St. Sebastian at 60: beacon of faith

By Linda Reeves - The Florida Catholic Palm Beach

FORT LAUDERDALE | St. Sebastian’s big 60th anniversary celebration was put on hold as a result of the coronavirus, but the faithful trust that the pandemic will soon end and festivities will continue with even greater cause to celebrate.

“We have gone through many things. We will do it again,” said longtime parishioner Bill Fucillo, 96, a war veteran on the frontlines during the invasion of Normandy in 1944.

Fucillo, who has experienced nearly a century of life’s good and bad times, continues to walk life’s journey with God at his side. “I love my God. I love my church,” he said.

He is a good example of St. Sebastian’s parishioners, many of them dedicated seniors who give their time, talents and treasures to help build up the kingdom of God in South Florida.

He is he first person to show up at the church every day to open the doors, and he stays to help where needed. “I try to do the best I can,” he said.  

This year, the congregation is not only observing the parish’s diamond anniversary, but also marking several other milestones. In May, the parish’s shepherd, Msgr. James Fetscher, 78, will observe 52 years as a priest. In September, he’ll mark 10 years as St. Sebastian’s pastor.

Msgr. Fetscher said he is delighted to be heading into a new decade with his parish family. “Going forward, I have asked the people what they want for the future,” he said. “One thing is to bring the community together.”

He noted his flock’s desire to add more social events to the parish calendar to lift the spirit of community and create fellowship. “They want to beef up ministries and they want a new kitchen,” he said reading from a list of requests.

“They want me to be here for the next 20 years,” he added with a laugh, apparently delighted with the big wish of one of his parishioners.

 

LOOKING BACK

St. Sebastian began in 1957 as a mission to accommodate the large number of Catholics moving to and visiting the area as Fort Lauderdale continued to develop and to draw people from around the world.

Msgr. John J. O’Looney, then pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Fort Lauderdale, spearheaded a fundraising campaign to raise funds to build a church and ministry center. The project resulted in $200,000 to purchase six acres of land and begin construction. Plans were drawn. Ground was broken, and construction began. Feb. 2, 1958, marked the official dedication and blessing of a house of worship. A year later, St. Sebastian mission gained the title “parish,” standing on its own and moving forward.

Over the decades, faithful parish pioneers have paved the way for generations to come. Ministries were launched and grown; buildings were constructed, expanded and renovated as leadership changed.

Father Cyril Hudak, appointed pastor in 1988, led an extensive renovation project to enhance the church, adding the bell tower in 1994 that is a church feature today.

Father Patrick McDonnell, who came to lead the parish in 1995, oversaw a growing ministry for young people. He also spearheaded construction of a 10,000-square-foot multipurpose building housing a banquet hall and the Chapel of the Divine Healer. The parish also added stained glass windows in 1996, depicting a boat with sails featuring a circle, a cross and a dove symbolizing the Holy Trinity.

Father Liam Quinn then expanded outreach programs to include sponsoring an orphanage in the Dominican Republic. 

 

FAST FORWARD

Today, the parish, situated in the quiet neighborhood of Harbor Heights, is a spiritual home to retirees spending their golden years in the area and seasonal residents enjoying the mild winters. The church is also a place of worship for vacationers staying in hotels and resorts near Fort Lauderdale’s public beach, and seamen and tourists traveling and stopping at Port Everglades, a hub of activity adjacent to the parish.

“The tower is visible from Port Everglades,” Anne Gardner, pastoral assistant, said of the church’s tall, gold tower that shines like a bright beacon. “Cruise ship passengers and seamen can see that there’s a nearby church they might want to attend.”

The parish continues to grow with new and old faces and many initiatives. The Council of Catholic Women, headed by Linda Hatlan, is nearly 70 strong. A dynamic men’s group is also part of the community. St. Sebastian offers a range of ministries in prayer, music and religious education. Children’s ministry and activities are a vital initiative of the parish, whose many grandmothers and grandfathers recognize children as the future of the Church.

“I hope the number of young families with children grows in our parish,” said Hatlan. “We have some schools nearby. Young families are moving into the area. We would like to see more children here.”

Msgr. Fetscher explained that the parish’s outreach to visitors arriving by Uber or taxi is a huge success, resulting in a lot of feedback. “As far as ministry, it is so simple,” he said. “We ask if anyone needs a ride back to their hotel.”

People appear to be overwhelmed by such hospitality, even posting comments on social media and various websites. “The congregation was friendly and even drove me back to my hotel,” said Dana, who visited last August and posted on Trip Advisor’s website. “Great Mass and spiritual place. God is really working through this church to guests.”

An unidentified man from New York, who visited last July, wrote, “If you are Catholic/Christian, and you live or visit Fort Lauderdale, this is the PERFECT place to go. This is a peaceful church with many great opportunities for God.”

Msgr. Fetcher is also stunned by the number of visitors who pause their vacations to attend Mass at the parish. “I get mail from around the country. They are nice people, who are passing through but take the time to go to church,” he said.

Parishioner Mary Kennedy, 92, heads up the coffee ministry after Masses. She moved to the area 35 years ago and calls St. Sebastian her second home.

“We have a bunch of old people with young hearts,” she said when asked to describe St. Sebastian’s family. “Most of the people are retired. We are a congregation that loves the Lord. Jesus is the center. The Lord keeps us young.”

 

YEAR-LONG CELEBRATIONS

To kick off the parish’s 60th birthday, the pastoral council organized a dinner at the local Tropical Acres Restaurant in January. More than 650 invitations were extended. Decorations included a display of old photos of church celebrations, historical occasions and people of the past.

“The celebration dinner was wonderful,” said Judy Fisher, who helped with the dinner details. “Everyone enjoyed it.”

Following the dinner, Msgr. Fetscher wrote some thoughts about the gathering in his weekly bulletin message, “Twilight Twitches.”

“Our 60th anniversary celebration is a celebration of people,” he wrote. “The real treasure of our community is the faith of countless people.”

For now, the anniversary Mass, scheduled for March 29, along with all Masses and other public parish activities are on hold. The church staff and Msgr. Fetscher are available by phone and keeping in touch through emails. “With many holy elbow bumps and my promise to be all we can for you in these days, we are yours, in Jesus,” he wrote in a website post March 18.

Interestingly, the church’s patron, St. Sebastian, is known for his ability to intercede to protect from plagues.

“This is a time to be praying,” said Kennedy. “We need to be praying more than ever at this time. We need to be looking up to the Lord. It is important.”