7960604059?profile=originalFrank McKinney leads a group of students across the George Bush Boulevard Bridge

toward St. Vincent Ferrer School, following the same route he took every day with his daughter Laura.

Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

7960603887?profile=originalBishop Gerald Barbarito leads a special Mass

on Oct. 11 at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church.

7960604075?profile=originalThe pews were packed with parishioners of all ages, including these little ones.

7960604263?profile=originalA model shows the way the Delray Beach site will look

after a planned $6.5 million expansion of school and church facilities.

By Janis Fontaine

    Parishioners are gearing up for the triple jubilee in 2016 when St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Parish will celebrate its 75th anniversary. It’s considered a triple because the parish is also commemorating the 50th anniversary of the popular Parish Festival in March, and this comes on the heels of the 60th anniversary of St. Vincent Ferrer School, which the church celebrated Oct. 11 with an anniversary Mass led by Bishop Gerald Barbarito, the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach.
    “He is such a humble, gentle man,” Julie Ott, the director of stewardship and development at St. Vincent, said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to have him grant our request.”    
    Barbarito, who survived brain surgery to remove a benign tumor in February, oversees five counties and 267,000 Catholics. More than 1,000 came to hear the bishop speak.  
    During the Mass, Barbarito gave his blessing for St. Vincent  to conduct a capital campaign to raise $6.5 million for three projects: the construction of an addition to the school; the renovation to the existing 60-year-old school building; and the expansion of the entrances to the church, Ott said. A reception followed, which served as the official kickoff of the campaign.
    Before the Mass, the school hosted a reunion of sorts. Alumni and current students and their families were invited on a one-mile walk led by Frank McKinney. The local real estate developer led 150 participants along the path he followed every day when he walked his daughter Laura to school, retracing a route taken nearly 1,800 times.
    Ott says the church is anticipating record turnouts for the programming centered around the jubilee. Next up is the Diamond Jubilee Gala on Jan. 24 at the Delray Beach Marriott.
    “We’re very excited to have Matthew Kelly coming to speak,” Ott said. “He’s known worldwide as the ‘Dynamic Catholic.’ This program is more than just a speech; it’s a four-hour conference on how to live every day with purpose.”
    Kelly is the CEO and president of DynamicCatholic.com, a group that is working to rejuvenate interest in the Catholic Church. He’ll speak Feb. 27.
    The 50th Parish Festival on March 4-6 is going to be bigger and better, with carnival rides, games, live entertainment, food and a monster flea market.
    Ott is collecting memorable photos and stories from the early years of the church to use in scrapbooks and journals. Photos will be returned, Ott said. In addition, The Coastal Star will publish a special section on the school in 2016.
    For more information, call Julie Ott at 276-6892, Ext. 308, or email her at stewardship@stvincentferrer.com.

7960604853?profile=originalHolly House Bazaar co-chairs Edna Fisher and Donna King admire Christmas trees

at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach. The bazaar runs 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Nov. 13-14.

Photo provided


Holly House ladies
in full swing for show
    Drop by Holly House on the campus of First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and you’ll find more than two dozen skillful stitchers, clever crafters and fantastic florists hard at work, according to Linda Prior, a longtime Holly House volunteer.
    Since March, the Holly House ladies have devoted these two mornings per week  to handcrafting gifts to sell at their annual Holly Days Bazaar. They’ll transform their workspace into a gift shop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 13 and 14.
    You’ll find Raggedy Ann dolls, aprons, baskets, pillows, tree skirts, place mats and table runners, children’s sweaters and hats, angels, ornaments, wreaths and trees, new and refurbished vintage jewelry. The newest item is a picture frame that holds jewelry, and the dressed-up flip-flops are hot sellers.
    A lot of the materials used are donated, Prior said. Old Christmas decorations, leftover fabric and accessories, and unworn jewelry are repurposed into something beautiful and new.
    The men of the church are on call for the ladies. “We just call Ed’s garage,” Prior laughs, “and the guys show up.” They do the heavy lifting: making tree stands, jewelry display cases, and shelving — whatever and whenever they are called upon to do. They get paid in baked goods. The guys even get in on the action at the bazaar by preparing lunch for the shoppers.
    Around a thousand guests are expected to visit the bazaar over the two days, and Prior says the Holly House ladies can make more than $20,000 in that one weekend. The money is used for other church ministries, but all that cash stays local, fed back into the community these ladies love.
The Holly House, where the ladies meet, was built using funds raised in previous bazaars.  
    Their kindness stretches past the needlework and yarn, Prior said. They help the parish by cooking meals, making phone calls and providing transportation. “We take care of each other,” Prior said.
    During their busiest time of the year, the women found time in October to plan and host a remembrance reception for a member who had recently passed away.
    Like Santa’s elves, these women are happy in their work. They welcome new members, and you don’t need to belong to the church to join. First Presbyterian is at 33 Gleason St., just south of Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach. For more info, call 276-6338.

New rector
    The St. Paul’s Episcopal Church family will gather for the institution of the Rev. Paul Kane as its new rector on Dec. 1. He’ll lead services for the first time on Dec. 5 and 6. A dinner and reception for Father David Knight, who served as interim rector while the committee searched for a permanent replacement, will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 7. He’ll lead services for the last time on Nov. 7 and 8. The church, at 188 S. Swinton Ave, in Delray Beach, can be reached at 276-4541.

Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at janisfontaine@outlook.com.

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