Florida Catholic | Knights Recall Cuban and South Florida History

Knights recall Cuban and south Florida history

Exhibit displays 125 years of Padre Felix Varela Council’s memorabilia.

LIZETTE M. LANTIGUA | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 03.07.08

A bust of Padre Felix Varela graces the entrance to Seminario de San Carlos y Ambrosio in Havana where Father Varela was a professor of Philosophy. He was born in Havana in 1788 and died in St. Augustine in 1853.

A bust of Padre Felix Varela graces the entrance to Seminario de San Carlos y San Ambrosio in Havana where he was a professor of Philosophy. Father Varela was born in Havana in 1788 and died in St. Augustine in 1853. His cause for canonization is currently before the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of the Saints.
© ED FOSTER JR.

HIALEAH | To fulfill her late parents’ wishes, Conchitica de Zendegui donated for exhibition a black-and-white panoramic picture of the Knights of Columbus Padre Felix Varela Assembly gathered in Havana in 1939.

The photograph was one of more than 1,000 on display at Immaculate Conception Parish in Hialeah Feb. 23-24 during an exhibit recalling the history of the Knights, in particular the Varela council’s 50 years in Cuba and subsequent history in south Florida.

“My father would have been honored,” said de Zendegui. “While in Cuba my father, Gabriel de Zendegui, started sending pictures to me since I was already living here in the United States. He was always very involved with the Knights of Columbus.”

Padre Felix Varela

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Knights of Columbus

The exhibit was organized by the Padre Felix Varela Council 7420 in Hialeah, and featured pictures from the early 20th century to the present. The event commemorated 125 years of faith in action by this Catholic fraternal order of men, founded by Father Michael J. McGivney in 1882. The Knights of Columbus today has more than 1.7 million members in about 13,000 councils worldwide.

“It is not surprising to me that many do not know all the charitable contributions of the Knights because of their Christian humility and modesty,” said Auxiliary Bishop Felipe Estévez in his opening remarks.

“I know many priests and seminarians in Florida who are very appreciative of the strong support they have received from the Knights in their vocations, their leadership in protection of the unborn and their commitment to do the works of mercy,” Bishop Estévez said.

Oscar Lay, state marshal of the Knights in Florida and one of the organizers of the event, said the “exhibit shows the works of the order in the religious, social, economic and patriotic arena.”

Among those visiting the exhibit was Cuban-born Emilio B. Moure, executive vice president of the Knights of Columbus, who mentioned his upcoming trip to Cuba to meet with bishops in the island as part of an initiative by the Knights to assist the Catholic Church there.

Moure said the Knights’ goal is to “help the Cuban youths develop their faith. People do not realize the great society we left behind. Time stopped, it deteriorated and now it’s the time to rebuild it.”

Young and old at the exhibit were pointing at photos, smiling and recognizing friends, relatives or themselves in the memorabilia.

“I am getting a kick of seeing my husband and how young he looked,” said Rosie Carballo, who is a member of the Columbiettes, an associated group of women who assist the Knights in their charitable projects. “This is a wonderful representation of the history of this organization and shows its priorities, which are fraternity, family and Catholic values.”

Pedro Rodriguez, grand Knight of the Padre Varela Council in Hialeah, said he especially enjoyed the pictures taken in Cuba.

“It is reliving all those events that occurred in our country,” he said. “These pictures brings back so many memories.”

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