'God's co-workers' house another family

By Jim Davis - Florida Catholic

Photography: JIM DAVIS | FC

MIAMI | Dirt and sawdust marked the start of Pope Francis House II. Flowers and fresh paint marked the dedication.

Some two dozen people — including archdiocesan staff and parish volunteers, along with members of Habitat for Humanity — clustered around Archbishop Thomas Wenski as he blessed and dedicated the new home of the six-member Garcia-Calderon family.

The house, in the Brownsville area of Miami, was part of a nationwide campaign by Habitat, a Georgia-based charity that specializes in building homes for the poor. The first Pope Francis House in Miami was dedicated Dec. 5, 2015.

Both structures were built with archdiocesan funds - raised from donors at the archdiocese's 55th Anniversary Gala in 2013 - and volunteers. The second house harnessed the energies of 175 volunteers from 29 parishes, plus St. Vincent De Paul Regional Seminary. The effort was organized by the archdiocese's Office of Evangelization and Parish Life.

Just as Auxiliary Bishop Peter Baldacchino had blessed the start of the project Aug. 27, Archbishop Thomas Wenski blessed the completed house Nov. 19.

"The work that has been accomplished here should enliven our faiths and make us grateful," the archbishop said. "Whenever we look to the interests of our neighbor or the community and serve them, we are, in a sense, God's own co-workers."

He then walked through the 1,499-square-foot house, sprinkling holy water on the walls of each room. He also gave the family several gifts including an ornate standing crucifix, a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and a pot of red-and-gold flowers.

The family received a Publix gift card as well, donated by St. Augustine Church and Catholic Student Center in Coral Gables.

In return, Elizabeth, 8, one of the family's four children, gave Archbishop Wenski a crayon picture she'd drawn of their new home. "Habitat I Love It," she titled the picture.

Erick Garcia, who had worked on the house along with his wife, Isela Calderon, expressed his gratitude.

"This is a dream that has been realized," he said. "It makes me feel different about everything."

Like others in the Habitat program, the couple committed not only to help build their own home, but that of another Habitat beneficiary as well.

"I've come every Saturday to build the house," Isela Calderon said. "Now I'm happy and excited to see it."

Paul Jones of St. Joachim Parish in South Miami Heights worked on the house twice, part of a commitment to Habitat projects that has stretched back 19 years.

"These houses really transform a neighborhood," Jones said. "It builds community. Like the saying goes, 'Building the City of God, one house at a time.'"

Carl Noriega of St. Bonaventure Parish, Davie, said the work also brings individual benefits. "As Mother Teresa said, love is the fruit of service, and service provides peace within."

Even those from other benevolent organizations came to help, like Barbara Psinakis of the Marian Center School in Miami Gardens.

"How do you put it into words?" said Psinakis when asked why she came. "It's enormous to help people move into a new home. This is an opportunity that most people come to the United States for."

Pope Francis House II was dedicated just a day ahead of the end of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, Francis' emphasis on doing good to one's neighbors. The year officially ended Nov. 20, the feast of Christ the King.

"In this year, we put our faith into action," said Mario Artecona, CEO of Habitat's Miami office. "To work with the archdiocese on this has been an honor and privilege."

After the dedication ceremony, Habitat treated everyone to a vanilla cake, with "God Bless This House" written on the white icing. The cake was trimmed in the Habitat colors of blue and green.

Yet even then, some of the volunteers went back to work, laying squares of sod onto the 8,733-square-foot yard. Called Bahia grass, the reedy-looking ground cover resists drought and thrives in a wide range of soils.

Cathy Donn, who helped lay sod Nov. 19, said she enjoyed working with the Garcia-Calderon family.

"It was nice to meet and build with them," said Donn, a member of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Pembroke Pines. "And it's nice to meet them all at the dedication."

The new four-bedroom, two-bath house is a big improvement over the two-bedroom apartment the family had been occupying.

"It's been all of us in the same room," said Ninoska, 16, the eldest of the four children. "Now we'll have more space."

As part of the standard Habitat deal, the family was given a no-interest mortgage for the home. They also plan to buy furniture at a Habitat thrift store.

Still to be wrapped up were legal details like a Certificate of Occupancy. Artecona has set a goal of moving the family in before Christmas. 

Updated: This story now reflects the fact that the funds used to build both Pope Francis houses came from the 2013 gala marking the Archdiocese of Miami's 55th anniversary.