Both abortion hurts women — and programs are confidential, ANNE DIBERNARDO anyone else connected to that safe and nonjudgmental. They Florida Catholic correspondent abortion. allow participants to gently MIAMI “These women and men explore those hidden burdens | Since the Su- who have experienced abor- and experience the mercy and preme Court’s landmark Roe tion have lived in hell since healing of God. v. Wade decision 40 years ago, that abortion. Most of them, in The following articles are more than 52 million abor- their denial, have never con- based on a lecture given ear- tions have been performed in nected all these things that lier this year by Groeber and the United States alone. have happened in their life — Christy Lopez-Acevedo, Ra- Yet, an abortion does not just which is self-destruction — to chel’s Vineyard volunteer fa- victimize unborn babies. The their abortion,” said Barbara cilitator, as part of the Catholic number of victims affected by Groeber, educational coordi- Culture Today lecture series the abortion increases expo- nator for the archdiocese’s Re- presented by St. Gregory Par- nentially when one considers spect Life Ministry. ish in Plantation. Project Rachel: Healing Above, members of GSD Construction Co. pose with the cross that will stand atop the new Notre Dame d’Haiti church building. After years of fundraising and months of construction, the new church is nearly complete. Below, parishioners take part in a cross-blessing the ‘saints of tomorrow’ ceremony, processing with the cross May 19 to the new building where workers placed it on the church’s roof. (PHOTOS COURTESY) One-on-one sessions help women stop living in denial, ‘let go’ of the secret ANNE DIBERNARDO Florida Catholic correspondent MIAMI | For years, Barbara Groeber has worked with post- abortive women. She calls them the “saints of tomorrow.” Barbara Groeber, education coordinator for the archdiocese’s “They are the truly penitent Respect Life Office, speaks about her work with post-abortive women (to) whom much has been women in Project Rachel. (ANNE DIBERNARDO | FC) given,” said Groeber, educational coordinator for the archdiocese’s reach that point where they accept post-abortive woman. It is such a Respect Life Ministry. “They truly that and they know that God loves privilege to be in that room and to see their sin for what it was and them, they are just the most amaz- see what God is doing to them.” they see that their only hope is that ing people. I’ve never seen such God loves them. And once they humility as I have seen with the PLEASE SEE RACHEL, 12 2 YOUR MIAMI COMMUNITY Florida Catholic July 2013 Bishop Fernando Isern honored at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Miami to take on a less stressful as- Our Lady of signment: On July 1, he began serv- ing as pastor of St. Kieran Parish, Lourdes names located next to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity in Miami. refurbished parish The dedication of Our Lady of Lourdes’ refurbished hall took hall in his honor place June 16, Father’s Day. As the Florida Catholic staff current pastor, Msgr. Kenneth Schwanger, explained in a message to parishioners that was published MIAMI | Days after announcing in the parish bulletin: “Our pastors his retirement for health reasons, have cared for us with a father’s love Bishop Fernando Isern was back in and prepared us to embrace who we Miami to help dedicate Our Lady of are as a parish family and to share Lourdes’ newly refurbished parish our gifts with the world. Father Jo- hall, a facility which now bears his seph Currid, our first pastor, helped name. us bring Our Lady of Lourdes Par- Bishop Isern was tapped to be ish to life. Father Anthony Massi, bishop of Pueblo, Colo., in October the builder, helped us to provide a 2009, after serving as pastor of Our beautiful home in which our grow- Lady of Lourdes since 2002. His re- ing family could worship and work. tirement as diocesan bishop was And Father Fernando Isern fed Bishop Fernando Isern blesses announced by the Vatican June 13. and nurtured us so that the family those gathered June 16 at Our After attending a farewell ves- would grow and flourish — already Lady of Lourdes Parish in Miami. Msgr. Kenneth Schwanger, left, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in pers service at the Pueblo cathedral testing the limits of our parish (PHOTOS BY ROBERTO AGUIRRE Miami, speaks