By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami

Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily at a memorial Mass for Carlos Arboleya, celebrated March 19, 2022 at St. Martha Church in Miami Shores. Arboleya, a Cuban exile, was described by a friend as “a fervent Catholic and social entrepreneur with a deep devotion to the cause of democracy in Cuba, the Boys Scouts of America, the Knights of Malta and a leading figure in the banking industry of South Florida.” Arboleya died March 29, 2020, at the start of the national shut-down caused by the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Today we gather to pray for the repose of the soul of Carlos Arboleya, who died two years ago this month at the young age of 91. Now, when you live to be 91, you can be sure that there are more people on the other side to welcome you than there are on this side to say farewell. And of course, his wife and son – who predeceased him – are among those who welcomed him home. Yet your presence here today to give him a final farewell is a testimony of the impact that this great man had on the lives of so many people.

At the time of his passing, his friend Bernie Navarro said that Carlos “spent as much time listening to the next generation as we listened to him.” He is known for many accomplishments: an exile who made a successful life in this country by rising from being a shoe salesman to a “banker’s banker.” A modern-day Horatio Alger. But he is most fondly remembered for his giving back to this community – what some also described as “paying it forward.” He did this as a volunteer in any number of endeavors, but pride of place should be given to his work for young people, especially through Scouting. 60 years he gave to Scouting and he embodied the traditional values of Scouting: integrity, respect, care, belief and cooperation. He found in Scouting a way of helping young people develop their talents and abilities, and to put them at the service of society and their communities.

In a way, it is fitting that we offer this Mass for the repose of his soul on the feast day of St. Joseph, the chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary. St. Joseph wasn’t a Scout – at least, as far as we know. But he also modeled those same values. As the spouse of Mary and the foster father of Jesus, he acted with integrity and respect. He cared for the Holy Family – in exile and in the home he made for them in Nazareth. Joseph too was a man of faith. His belief led him to trust God even when he did not understand all that God was asking and he cooperated with God’s plan for the salvation of our fallen humanity.

God did not need Joseph to make Jesus – for he was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit; but it was Joseph whom God entrusted with the task of raising Mary’s son.

So when God wanted to bring to fulfillment his plan of salvation, he wanted to count on certain collaborators. Joseph showed that God could count on him. And Carlos Arboleya showed that God could count on him as well. Like St. Joseph, Carlos was a humble man but in both we see the value and the dignity of work – and the joy of doing for ourselves, and not just having people do for us.

These past two years, with the global pandemic, social unrest, and economic uncertainty, have been a challenge for all of us. And now war in the Ukraine.

This certainly has been a time to re-evaluate some of our priorities. Perhaps we rediscovered the value of family life, and as we lived with fear of being sick or of having loved ones sick, we learned to appreciate what’s important and what’s not so important.

Coming out of this pandemic what should our new normal look like? God counts on each one of us here to bring to fulfillment his plan of salvation for the whole world. As we continue our Lenten journey towards Easter, how do we cultivate those habits, those skills, those talents that will help us to be the best possible collaborators of God? How we can we help God by helping to make a new normal where no one is excluded, and everyone is honored as a child of God?

And lest cynicism stymies us or difficulties discourage us, let us remember not only what Carlos Arboleya did but who he was. He left us with the legacy of a life well lived. That’s something not only to be applauded – it is something to emulate.

“Eternal Rest, grant unto him, O Lord. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace. Amen.”