Florida Catholic | New Ministry Building Dedicated To Time And Talent

New ministry building dedicated to time and talent

The Mary Martha Center at Christ The King parish is dedicated to an outgoing woman who embraced and gave considerable time to parish ministries.

JANET SHELTON | FLORIDA CATHOLIC ST. PETERSBURG BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 03.21.08

ST. PETERSBURG | Parishes sometimes name new buildings after people who give a lot of money. Mary Martha Solomon gave her heart.

And so it seemed fitting to many that at Solomon’s February funeral at Christ the King Parish in Tampa, Father Desmond Daly, pastor, announced the parish’s newest building, a three-story structure dedicated to ministries and learning, would be named after Solomon.

The approving applause rolled like thunder behind the rows where Solomon’s husband, children and other family were seated. Deacon Michael Solomon said he was surprised by the announcement, but found his pastor’s decision beautifully appropriate. His outgoing wife had quietly dedicated herself to serving her church for decades, and the building that is to carry her name is dedicated to many of the ministries she embraced.

“Her title was volunteer coordinator. She basically was in charge of recruiting for all the lay ministry for the parish,” Deacon Solomon said. “She did an awful lot of work with caring for the poor and underprivileged.”

Mary Martha Solomon’s gift for getting people involved in church ministry was well known. With gentleness, a smile and an unwillingness to take no for answer, she could persuade almost anyone to join a church ministry. She made certain everyone — laypeople, priests — knew God needed their help.

“She was always very kind, very gentle, very behind the scenes,” said Father Ralph Argentino, director of the diocesan Office of the Diaconate, who serves at Christ the King. “She had a knack for getting people to volunteer for things they didn’t really want to volunteer for.”

Father Argentino said Father Daly felt Solomon showed the qualities of both Mary and Martha and the pastor wanted to recognize her constant dedication and service. The building houses many of the ministries that filled Solomon’s days: Bible classes, parish programs, diaconate classes, sacramental preparation and just about anything associated with church ministry.

Deacon Solomon said many people talked to him about how his wife drew them into church service and how they were grateful for the invitation — even if they didn’t realize it at the time. She lined them up as catechists, turned them into extraordinary ministers of holy Communion who served the homebound and the hospitalized, and enlisted their help for various ministries of mercy.

“When she was recruiting for God’s work, she wasn’t easily put off,” he said. “But she had a very pleasant way of doing that. I have had a lot people come up to me and say, ‘Your wife jump-started ministry for me.’”

People responded to the deacon’s wife of 38 years the same way he responded to her when they first met. He had just graduated from college and she was a senior at a Catholic women’s college in Denver. Her smile, her warmth and her laughter touched his heart. She loved accepting invitations, going out and engaging people in conversation. As the years passed, she took that love and interest in others and devoted it to serving God, he said.

Solomon didn’t just coordinate volunteers in ministry; she was often the one others turned to when they needed help. Mary Jo Murphy of Spirit FM 90.5, the St. Petersburg diocesan radio station, said that 16 years ago she was overwhelmed with ministry demands and prayed for help. Solomon stepped in and brought along three other women.

They all became friends and until Solomon’s advancing illness made it impossible, they would get together at least once a month for lunch and faith sharing. In times of joy and crisis, they were there for each other.

“(We would) share our spiritual journeys together,” Murphy said “We grew incredibly close.”

Father Argentino said that even through her illness, Solomon was always gracious. Her husband said no one in the family had had cancer, so learning of the diagnosis was a shock for everyone.

“But you know, she accepted it so beautifully,” Deacon Solomon said. “I never once heard her say, ‘Why me?’”

After Father Daly’s announcement, the deacon was worried that the name of the building would become the Mary Martha Solomon Center, and that the tendency would be for people to just shorten it to the Solomon Center. He didn’t want a building to carry his last name; he wanted it to carry the name of three inspiring women: Mary, Martha, and Mary Martha. He asked if the Solomon and the center could be dropped in favor of the Mary Martha House. “That way, it shows the qualities of my wife that I think people were celebrating.”

Even in these days of loss, there is time for reflection and appreciation for Deacon Solomon.

“I miss her very much,” he said. “But you know what? She’s a saint in heaven. She’s not suffering. I can’t tell you how much that strengthens me — just knowing someone you love so much is safely home. I can’t imagine how people deal with this kind of thing when they don’t have faith.”

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New ministry building dedicated to time and talent

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