WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG January 2021
FLORIDA Catholic
MIAMI ARCHDIOCESE
JIM DAVIS
Florida Catholic correspondent
MIAMI In February, South Floridians will see their own faces in bronze - in a massive sculpture that has been blessed by Pope Francis. Titled "Angels Unawares," the artwork shows a 20-foot-long boat crowded with migrants and refugees from various lands. The sculpture, on a tour of American cities, is planned for a Miami visit in February. It's a replica of an artwork by Canadi- an sculptor Timothy Schmalz that has stood in St. Peter's Square since Sept. 29, 2019, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The Holy Father commissioned the piece to call attention to their plight, and to their contributions to society. Among the 140 sculpted faces are Africans who were forced onto slave ships; Vietnamese boat people fleeing a Marxist regime; a Cherokee on the Trail of Tears; Jews scarred by the Holocaust; Irish immigrants escaping the 19th century Potato Famine; and Syrians seeking a more peaceful home. Even the Holy Family is in the crowd, identifiable only by St. Joseph's toolbox. Much of the sculpture seems to reflect the faces of South Florida. That's the message of its creator, Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz. "I placed the figures with Europeans from previous gen- erations shoulder to shoulder with contemporary migrants," Schmalz said in a phone inter- view. "We're all immigrants anyway, but this sculpture shows that. It's celebrating the idea that we all came from someplace else." Amid the figures, stretching 11 feet high, are the wings of an angel. It's a visual version of the Bible verse Hebrews 13:2: "Do not neglect to show hospital- ity to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." "Angels Unawares" comes to South Flor- ida after visiting Los Angeles, Boston, New York and Atlanta. After its month in Miami, the 3.5-ton sculpture will go to other U.S. cities until finally set- tling in its permanent home, Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
A PLACE FOR STARTING OVER
The sculpture and its message could hardly fit South Flor- ida better, agreed Paul George, resident historian of Miami. Immigration has been "the single most important element in the development of Miami and South Florida in the last 60 years," he said. For generations, people have come to South Florida for freedom to live, worship and prosper. Whether they were Cubans and Haitians fleeing oppression, Caribbean is- landers seeking opportunity, or Northeasterners just fol- lowing the sun, this area has held out the promise for a better life. And for the many Catholics among them, the Church has striven to welcome, shelter and nourish them spiritually. "This has always been a place for starting over," historian Paul George said. "That goes back at least to the beginnings of Miami." Even in 1894, he said, businesses like that of the Burdines family moved here from Orlando, Titusville and Polk Coun- ty after they were wiped out in Central Florida's wintertime freezes of 1894-1895. The warm winters also drew thousands of military per- sonnel who stationed here during World War II. Said George: "They said, 'Is it like this in January? I'm not going back to New Jersey!' So, they got their families and came back." As the southernmost major city of the continental U.S., Miami had long hoped to develop business ties with Latin America. George noted that the Torch of Friendship, an inter- national monument facing Biscayne Boulevard, was erected in 1960. But it wasn't until 1959, when Fidel Castro imposed a Marx- ist dictatorship on Cuba, that big changes began. By January 1960, Cuban refugees in Miami numbered 100,000, then
Immigration sculpture arriving in February in Miami
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The Word made bronze
ARCHDIOCESE
At top is the sculpture "Angels Unawares," composed by Timothy Schmalz, which will shown in Miami February 2021. Above is a close up of "Angels Unawares." (COURTESY PHOTOS)
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