By Ana Rodriguez Soto - The Archdiocese of Miami
Photographer: FILE PHOTO
Mons. Pedro Luis Perez
The viewing for Msgr. Perez will begin Monday, June 11 at noon in the parish he founded, San Lazaro, 4400 W. 18 Ave., Hialeah. The viewing will continue until the start of the funeral Mass.
�Father Luis Perez was a devoted pastor of souls and a priest of integrity,� said Archbishop Thomas Wenski. �For years he led the recitation of the holy rosary at the annual celebrations of the Virgin of Charity. Now Mary, Queen of the Apostles, has led him into the presence of our Lord, whom Msgr. Perez served as a priest for 60 years.�
Born in Cuba, Msgr. Perez was ordained April 20, 1952. He was exiled from his homeland nine years later, and arrived in Miami in June 1961. He worked with the Pedro Pan children at the Cuban Boys Home and St. Raphael from 1961 to 1962, and at the Florida City Camp from 1964 to 1965. He served as assistant director of the Cursillo movement from 1962 to 1979.
Simultaneous with those assignments, he served as parochial vicar at Little Flower Parish in Coral Gables, St. John the Apostle in Hialeah, and St. Francis de Sales in Miami Beach. In June 1971 he was appointed administrator of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Miami until 1973, when he was appointed administrator of St. Cecilia Parish in Hialeah. He served there until his appointment as administrator of St. Agatha Parish in Miami in July 1979. In January 1982 he became administrator � and later founding pastor � of San Lazaro in Hialeah. He retired from there on July 1, 2009.
On July 31, 2007, he was made a monsignor by Pope Benedict XVI.
�Another great priest has died, an exemplary man of God and of Cuba,� said a posting on the official Facebook page of the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity in Miami. �On Sept. 8, 1961, he led the praying of the holy rosary while the image of Our Lady of Charity, newly-arrived from Cuba, entered the Miami Stadium in front of 31,000 Cubans. And he did so every year, with faith and devotion, and always ending with his memorable shouts of �Long live the Virgin of Charity�; �Virgin of Charity, save Cuba�.�
�I feel so sad,� commented Lily Navarro Reynolds, also on Facebook. �He was for me an example of faith. He taught me to pray when I was little and to �love the Lord above all things.� He was always present in all the difficult moments of my life.�
�I always remember the great back-slap he would give me upon seeing me; his hand transmitted energy,� wrote Gricel Mursuli, also on Facebook. �His devotion to Our Lady of Charity was immense, for hours during the Mass he never tired of shouting, �Long live the Virgin of Charity�. And he died without realizing his dream of returning to his homeland.�
�Another great human being has left us, someone who was always willing to help whoever needed it, and who visited so many elderly priests who were forgotten in nursing homes,� wrote Lucy Pimentel, also on Facebook.
Burial will take place after the Mass at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Miami.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family by writing to his nephew, Andrew Gonzalez, in care of San Lazaro Church.
Simultaneous with those assignments, he served as parochial vicar at Little Flower Parish in Coral Gables, St. John the Apostle in Hialeah, and St. Francis de Sales in Miami Beach. In June 1971 he was appointed administrator of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Miami until 1973, when he was appointed administrator of St. Cecilia Parish in Hialeah. He served there until his appointment as administrator of St. Agatha Parish in Miami in July 1979. In January 1982 he became administrator � and later founding pastor � of San Lazaro in Hialeah. He retired from there on July 1, 2009.
On July 31, 2007, he was made a monsignor by Pope Benedict XVI.
�Another great priest has died, an exemplary man of God and of Cuba,� said a posting on the official Facebook page of the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity in Miami. �On Sept. 8, 1961, he led the praying of the holy rosary while the image of Our Lady of Charity, newly-arrived from Cuba, entered the Miami Stadium in front of 31,000 Cubans. And he did so every year, with faith and devotion, and always ending with his memorable shouts of �Long live the Virgin of Charity�; �Virgin of Charity, save Cuba�.�
�I feel so sad,� commented Lily Navarro Reynolds, also on Facebook. �He was for me an example of faith. He taught me to pray when I was little and to �love the Lord above all things.� He was always present in all the difficult moments of my life.�
�I always remember the great back-slap he would give me upon seeing me; his hand transmitted energy,� wrote Gricel Mursuli, also on Facebook. �His devotion to Our Lady of Charity was immense, for hours during the Mass he never tired of shouting, �Long live the Virgin of Charity�. And he died without realizing his dream of returning to his homeland.�
�Another great human being has left us, someone who was always willing to help whoever needed it, and who visited so many elderly priests who were forgotten in nursing homes,� wrote Lucy Pimentel, also on Facebook.
Burial will take place after the Mass at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Miami.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family by writing to his nephew, Andrew Gonzalez, in care of San Lazaro Church.
Comments from readers
In Miami he helped me get into St.John Vianney Minor Seminary, the first of eleven young Cuban boys who wanted to become a priest. We were there the on the first Mass on the day of the Mass at the Stadium for the Virgin of Charity. He was there for me throughout my life. How do you say good-by to a friend? You tell him thanks for being there, for being a friend, a teacher, a mentor. You will always be remembered and loved