Holy Rosary Parish: ‘Five decades of blessings’

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, the first parish founded after Miami Diocese was established, marks its 50th anniversary.

Parishioners, holding umbrellas to shade them from the sun, pray the Our Father during the 50th anniversary celebration for Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish. Holy Rosary was the first parish established in the newly created Diocese of Miami.

JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC
Parishioners, holding umbrellas to shade them from the sun, pray the Our Father during the 50th anniversary celebration for Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish. “Thank God for 50 years, five decades of blessing us with this parish,” said Archbishop John C. Favalora at the beginning of Mass on Oct. 3.

TERESA MARTINEZ | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Posted: 10.22.09

CUTLER BAY | Holding umbrellas to shield themselves from the hot sun, or huddling underneath patches of shade, nearly 1,000 people gathered on the grounds of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary to celebrate the parish’s golden jubilee.

“Thank God for 50 years, five decades of blessing us with this parish,” said Archbishop John C. Favalora at the beginning of Mass on Oct. 3.

Archbishop John C. Favalora blesses a little boy during Communion at the 50th anniversary celebration for Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish.

JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC
Archbishop John C. Favalora blesses a little boy during Communion at the 50th anniversary celebration for Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish.

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary alumni perform as liturgical dancers during the parish’s golden jubilee Mass. From left: Kelly Cinalli, 17, Alexis Villacampa, 14, and Ellen Marmol, 14.

JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary alumni perform as liturgical dancers during the parish’s golden jubilee Mass. From left: Kelly Cinalli, 17, Alexis Villacampa, 14, and Ellen Marmol, 14.

Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, Penn., who taught at Holy Rosary School reunite for a photo after Our Lady of the Holy Rosary’s 50th anniversary Mass. Left to right: Sister Karen Stoila, Sister Jean Uzupis, Sister Janice Vanderneck, Sister Carol Ann Ziecina, Sister Conleth Brannan and Sister Christine Kresho.

JONATHAN MARTINEZ | FC
Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, Penn., who taught at Holy Rosary School reunite for a photo after Our Lady of the Holy Rosary’s 50th anniversary Mass. Left to right: Sister Karen Stoila, Sister Jean Uzupis, Sister Janice Vanderneck, Sister Carol Ann Ziecina, Sister Conleth Brannan and Sister Christine Kresho.

“This parish has been so important to this community,” said Alma Morales, a parishioner for 30 years whose two children attended the parish school. “It shows the love of the Catholic faith because through it all, good and bad, our community spirit has kept us going, and it’s that spirit that has made the parish what it is today.”

Holy Rosary was the first parish erected under Bishop Coleman Carroll in the newly established Diocese of Miami in 1959. He named it after his home church in Pittsburgh. To mark the occasion, Archbishop Favalora wore Bishop Carroll’s episcopal ring.

“I think Archbishop Carroll is smiling down on this community today,” Archbishop Favalora said. “I think you were his favorite parish because it was the first one he built in the newly formed diocese. And because of this I wanted him to be present with all of you today, so I am wearing his ring so that he could be part of today’s celebration.”

Although the parish of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary was not officially founded until 1959, a group of women had formed St. Michael’s Circle in 1955 and carpooled their children to Sacred Heart School in Homestead. By 1956, the group became Our Lady of Lourdes Society and a mission church was born, with the first Mass at Perrine Elementary School drawing 175 people. Within three years, Bishop Carroll had named the parish Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and construction had begun on a combination church/school building and parish hall.

Symbolizing the diversity of the parish community and how much the area has grown and changed over the past 50 years, flags representing the 57 nationalities present within the parish family were brought to the altar during the offertory.

“The people here make you feel like you are at home and everyone’s diversity is welcoming. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, we all get together to pray,” said Maria Villacampa, a parishioner for 14 years.

In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew destroyed all but the original building of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. In October 1995, Archbishop Favalora dedicated a new church and parish hall, but parishioners’ happiness did not last. The roof leaked, badly undermining the integrity of the church, which was declared unsafe in December 2004 and torn down in 2005.

Since then parishioners have attended services under a tent and currently in the repaired parish hall, commonly referred to as the “banquet church.”

“No matter what, we’ve stayed together, hurricanes and tents, now a hall and one day a church again. We’ve remained a parish and will always,” said Murphy Casey, a parishioner for 40 years.

From 1959 to 1999, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, Pa., served the parish and school community. Some of them returned to celebrate the 50-year milestone with the people they once called family.

“It was both an opportunity and a challenge for our congregation to serve this wonderful community, especially during Hurricane Andrew and through the rebuilding efforts,” said Sister Janice Vanderneck, one of six sisters who returned for the jubilee Mass.

At the half-century mark, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary’s 2,400 registered families are looking forward to the construction of their new church and their continued growth as a parish community.

“We thank God for a faith family that makes every effort to be true to the call of the Gospel,” said Father Luis Perez, pastor. “Our parish mission is to nourish our community through the word and the sacraments, embracing our diversity as we minister to the needs of other.”

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