Knights assist Poor Clares

Posted: 07.13.09

The Knights of Columbus Santa Maria Council 4999 donated $1,000 to assist the Order of St. Clare Franciscan contemplative nuns living at the Christ the King Monastery of Poor Clares in Delray Beach. The religious sisters are dedicated to a life of prayer and contemplation and have been in the area since 1960, when Archbishop Coleman Carroll of the Diocese of Miami invited them here. The nuns were given the donation during a simple ceremony. Fred Cavlovic, past grand Knight and program chairman, and his wife, Mickey, presented the funds.

Pope John Paul II enhances emblem

Posted: 07.13.09

Pope John Paul II High School’s emblem looks a little different this year. “What we have really done is simply encircle the school shield with our school name and founding year,” said Dr. Michael Coury, president. “The shield itself has not changed. There is no mistaking that this represents our school and that our school was founded in 1980.”

Coury pointed out that the shield has great meaning. The crown at the top of the shield represents the pope’s crown as head of the Church. The crossed keys symbolize the pope’s power to make or change laws. The top left section of the shield represents the personal crest of Pope John Paul II. The bottom left section represents the Diocese of Palm Beach, while the top right section signifies the Archdiocese of Miami.

“When the school was founded in 1980, the Boca Raton area was part of the Archdiocese of Miami,” Coury explained. “The Diocese of Palm Beach was not established until 1984.”

The bottom right section of the shield represents the Carmelite community. “When the school was founded in 1980, Archbishop Edward McCarthy of Miami invited the Carmelite community to staff the high school. Although the Carmelites departed in 2007, many of their traditions continue today.”

The emblem that may be printed in black or brown will appear on newly designed letterhead and envelopes used by all departments within the school. It will also be found on school publications. “We are trying to brand our school, so having a distinct school emblem is a starting point,” said Coury. School colors have not changed. They are brown, white and gold. Brown and white represent the colors of the Carmelites, and gold and white represent the papal colors.

Hispanic ministry leadership changes

FLORIDA CATHOLIC STAFF REPORT

Posted: 07.02.09

PALM BEACH GARDENS | Sister Vivian Gonzalez of the Religious of Mary Immaculate Claretian Missionary Sisters is leaving her positions as director of the diocesan Hispanic Ministry and School of Christian Formation to take on parish duties at St. Juliana in West Palm Beach.

“I am looking forward to the challenge,” she told the Florida Catholic. “Formation is my passion. St. Juliana is a beautiful parish and there are things to be done there. I am excited to begin work there.”

Sister Gonzalez has been involved with the Hispanic ministry for 12 years and served as director for the past seven. She has been the director of the Hispanic School of Christian Formation for seven years and the English school for five years.

“I love working in Hispanic Ministry and Schools of Christian Formation, but I feel the need for a change and this new job offer came. This will be a hands-on job. Everything that has to do with formation in the parish I will be taking care of all that.”

Sister Gonzalez leaves Aug. 1. Her replacement is Deacon Jaime Zapata, who is not new to Hispanic ministry or the diocesan formation program.

Deacon Zapata, who serves at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens, will step in to “continue the programs and build on them,” according to Sister Gonzalez.

“I can’t think of a better person than Deacon Jaime, as he has been in the teams of Hispanic Ministry since its beginnings 20 years ago, and has coordinated the graduate program for the School of Christian Formation and been a professor for more than 10 years.”

Deacon Zapata is a native of Colombia, where he was a college professor. He came to the United States in 1988 and has worked as a counselor for the Palm Beach County School District Multicultural Department for the past 16 years, serving families and children countywide. He is a certified spiritual director and member of Tepeyac Mission, a volunteer group dedicated to helping Hispanic newcomers to the area settle and get adjusted. Deacon Zapata is married to Mercedes and has four grown children and two grandchildren.

“I will be following the work of Sister Vivian and Sister Regina,” he explained. Sister Regina Tutzo, who is in the same religious order as Sister Gonzalez, is former director of Hispanic Ministry, who was there from the start. She is now retired. “It is an absolute continuation of the teams’ work. It is such a blessing. It is a big change, but I am excited.”

RETURN TO TOP | RETURN TO DIOCESE OF PALM BEACH FRONT PAGE