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Florida Catholic July 2021
YOUR MIAMI COMMUNITY
JIM DAVIS
Florida Catholic correspondent
MIAMI Ginny Matheo may have surrendered Michael Derrick to God's care. But like others who knew him over his decades of music ministry, she'll still miss him. I guess God needed another or- ganist," said Matheo, adding, "We knew this was coming. But when I heard, my heart broke and I cried." Derrick, director of music for nine years at St. Gregory Parish in Plantation, died June 18, 2021, at Jackson South after a massive stroke. He was 69. Derrick guided liturgical music in south Florida for more than 40 years. Among his jobs were music director for the archdiocese, asso- ciate director of the archdiocesan Office of Worship, and organist and music instructor at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami. He also served at five churches around the archdiocese, including St. Gregory. Friends and colleagues remem- bered Derrick's personal qualities: warmth, kindness, gentle humor, a commitment to excellence - in others and himself. He had an aura," said Matheo, a lector and extraordinary minister of Communion at St. Gregory. "When you spoke to him, you could see the sweetness in his soul." Andrea Heighes-Revilla, a cantor at St. Gregory, was affected in much the same way by Derrick's death. She was teaching at a theater camp in Davie when an usher called with the news. I kept it in while I was teaching," said Heighes-Revilla, a cantor for two decades. "But then I went to the bathroom and cried." Raised in Church Hill, Tennes- see, Derrick seemed born and bred for his art: His parents, who were Lutheran, both had backgrounds in music instruction and ministry. He converted to the Catholic faith at Immaculate Conception Church in Hialeah. He changed churches but not his love for mu- sic. At various times, he worked as organist not only at St. Gregory but at St. Catherine of Si- ena in Miami, St. James in North Miami, Little Flower in Coral Gables and Our Lady of the Holy Rosary-St. Richard, Pal- metto Bay. During his archdiocesan-level assignments, Derrick kept musi- cians updated on changes in liturgi- cal norms such as new translations. He conducted an inter-parish choir at the archdiocesan millennium celebration at the Miami Beach Convention Center. And he helped organize a chorale of music direc- tors around the archdiocese. He was an excellent organist and a good conductor," said Patri- cia Zeiler, a former member of the archdiocesan worship commission. And I can't ever remember him raising his voice. Even when things got tense, he was flawlessly calm." Among Derrick's gifts was blend- ing music of different ethnic groups, according to Father Juan Sosa, for- mer director for the Office of Wor- ship. "He was one of the first to merge different styles and cultures into one liturgical celebration." Another gift of Derrick's: build- ing skills in others, then taking a back seat to them. He wasn't larger than life," said Father Michael Davis of St. Gregory. He did high-profile things in an unassuming way. He never wanted to be the star. He trained a lot of young adults to be can- tors." Andrea Heighes-Re- villa saw that quality as he trained her in musical worship at St. Gregory. He helped my voice grow into what it is now. And he never wanted the credit. He always wanted the singers to shine." Even severe illness several years ago didn't stop Derrick from returning to the music ministry at St. Gregory - or from showing a cheerful nature. One of his quips: "Don't do any- thing to make my blood pressure go up!" He wanted us to feel better that he was feeling better," Heighes-Re- villa said. "He always thanked us for participating. He was always say- ing, 'Have I thanked you enough?'" Derrick is survived by Brenda, his wife of 34 years, as well as his brother, Mark, and a sister. The funeral Mass was celebrat- ed June 25, at St. Gregory. At least 10 priests from Derrick's previous churches and ministries planned to attend, according to Father Da- vis. "That's a testimony to Michael's relationship with them," he added. Usually, that many priests show up only for another priest."
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FLORIDA CATHOLIC STAFF
ST. AUGUSTINE A funeral Mass was celebrated at the moth- erhouse here July 6, 2021, for Sister Joyce Marie Newton, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augus- tine who ministered in south Florida for many years. She died July 1, 2021, at Our Lady of Lourdes Convent in St. Augustine after serving more than 64 years as a Sister of St. Joseph. She ministered throughout the state of Florida as a teacher, a parish minister and religious edu- cator, a chaplain at Mercy Hospi- tal in Miami, and a docent in St. Augustine. Born in Lebanon Junction, Kentucky, on July 13, 1939, Sister Joyce, also known as Sister Rose Anthony, was a twin. Her twin sister, Sister Mary Loyce Newton, is also a Sister of St. Joseph of St. Augustine. The two were featured in an article in the St. Augus- tine Record when they each marked 60 years of religious profession. They also were inter- viewed for "A Legacy of Faith," a series on the Sisters of St. Joseph that aired on the local public station, WJCT. Sister Joyce had attended Catho- lic schools in Miami after her family moved there and had been taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph in Miami. Her funeral services were closed to the public but livestreamed on the Congregation's Facebook page. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Sisters of St. Joseph, P.O. Box 3506, St. Augustine, FL 32085. The Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Au- gustine, the only congregation of Catholic apostolic women religious headquartered in northeast Florida, have served the people in Florida continuously since 1866. Their mis- sion is to foster unity and reconcili- ation in service of "our Dear Neigh- bor." They currently serve in St. Au- gustine, Miami, and Jacksonville in a variety of ministries.
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Served as organist in many churches, most recently St. Gregory
Michael Derrick, 69 Sister Joyce Newton, 81
Sister of St. Joseph of St. Augustine ministered at Mercy Hospital
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Archbishop Thomas Wenski is asking Catholics throughout the archdiocese to contribute gener- ously to the Seminary Burse Fund collection, which will take place the weekend of July 31 and Aug. 1 in all the parishes. The Seminary Burse Fund sup- ports "the work of the seminary and the seminarians, our future priests," Archbishop Wenski wrote. He noted that Pope Francis has designated this the Year of St. Jo- seph, who "found happiness not in mere self-sacrifice but in self- gift," as the pope wrote in his let- ter, Patris Corde. In the seminary the future priests learn what it means to be a self-gift. Through the dimen- sions of formation (human, spiri- tual, intellectual, and pastoral) the call from the Lord begins to mature. It is in this maturity where the young men begin to be fathers after the heart of St. Joseph, learning how to trust the one that has placed the call in their hearts," Archbishop Wen- ski wrote. "Your contribution to the annual Seminary Burse Fund will continue the work the seminarians have begun to give of themselves as a gift." Archbishop Wenski asked lo- cal Catholics to give generously to the collection and to "commend the seminarians of the archdio- cese to the intercession of St. John Vianney and St. Joseph, that they may be good shepherds and good fathers, the very best priests ready to give of themselves to you, their family, as a gift."
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