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Blessed John III Parish breaks ground for its first permanent building

MARLENE QUARONI | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 11.08.07

MIRAMAR | One year from now, Blessed John XXIII parishioners will be able to move their Sunday Masses from a corner of Everglades High School’s cafeteria to a brand new multipurpose building.

“This is a gift for us,” said parishioner Maria Pereda, as she helped her husband put their folding chairs and umbrella in their van after a groundbreaking ceremony for the new building. “We’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”

Their friend, Piedad Mendivia, prayed with outstretched hands at the newly consecrated 17-acre site at 16800 Miramar Parkway, just west of I-75. The Peredas and Mendivia were the last to leave the now-cleared, vacant site after the historic event.

“I’m thanking God for this moment,” said Mendivia.

Blessed John XXIII Parish was established in July 2002 and held its first Mass at the Hilton Garden Inn in Miramar. That October, parishioners moved to Sunset Lakes Elementary School, and in November 2005 began to celebrate Mass at Everglades High School.

The 15,000-square-foot, $4 million building will house a parish hall, church, chapel, parish offices and religious education classrooms, and is the first of several projects planned on the site, which was once part of the Everglades. Also planned are a permanent church, a school and an archdiocesan retirement home.

“What was once swamp and woodlands will now be holy land,” said Father Ernest Biriruka, Blessed John XXIII’s administrator. “I thank all who have worked on this project. I especially thank Father Joseph Kottayil, the first pastor, and Father David Dueppen, who took over after him.”

Auxiliary Bishop John Noonan told parishioners they have taken a long journey in their endeavor toward building their own facility.

“Now you will have your own home, which will become the house of God,” he said.

Rhea Guzman, parish manager, is already looking to the future.

“This is a young parish,” she said. “It’s very culturally diverse. There are a lot of young families with babies. We have a wonderful community.”

Miramar City Commissioner Yvonne Garth, representing Miramar officials, said she was honored to share in the groundbreaking and was looking forward to attending Mass at Blessed John XXIII’s new facility. Garth brought her mother to the ceremony.

“She’s excited to be here,” said Garth. “She attended Sunday Masses at the elementary school. Now the parish will have a permanent home.”

Parishioners sold groundbreaking T-shirts for $8 apiece and raffled off a Nintendo game to raise money toward the building fund.

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