November 20, 2009

ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FLORIDA CATHOLIC MIAMI BUREAU EDITOR

Posted: 10.07.09

HIALEAH | Their patroness was waiting for them.

Surrounded by flowers in front of the main altar of St. John the Apostle Church in Hialeah, the statue of St. Cecilia presided over Masses Oct. 4, welcoming members of that parish to their new home at St. John.

Sitting right before her in the front row, often choking back or wiping away tears, were members of St. Cecilia’s men’s and women’s Emmaus groups.

“It’s a very difficult situation,” said men’s group leader Marcos Zarragoitia. “Everybody was feeling really hurt. I think for all of us who were there it was the first time we had seen a church close – including the priests.”

The Zarragoitias joined St. Cecilia 20 years ago. Even though they live just 10 blocks from another Hialeah parish, San Lazaro, they decided to “be obedient” and join the community at St. John the Apostle.

Zarragoitia estimated about 30 percent to 40 percent of St. Cecilia’s 2,500 parishioners would do the same. Many of the others, he pointed out, actually live within the boundaries of San Lazaro and would probably go there.

At the 9 a.m. Mass he attended, about 25 percent of the congregation indicated they were from St. Cecilia. Another Spanish welcome Mass took place at 1 p.m., and the welcome was repeated at all the English-language Masses at St. John. The vast majority of both St. John’s and St. Cecilia’s parishioners are Spanish-speaking.

“The truth is we have been treated as if we were ambassadors from the Vatican. We’re moved,” said Zarragoitia.

His wife, Cari, will be starting a women’s Emmaus group at St. John’s, which does not currently have one.

“This transition is sad, but with a welcome like the one you have given us, it will be a lot easier,” she told the congregation as St. John’s pastor, Msgr. Emilio Martin, stood by her side. “Let us work together so that what happened to St. Cecilia won’t happen to this parish.”

“It is a lifetime,” said Noelí Alvarez of the 30 years she was a member of St. Cecilia. She said what she will miss the most are “my brothers and sisters in the prayer group, my companions for so many years.”

But Alvarez has deep ties to St. John as well: Her husband, Antonio, has sung in the choir there for the last 10 years.

“They are going to get along really well,” he said of St. Cecilia’s and St. John’s parishioners.

Msgr. Martin said even before the merger was finalized, two catechists from St. Cecilia began teaching at St. John. An organist from St. Cecilia also will begin playing at St. John’s 5 p.m. vigil Masses on Saturdays, and St. Cecilia’s choir sang Oct. 4 at the 11 a.m. Mass.

The statue of their patroness, patron saint of musicians, already has a pedestal right above the choir space at St. John. Msgr. Martin said he also plans to park a bus at 8:30 a.m. every Sunday in front of St. Cecilia to provide transportation to the 9 a.m. Mass to any of its elderly or car-less parishioners.

“With the love of Christ in the Gospel, we are going to do more than overcome this transitional moment which is so difficult,” Msgr. Martin told the congregation. “Today, the heart of St. Cecilia’s community is suffering, because this hurts. But with Christ in our hearts, our fears dissipate, our doubts are banished, our uncertainties flee.”

“The community of St. Cecilia is alive,” he continued. “It has always been alive. With each other’s help, we are all going to grow spiritually.”

 

Archdiocese of Miami Front Page

Advertisement

Advertisement