3 minute read
Angels in Wilton Minors
By John M. Hayden
Holy Angels’ pastor, Monsignor Jamie Glen Jones experienced first hand. “My husband Forsythe, has the perfect mantra for is Catholic and I have always been spiritually 2020: “I believe whenever there’s a minded. I decided to become a catholic at a crisis, God brings out opportunity.” normal Roman Catholic Church.” He says that While many of us are just trying to keep our kicked me out of the program after finding out heads down and pray for calm, he spent this I am gay. At that point I almost lost faith in summer helping his parish deal with crisis and everything, but I’m not easily the type to give up.” cultivating opportunity, and that meant a new home for the church. They moved into one of Glen wasn’t just new to the faith, he was the vacancies in Island City Plaza on NE 26th new to America, having recently arrived from Street, just east of the tracks. The old space the southern Caribbean. And one encounter on NE 6th Avenue needed a lot of renovations changed his journey. “I can remember meeting and had very little in the way of parking. Their Fr. Jamie at a Christmas function. Hesitant new space will help them serve the faithful to to call him, I found the courage to do so. We the fullest, and best of all, it was move-in ready. spoke, I accepted his invitation to a service, Fr. Jamie says it was meant to be because a week after calling the leasing agent, he had the On top of moving, Fr. Jamie started developing keys. You might think making a move during a a food program. “We were working with a group pandemic (and hurricane season) would be more out of Miami that provided the green boxes of trouble than it’s worth, but it was the pandemic vegetables. For about seven weeks we were that provided the opportunity. The previous getting about 250 boxes a week that were tenant decided to move out and go online. “If being distributed from here. Their program it had not been for the crisis of the pandemic ended.” He is working to find a new partner to and the economic slowdown, this space would restart the service. not have been available,” Fr. Jamie added. The move brought their small, but tight-knit At first, communities came together to help community together. “It brought our people out. newly unemployed families, at-risk shut-ins, We had several volunteers that came in and gave and even pets. Even though resources run thin them something to do, especially those that and time wears you down, Fr. Jamie reminds us were laid off from work. They could come in, they that the need is still great. “In some places it could paint and do all that sorts of stuff. So, it keeps getting worse. Some places that thought gave them a sense of purpose.” They put up some they’d be reopening are not and now the funds faux exposed brick, warm lighting, and added a are running out. Here in Wilton Manors we have DJ booth. Best of all, the audio/video equipment a great service community, but when bars and is helping bring their services to people who restaurants can only operate at 50% at best, aren’t getting back out in crowded places. they’re not getting their hours.” “We have anywhere between 8-15 people on a was not meant to be. “Unfortunately, they and the rest is history.” Part of the problem may be pandemic fatigue. Sunday. It’s down from what it was, but we have The mission continues, and it continues to a lot of people who (join us) on Facebook who mean a lot to community members like Glen. are waiting to come back, waiting for the okay.” “It gave me a sense of hope and belonging to safely worship and come together in an Holy Angels National Catholic Church is known environment without hiding your true self from for being a welcoming place, which parishioner anyone and God himself.”
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