By Juan Alessandro Di Prado - Archdiocese of Miami
Miami…(November 12, 2014) On Nov. 23 at 3 p.m., Archbishop Thomas Wenski will celebrate Mass at St. Clement Church in Wilton Manors to help parishioners conclude the year-long celebration of their 60th anniversary.
Father Robés Charles, pastor of St. Clement, will concelebrate the Mass, and the entire South Florida community is invited to participate, to give thanks to God for the many years the parish has served the residents of Fort Lauderdale.
About St. Clement Church:
Parishioners celebrated their first Mass at the Rivercrest Farm Restaurant (later the Sea Grill) in 1953. The parish was established officially in 1954, when Fort Lauderdale was part of the St. Augustine Diocese that encompassed the entire state. During the early years, parishioners preoccupied themselves with building: they built a church/hall, dedicated in 1955; a school, which opened for class in 1956; a convent for the Sisters of Saint Casimir from Chicago who staffed the school for many years; and a rectory, dedicated in 1961.
Throughout the years, the parish grew more diverse, adding Masses in Spanish. In the 1990s, the Haitian population grew to the point that Divine Mercy Mission was created within St. Clement's boundaries. Although the parish school closed in 2009, St. Clement today is a large, multicultural parish made up of English-speakers, Hispanics and Haitians. Its ministries range from the traditional - Knights of Columbus and Legion of Mary - to the more unique - a Rock Youth Group and Zumba Fitness club.
The Archdiocese of Miami
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www.miamiarch.org
Media contact: Juan A. Di Prado, Media Coordinator, at (305)762-1046 [email protected], or Mary Ross Agosta, Director of Communications, at (305)762-1043 [email protected].
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