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Florida Catholic May 2021
YOUR MIAMI COMMUNITY
TERESA MARTINEZ
Florida Catholic correspondent
MIAMI GARDENS On the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday, around 200 people gathered at St. Thomas University for a night of worship and music, a festival-style event for people of all ages headlined by EPIC the Band. The April 10, 2021, outdoor con- cert featured testimonials, adora- tion, and music while adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols. Orga- nizers set up a drive-in style simul- cast, which allowed attendees to listen, watch, and tailgate from their vehicles. Outdoors, the sprawling green space on campus allowed people to watch comfortably within their groups/pods in a picnic-like environment. The crowd ranged from families to youth groups to high school and university students to priests and religious. Some watched from the comfort of their car while others chose to sit outdoors on the green and take in the experience live. I hope that the young people that are here realize that there's more than just what the secular world has to offer them and that through Jesus they can find both so- lutions to their problems and hope," said Javier Cardena, a parishioner at St. John the XXIII in Miramar. EPIC the Band, Miami-based and internationally known for their Christian contemporary hip-hop music mixed with Latin fusion, took the stage multiple times throughout the evening and kept the attendees totally engaged. The five-member band performed for Pope Francis at World Youth Day in Panama 2019 and has headlined many confer- ences throughout the United States. St. Thomas University typically hosts the annual Mercy Night for young people sponsored by the Archdiocese of Miami. That night of worship was postponed this year due to the pandemic. Not having Mercy Night created an opening for St. Thomas Univer- sity to step in and provide a much- needed night of worship for the whole family," said Anthony Pinto, director of Campus Ministry. He said a grant from the Lilly Foundation, called STU Impact and aimed at funding vocational discernment and other initiatives for young adults, made it possible for the university to host the EPIC Night of Mercy. Having the event coincide with Divine Mercy Sunday was not an ac- cident, he added. "We want to bring Christ to this campus and bring people together after a year with so many challenges. We thought, let's use our beautiful campus and unite people for a live event all while do-
Families, young people gather for music, reflection, prayer
God's mercy: It's EPIC
ing it in a safe environment. This event allows the neighboring com- munities, the Catholic communi- ties to come together, and what bet- ter way to unite people than under God's mercy." In addition to EPIC the Band, artists Dana Catherine and the STU Choir performed. Testimony by St. Brendan High School teacher Ve- ronica Macias, archdiocesan voca- tions director Father Matthew Go- mez, and Sister Maria Jose Socias, director of novices for the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary, motivated the crowd and opened the door to discuss the meaning of Divine Mercy Sunday and the importance of vocations. Experiencing God's love in ac- tion and wanting to share that transformative love for everyone has brought me here today," said Macias. "I hope that people walk away from tonight's event with the hope that the Church is still alive and that the future is now and pres- ent. I hope that they walk away with the conviction of God's mercy for them individually." It's really nice to hear godly mu- sic instead of the normal worldly music we tend to hear," said Brian- na Morales, a member of One Body, Spirit, Mind youth group from St. Joseph Church in Miami Beach. "I think it's really important, espe- cially now during such a difficult time (when) people are losing faith and hope, to reconnect with God through events like this because it helps us to move forward and give us a break from all the noise in the world." I wanted to get as many high school students on campus for this experience as possible," said STU freshman Dylan Francisco, a member of the university's campus ministry. "It's a great celebration of Divine Mercy and my hope is that people (high school students) see STU and our campus and want to come to this great Catholic school." I was drawn to the event with the hope of meeting new people," said Jose Valladares, a senior at Miami Senior High School. "As a future STU student, it was really a nice way to see the campus. Being here feels very peaceful." It's important to have an event like this during so much difficulty because the message of mercy re- minds us that love is stronger than death and God is stronger than any suffering and he can help us over- come any struggle," said Sister Eve- lyn Montes de Oca of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts, associate cam- pus minister at STU. "The Lord said to Saint Faustina, if the world does not turn to my mercy, it will not find peace. During such turbulence in the world, we need to be reminded of God's mercy which is the only path to peace." The underlying theme of the night was the promotion of voca- tions, so organizers were hoping to inspire high school students to enroll in the STU Impact summer immersion program. STU Impact is an all-expense paid immersion program for students in grades 10- 12. It will take place June 13-18 for girls and June 20-25 for boys. Thanks to the grant provided to us by the Lilly Foundation we not only are able to host tonight's event, but we are able to host the STU Im- pact summer program," said Sister Evelyn. It's going to be an awesome ex- perience where they will stay on the STU campus and hear from married couples, priests, religious and learn about vocations and how God has created them as a gift," she added. "It will be a great week of fun, service, and reflection on the meaning of life and how God is call- ing us to serve."
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Visit https://youtu.be/62rW FB06Uk4) to watch the EPIC Night of Mercy on the St. Thomas University YouTube channel.
Over 200 attendees participate in a moment of adoration during the EPIC Night of Mercy event celebrated at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, seen below. (PHOTOS BY JONATHAN MARTINEZ FC) Organizers set up a drive-in style simulcast which allowed attendees the ability to listen, watch, and tailgate from their vehicles during the EPIC Night of Mercy. Father Rafael Capo, vice president of missions at St. Thomas University, holds the monstrance during adoration.
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