Florida Catholic | Donated Gifts

Ruby Calvillo works on Saturdays at her roadside stand selling picked pork skins, a Mexican delicacy. Ruby works to earn money to help her mother, baby sister and brother.

LINDA REEVES | FC
Ruby Calvillo works on Saturdays at her roadside stand selling picked pork skins, a Mexican delicacy. Ruby works to earn money to help her mother, baby sister and brother.

Donated gifts make Christmas merry

In a city like Pahokee where people are struggling and one-third of the families live in poverty, a donated Christmas present brings happiness and the light of Christ.

LINDA REEVES | FLORIDA CATHOLIC PALM BEACH BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 12.21.07

PAHOKEE | Ten-year-old entrepreneur Ruby Calvillo won’t make business headlines for her “cueritos en vinagre” sales, but she hopes to make some profits from roadside sales of the Mexican delicacy in front of her trailer home to help her mom, who is raising three children on her own.

The Florida Catholic happened upon Ruby when visiting this small city on Lake Okeechobee to ask the children here what they were expecting from St. Nicholas this year. This reporter first asked the young roadside vendor how things were going with the pickled, then fried pig skins she sells on weekends.

“Slow,” she said with a smile.

Ruby, who attends Masses and activities at St. Mary Parish with her mom and siblings, sets up shop on Saturdays under a large shade tree that provides some comfort from the sun as she waits patiently for customers. Ruby sells to people in the neighborhood passing along the dirt road that meanders through her trailer park. Her business opened after her father left the household.

“Would you like some hot sauce?” the little vendor asked one customer as he purchased a zip-close plastic bag filled with fried pork.

When asked what she wanted for Christmas, if she could have anything, the young businesswoman thought for a moment.

“I would like a computer, so I can do research for school,” said the fourth-grader, who is passionate about school and studies, but also likes dolls and toys.

Ruby thought again and she said, “I would like something for my mom and my baby sister and brother, John, too.”

Some youngsters in the poor western communities of the Diocese of Palm Beach, such as Pahokee, may not get anything to brighten their season.

The people of these communities are struggling. Pahokee residents, according to the 2000 U. S. census, many Catholic, are mostly of low incomes. More than 32 percent of the 1,710 households in the town (which according to city officials has one of the lowest crime rates in Palm Beach County) are living below the poverty level, struggling to keep food on the table.

“Many people work in the sugar cane fields or factories,” said Father John Mericantante, St. Mary pastor, who is excited that a new hospital is coming to the area and will bring jobs. “Some people have landscaping jobs and work on vegetable farms.”

The highlight of the week there is Mass on the weekends and gatherings at church, a second home to many.

Some gifts were distributed at St. Mary on Dec. 15 during an annual party for the children attending religion classes there. Individuals and groups from eastern communities in the diocese donated the gifts after having toy drives before Christmas.

More gifts will be distributed later at a party for the entire parish. Father Mericantante collects items including toys, household items and clothes throughout the year for the parish’s households, many of which include three, four, five children or more.

“We really celebrate Christmas Jan. 6,” he said about the feast day of the Epiphany of the Lord. “This is a big tradition of the people here. We hand out the gifts at this time.”

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT JANUARY 6...
St. Mary Parish in Pahokee celebrates Christmas as a parish on Jan. 6, the traditional and universal feast day of the Epiphany. People of different cultures observe their own Epiphany customs.

For instance, a tradition among Polish, Slovak, Russian and German families is to have their pastor bless chalk. With the blessed chalk, they write over their door the numerals for the current year and, in the middle of the numerals, the initials “CMB” for the three wise men — Casper, Melchior and Balthasar. The letters are supposed to remind all to ask the prayers of Magi. The initials are also the abbreviation for Latin Christus mansionem benedicat, which means “May Christ bless the home.”

The Christmas gifts are given out on a first-come basis until all are gone.

On a spin around the trailer park, the Florida Catholic spotted Emily Fonseca, 3, playing with her big sister, Jessica Fonseca, 9. Timid Emily was too shy to say what she wanted from Santa, but Jessica wasn’t.

“I want a doll,” said a hopeful Jessica, who attends St. Mary with her parents.

Father Mericantante hopes he will have enough gifts this year for all the children of the parish, and encourages anyone who wants to donate a toy to stop by the church and come for Mass.

Masses at St. Mary attract more worshippers than space allows in his tiny 75-seat St. Mary church. Worshippers move to the parish’s multipurpose facility for larger celebrations.

For the past years, the pastor’s aim has been set on raising money to build a new church for his growing flock of 400 families. To break ground, the priest has to come up with $2.5 million, so he is placing his own Christmas list under the tree this year.

“We anticipate breaking ground February 2008,” said the hopeful priest.

Then, there is the matter of raising ongoing funds for operational costs and maintenance for a new church for the parish, which will celebrate 75 years in December 2008.

On Dec. 14, 1933, St. Mary Parish began and celebrated its first Mass, which included a blessing of the building. The church was dedicated March 11, 1934, with ceremonies being led by Bishop Patrick Barry of St. Augustine.

“We hope to celebrate our first Mass in the new church next year on Dec. 8 with Bishop (Gerard) Barbarito. We are all praying,” said Father Mericantante.

St. Mary Parish is at 1200 E. Main St., Pahokee. Masses are 10:30 a.m. and noon on Sundays. For information, call 561-924-7305.

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