Florida Catholic | Modern Magi

Modern Magi travel from the east (coast) bearing gifts

Students at a Catholic high school, alumni of a Catholic university and Jewish temple are among the “Modern Magi” providing gifts to those in need.

BENNET BOLTON | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 12.21.07

PAHOKEE | Three special Magi are bringing joy this Christmas to St. Mary Parish, whose parishioners are mostly poor farmworker families struggling to make ends meet.

Clothing, toys and 50 bicycles arrived through the generosity of three sets of gift bearers: Notre Dame University alumni in Boca Raton, Pope John Paul II High School students and their families, and a largely Jewish group centered in Boynton Beach.

Most of the gifts were given out Dec. 15 at a Christmas party at St. Mary for about 300 students in St. Mary religion classes, mostly of Mexican and Nicaraguan descent. Remaining gifts will be distributed at a Jan. 6 Christmas party for the entire parish.

“We started about four years ago to have our 80 club members bring to our own Christmas party at the Boca Country Club an unwrapped toy for a child in Pahokee,” said Jack O’Connell, president of the Notre Dame Alumni Club of Boca Raton and Deerfield Beach.

“We ourselves have been blessed, and we want to give something back to the community.”

Meanwhile, the Pope John Paul II High School families in Boca Raton are doing something similar.

“This is our fourth annual toy drive,” said Mary Mills, the school’s director of finance. “The first two years we collected in conjunction with the St. Jude Parish elementary school. Last year, the third year, we got others to also come on board with us, notably the Columbiettes, the wives of the Knights of Columbus of St. Joan of Arc Parish.”

ANOTHER TOY DRIVE
Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach conducted its first Christmas toy drive last year, sending gifts to St. Philip Benizi Parish in Belle Glade.
This year, teacher Jesus Bautista led school leadership classes and students involved in the Student Government Association in a toy drive. Collections are going to St. Mary Parish in Pahokee, Holy Name of Jesus Parish in West Palm Beach and the Salvation Army.

Mills said the Columbiettes contribute cash to help fund transportation to get these gifts out to Pahokee. She added that the contributions to the John Paul II High School effort have spread beyond Boca Raton, with St Vincent Ferrer Parish in Delray Beach and Rosarian Academy, a non-diocesan Catholic school in West Palm Beach joining in.

“The credit goes to the students,” she said. “They have jumped up to the plate. We — Marie Leibele and I — are simply the organizers.”

Not to be outdone in generosity to St. Mary Parish are Sy Levine, his rabbi, others who worship at Temple Torah in Boynton Beach, and even his condo neighbors. Together they have joined efforts to collect and give clothes, food, toys and bicycles to St. Mary.

How that came about is in itself a remarkable story that began in September 2000 on a cruise ship.

“My wife and I were on a cruise and we met a fellow passenger named John who was traveling with his mother,” said Levine. “I was very impressed by this nice young man.

“By the time the cruise was over, we had become good friends. My wife asked John if he was married and he said no. So my wife said she would like to introduce him to a nice Jewish girl and maybe marriage would result.

“John laughed and thanked her, but said ‘I don’t think my bishop would approve,’ telling us he was a Catholic priest.”

That was the start of a solid friendship between Levine and Father John Mericantante, pastor of St. Mary. Soon Levine drove out to Pahokee to visit his new friend and his church.

Seeing the great need of the parishioners for help, Levine got his friend Jack Durburow to bring out rice and beans for the families, and Levine brought clothes.

He introduced Father Mericantante to a few friends, including Rabbi Jeffrey Botnick, leader of Temple Torah. The rabbi mentioned to his congregation one Sabbath morning that there are Catholics out in Pahokee with serious needs.

In no time at all, clothing was being dropped off at the synagogue. When Levine talked this up with his Boynton Beach condo neighbors, bags of clothing began appearing at his front door.

“Jack Durburow and I go out to Pahokee once a month to deliver things at St. Mary for Father Mericantante to give to his people.

“Last year at holiday time, we gave 25 bicycles, paid for with money donated to us,” said Levine. “Father John, my rabbi and I discussed that as an idea.”

This year, Levine and his friend Ken Wolf, who paid to rent a truck, delivered 50 bikes in time for the party, each with a helmet, a lock and a chain. Only a small number of the 300 children attending catechism classes receive bikes. Father Mericantante explained that the children at the Christmas party draw numbers from a hat to win the bikes.

“We are the Bethlehem of the diocese,” Father Mericantante said. “We still take care of the baby Jesus in the person of these wonderful children we have here.”

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Modern Magi travel from the east (coast) bearing gifts

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