WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | June 2014 | $1.00 FLORIDACatholic MIAMI EDITION INSIDE THIS ISSUE GRADUATES Communities of faith reach Top of the milestone anniversary class: 2014’s valedictorians 14 ST. PHILIP NERI IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Golden Knights, Silver Knights 9 Renaissance at St. Brendan High 18 Sts. Peter and Paul launches after-school science program Auxiliary Bishop Peter Baldacchino holds up the St. Philip Neri Members of the school program REACH present Archbishop T-shirt that parishioners gave him after the 60th anniversary Thomas Wenski with gifts during the 60th anniversary Mass of 6 Mass May 25. (MARLENE QUARONI | FC) Immaculate Conception Church. (JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC) Teens told: ‘Make Parish closed in 2009 but parishioners Parishioners view Hialeah church as a memories, not never lost faith, re-opened in 2011 place to call home consequences’ 17 MARLENE QUARONI CRISTINA CABRERA Florida Catholic correspondent Florida Catholic correspondent St. Lawrence MIAMI GARDENS | Despite a major roadblock, St. Philip Neri HIALEAH | When longtime Immaculate parishioner Freddys Church reached a milestone this year — its 60th anniversary. Guijarro greeted two visiting Sisters of Mercy at the parish’s 60th an- School declares In 2009, the church fell victim to budget cutbacks and was niversary Mass June 6, it wasn’t just a “hello and welcome.” one of several parishes in the Archdiocese of Miami that were Sister Patricia McManus, who arrived from Ireland to the parish itself ‘No place closed. The church property was put up for sale. Parishioners, for the first time in 1968, and Sister Anastasia Maguire, who came for however, never gave up. They wrote letters and sent petitions to the first time in 1976, embraced Guijarro. “It’s so good to see a famil- Archbishop Thomas Wenski. iar face,” Sister McManus said. for hate’ 19 “We wanted to come back home,” said Katrenia Reeves-Jack- Guijarro started working at Immaculate in 1984 as the school’s caf- man, director of the archdiocesan Office of Black Catholics, eteria administrator, and over time became a teacher at the school, a whose mother was a founding member of St. Philip Neri. “There lector and an extraordinary minister of holy Communion. wasn’t a Catholic presence in this area for two years. We never The Sisters of Mercy first arrived at the parish in 1955, and un- gave up on getting our church back.” til 2010 more than 20 Irish Sisters of Mercy have served the parish, McCarthy High: Through their efforts, the parish reopened in October 2011, school and local community. At the anniversary Mass, the sisters re- and Archbishop Wenski rededicated the church a month later. ceived a standing ovation. At the reception after the Mass, they were “This is a fresh start,” said the archbishop at the rededication surrounded by a combination of familiar and unfamiliar faces as pa- More than a cup Mass in November 2011. “This church is your home. We come rishioners lined up to thank them for their dedication. here in great enthusiasm. I am giving you a good leader, a good “We are all one in the same, united here on a mission,” Sister Ma- of coffee 8 shepherd, in Msgr. Chanel Jeanty.” guire said. The pastor — who also serves as archdiocesan chancellor — They say home is where the heart is and for the people of Immacu- PLEASE SEE NERI, 5 PLEASE SEE IMMACULATE, 6 2 YOUR MIAMI COMMUNITY Florida Catholic June 2014 ‘What God wanted happened’ uncle he wanted to be a priest. Three men, three “I asked him, ‘Are you sure?’” Fa- ther Kidney Saint-Jean recalled. He journeys of faith advised his nephew to go back to Haiti, finish his studies and return culminate in three to Miami, then “we’ll see what can be done.” new priests for What came to be done was the work of the Lord, not just for Father Miami Fenly Saint-Jean but for two oth- ers — Father Iván Rodríguez and ANA RODRÍGUEZ-SOTO Father Matías Hualpa — who also of the Florida Catholic staff rose from their pews May 24 and re- sponded “Present” to the call of the MIAMI | Father Fenly Saint-Jean Church. had one last chance to change his A few minutes later, Archbishop mind. Thomas Wenski laid hands on As his uncle, Father Kidney Saint- them, calling down the Holy Spirit Jean, processed past him to take and ordaining them priests of the his place in the sanctuary for the Archdiocese of Miami. ordination Mass, the uncle said he Inside a standing-room-only St. asked his nephew, “Are you sure? Mary Cathedral, the new priests Are you ready?” were surrounded by family who “He said ‘yes,’” said the elder had traveled from their native lands priest, pastor of Our Lady Queen of — Haiti and Argentina — to be pres- Heaven Parish in North Lauderdale. ent at the emotional, tradition-filled In a way, it was a repeat of a con- ceremony. Also in attendance were versation the two first had more