during the dedication of the hall, as Bishop Fernando June 25, Bishop Isern returned to home.” Q | FC) Isern stands next to him. Mother of Our Redeemer turns 25 Hundreds, including founding pastor, gather for Mass of thanksgiving JONATHAN MARTINEZ Florida Catholic correspondent MIAMI | Remembering their Mother of Our Redeemer’s pastor, humble beginnings and looking Father Jimmy Acevedo, addresses forward to a blooming future, hun- his congregation during a Mass dreds of Mother of Our Redeemer June 29 celebrating the parish’s parishioners celebrated their 25th anniversary. church’s 25th anniversary June 29. “It’s always great to return home thy, Mother of Our Redeemer serves to be with your family and this par- Catholics who live north of the Mi- ish is my family,” said Father Fer- ami Lakes/Hialeah area. The first nando Compaired, founding pas- Mass was celebrated at American tor. High School. The community then Father Compaired was the main moved to a storefront at a nearby celebrant of the anniversary Mass, shopping center. From 1988 to 2005, accompanied by current pastor Fa- Father Compaired led the congre- ther Jaime “Jimmy” Acevedo and gation through the trials and tribu- several priests who have helped out lation of growth. at the parish over the past 25 years. “I have been coming to this Father Fernando Compaired, founding pastor of Mother of Our Redeemer, tells the story of the parish’s “This church is filled with a great church since the very beginning. beginnings during the homily June 29. (PHOTOS BY JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC) love, enthusiasm and an incred- This is more than a church to me; ible drive. It is great to be here and this is my home,” said Jose Luis applause. ing and worship space for a growing eight, which is staying on top of the celebrate again with them on this “Toby” Sanchez, one of the found- After years of fundraising, the community, which currently num- technology trend by utilizing iPads monumental occasion,” Father ing members of the parish. He was parish hall was built on the church’s bers more than 1,200 registered in the classroom. Compaired said. embraced by Father Compaired permanent site off Northwest 183rd families. Adding to its growth, in When Father Compaired retired, Established as a parish in 1988 during the offertory as a grateful Street, just a few blocks east of I-75. 2002 the parish added an elemen- by Archbishop Edward A. McCar- congregation erupted in cheers and The hall functions as both a meet- tary school, grades PK-3 through PLEASE SEE REDEEMER, 15 July 2013 www.thefloridacatholic.org YOUR MIAMI COMMUNITY 3 Curley-Notre Dame marks 60th MIAMI | Archbishop Curley Crow laws and widespread anti- before Miami-Dade County pub- committed to our mission — to events include: Notre Dame Prep will kick off a Catholicism in Florida. lic schools were integrated in foster acceptance and appre- r 0DUUIBOOJWFSTBSZ year’s worth of celebratory events The girls’ school counter- compliance with a federal court ciation of students of different reunion weekend including the to mark its 60th anniversary with part, Notre Dame Academy, was order. In 1981, the two schools cultural and economic back- 23rd annual alumni golf tourna- an opening-of-school-year Mass staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph merged, and the Congregation grounds.” ment/fundraiser and homecom- to be celebrated Thursday, Aug. of St. Augustine from 1953 to of Christian Brothers began ad- “Today we stand by our new ing game 29, at 10 a.m. by Archbishop 1959. The sisters had first come ministering the school in 1985. motto: ‘Honoring traditions and r 'FC GJGUI BOOVBM Thomas Wenski. to Florida in 1865 to minister to In 2012, ACND Prep welcomed its embracing the future,’” Romanik Heritage Day, a living history Now known as ACND Prep, former slaves. In 1916, three of first lay principal, 1984 alumnus added. “Since last year, we have lesson where alumni teach cur- the grade six through 12 Catholic them were arrested for violat- Douglas Romanik. ensured that all of our students rent students about their school’s preparatory school is located in ing a recently enacted state law, “Our fighting spirit has over receive an iPad and e-texts, and heritage and offer advice about Buena Vista, just north of Miami’s which prohibited white women the course of 60 years evolved to have continued to implement education and careers.