Florida Catholic | Orlando News Briefs

Diocese to hold annual Mass in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

Published: 01.11.08

ORLANDO | Father Giles Conwill, chairman of the history department at Morehouse College in Atlanta, will be the guest homilist for the second annual Mass honoring Martin Luther King Jr. at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 13, at the Cathedral of St. James in Orlando.

Bishop Thomas Wenski, joined by other priests of the diocese, will be the main celebrant.

Last year, at the behest of Bishop Wenski, members of the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver — a 98-year-old fraternal organization of mostly African-American Catholics — and members of the black community worked together and organized a celebration in honor of Dr. King.

Bishop Wenski recognized that a liturgy honoring Dr. King would present “an opportunity for our community to pray together that our nation may continue to work to implement Dr. King’s dream of justice for all Americans of all races, creeds and religions.”

Neighborhood ‘road to Bethlehem’ raises spirits

Published: 01.11.08

APOPKA | Mickey Hibbard takes evangelization seriously. She teaches classes for the religious education program at Annunciation Parish in Altamonte Springs and pondered how to make the journey of faith a more intimate walk with Jesus for her students.

Hibbard enlisted the teenagers in her classes to create an opportunity to learn more about their faith and help others, as well, through donations. A community service project was born. Hibbard created “a road to Bethlehem” in her house and yard, and conducted tours last month on the Saturdays before Christmas. The tour was so popular that she was asked to add one more on Dec. 29.

“The presentation consisted of the Christmas story being told and then the audience was invited to ‘go find him, go adore him.’ … Off we all went on a darkened walk through my yard, lit only by small fires burning and soft lights, and meeting characters along the way with their own story to tell,” Hibbard said. “We had Roman soldiers, travelers, angels (that came out of trees) shepherds … even a leper. And then there was the stable, where they entered to find Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, played by Justice Pena, a Down syndrome baby.”

Hibbard said she was touched by the reactions of both children and adults. “A story got back to me of a woman who had come with her friend on what was the 16th anniversary of her shutting off (the) life support of her infant son. She said as she sat in the stable and the children sang ‘Silent Night’ to the baby she started to cry, for it was the first time in 16 years she felt peace on this day. I was told her words were, ‘There must be something to this Christianity.’… She was Jewish.”

More than 70 walked the road. “Not just once, but all the weekends in December,” Hibbard said.

JMJ Life Center in Orlando received the $65 raised from the project. Toys and canned food items collected will go to other charities. Lights and presents became less of a focus for many students. One student told Hibbard, “I felt honored to be able to be part of ‘the story,’ part of the glory that God sends to earth each and every Christmas season.”

“I knew for them this year, yes, Jesus was the reason for the season,” Hibbard concluded.

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Diocese to hold annual Mass in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

Neighborhood ‘road to Bethlehem’ raises spirits

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