representatives of the communities After responding “present” when called by name by vocations director Father David Zirilli, Deacons than a decade ago, before the that inspired and nurtured their Ivan Rodriguez, left, Fenly Saint-Jean, center, and Matias Hualpa prepare to walk up to the sanctuary. younger Saint-Jean, 29, completed (ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC) high school. He had just told his PLEASE SEE PRIESTS, 3 Father Fenly Saint-Jean gets a hug from his “auntie” and godmother, Josaime Saint-Jean, at the reception which followed the ordination Mass. (ANA RODRIGUEZ- SOTO | FC) Father Matias Hualpa shares an emotional hug and blessing with his mother, Lilia Posleman. (ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC) Archbishop Thomas Wenski congratulates newly ordained Father Matias Hualpa. (TOM TRACY | FC) Father Fenly Saint-Jean promises obedience to the archbishop and his successors. (TOM TRACY | FC) June 2014 www.thefloridacatholic.org YOUR MIAMI COMMUNITY 3 The three new priests of the archdiocese pose for the official photo after their ordination Mass on May 24 at St. Mary Cathedral. From left are Father Emanuele De Nigris, rector of Redemptoris Mater Seminary; Father Ivan Rodriguez; Father Fenly Saint-Jean; Bishop Fernando Isern, emeritus of Pueblo, Colo; Auxiliary Bishop Peter Baldacchino; Archbishop Thomas Wenski; Archbishop Emeritus John C. Favalora; Father Matias Hualpa; Msgr. Roberto Garza of St. John Vianney College Seminary; Father David Zirilli, archdiocesan vocations director; and Msgr. David Toups, rector of St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary. (TOM TRACY | FC) PRIESTS FROM 2 journey to the priesthood: the Neo- catechumenal Way in the case of Father Rodríguez, and the Schoen- statt Movement in the case of Father Hualpa. “He found his vocation in our shrine,” said Sister Miriam López of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary who staff the shrine in Homestead. “I’m very happy to be here.” “What God wanted happened,” said Sebastián Rodríguez, 32, brother of Father Rodríguez, 29. Although Father Rodríguez ini- tially pursued another dream — be- coming a professional soccer player Father Fenly Saint-Jean blesses his grandfather, Ilme Saint-Jean, — Sebastián Rodríguez said he was 88, who has given one son — Father Kidney Saint-Jean — and one not surprised by his brother’s ulti- grandson — Father Fenly Saint-Jean — to the priesthood in the mate choice. “You could see that he Archdiocese of Miami. (ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC) liked it. It’s a call from God.” All three Rodríguez brothers couldn’t believe it,” said Mariela Hualpa, 40. Since they live in Ar- joined the Neocatechumenal Way Hualpa de Alonso of her brother’s gentina, he said, they had not really as teenagers, following in the foot- decision to enter the seminary af- been able to be part of his formation steps of their mother, Rosario. Even- ter a promising career as a systems process. “To have them here (today) tually, their father joined as well. engineer with IBM and American is a great blessing.” “I never would have imagined Express. “We told him he wouldn’t “I feel such a great emotion,” anything of what I’m living because get used to it. He said he had tried said María Moreno de Jaime, Fa- God wasn’t in my plans,” said Ro- everything and nothing made him ther Hualpa’s cousin. Her family sario Rodríguez. But thanks to the happy. He was sure this was his vo- introduced him to the Schoenstatt Neocatechumenal Way, “we have cation.” movement, and Father Hualpa is been able to experience that God is “We were surprised,” agreed Lil- godfather to her son. the one who has chosen us.” ia Posleman, Father Hualpa’s moth- “I am just so grateful to God “He wanted him to be a soccer er. “But then we saw that it was the for giving us Matías, who is like a player,” she said of her husband best thing for him and that he was brother,” she said. “I just ask God to Luis’ dream for their son. “But the happy.” bless him and protect him always.” Lord called him to the Church, to Happy to the point of tears as he Father Hualpa has been assigned write a story of salvation for the blessed relatives and friends after to St. Thomas the Apostle in Mi- whole family.” the ceremony. ami, Father Rodriguez to St. John At the end of the ordination rite, Father Ivan Rodriguez receives Father Hualpa’s family members “When I blessed my family, I the Apostle in Hialeah, and Father a fraternal hug from Auxiliary Bishop Peter Baldacchino. (ANA were surprised by his vocation. “We was quite moved,” admitted Father Saint-Jean to St. David in Davie. n RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC) 4 YOUR MIAMI COMMUNITY Florida Catholic June 2014 ‘Bring our neighbors out of the shadows’ hensive immigration reform that APPOINTMENTS Archbishop Thomas the American people support and the American economy needs.