�This is more than a Catholic thing,� said Father John Baker, pastor of the oldest parish in the Archdiocese of Miami, whose church has been designated a basilica by Pope Benedict XVI.

Indeed, the Key West City Commission has already created a proclamation making May 31, 2012, St. Mary Star of the Sea Day in the southernmost city of the continental U.S. On that day, the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Archbishop Thomas Wenski will celebrate the Mass conferring the insignia to the new basilica.

�A lot of our parishioners will be coming, which we�re thrilled about, and a lot of our neighbors and friends from Key West because this is also about them,� Father Baker said. 

The festivities will begin at 6:45 p.m. with a procession of about 100 parish representatives � two from each ministry � plus the Knights of Columbus Color Guard, priests and the insignia itself: the ombrellino (literally �little umbrella�) and the tintinnabulum (a bell mounted on a pole). 

The procession will leave from the parish school, Mary Immaculate Star of the Sea, and weave through three external gathering places before entering the church.

�We are not going to fit into the actual church proper for that Mass,� Father Baker said, noting that the basilica can seat about 500, and the choir loft will be filled with 100 more, members of the three parish choirs plus instrumentalists. 

So two tents will be set up in the Marian grotto area adjacent to the church, with seating for 500; another 450 will be seated in the Renewal Center; and 500 more can gather in the Stations of the Cross garden adjacent to it.

�Visually, everyone will be participating in this procession� as it passes through each gathering place, Father Baker said. �In all of these places that are not in the church proper there�s going to be Jumbotrons with a live feed so that people are able to participate (in the Mass).�

The archdiocese also plans to live stream the celebration on its website, www.miamiarch.org, and broadcast it on Radio Paz 830 AM.

After the Mass, the famous Key West Conch Train will be ferrying people to a dessert reception at the Marriott Beachside Resort. Both are generous gifts from parishioners and Key West residents Ed Swift, president of Historic Tours of America, and Robert and Elena Spottswood, owners of the resort. Even the AV Club of Key West High School will be involved, helping out with the live broadcast of the Mass.

Parishioners also have donated many items related to the basilica designation, including:

• three mosaics for the fa�ade of the church, each one depicting a different coat of arms: that of Pope Benedict XVI, that of the Archdiocese of Miami, and the newly-minted one of the basilica itself; 
• the design work for the ombrellino, the tintinnabulum and the basilica�s coat of arms (see story); 
• and the official parish history.

The parishioner who wrote the history, Bob Bernreuter, put his own book on hold to include a final chapter, the basilica designation. �The History of St. Mary Star of the Sea� will be published this summer.

The parish also commissioned a local Catholic painter, Richard Matson, to paint a new image of the church, with St. Mary Star of the Sea keeping the rights to sell the art prints, or high-end reproductions.

�I was flattered that (Father Baker), who is a fan, chose me to do it,� Matson said. �I enjoyed doing it. It was a wonderful problem to solve to try and create a new image because it�s not just a church now, it�s a basilica.�

He explained that �a basilica immediately makes me think of ancient Rome, the basilicas that the Christians took over after the fall of Rome and made into churches.� To give the painting �a dramatic quality,� he portrayed the church at sunset with a stormy sky. It took him two-and-a-half weeks, painting about 90 minutes each day, to complete the 20 x 16 painting, acrylic on canvas.

�It really is a beautiful work of art,� Father Baker said.

Among those who are coming for the celebration are priests who have served at the parish in the past, including one who is traveling from Ireland and several former pastors; and some of the Sisters of the Holy 

Names of Jesus and Mary, the order that founded and staffed the school for decades.

As to the meaning of it all, Father Baker said, �Basically the Holy See has said this is a place worthy of a pilgrimage, because of the architecture but also because of the history.�

That is both an honor and a responsibility, �to consider the good that we�re doing and to do it in a deeper way,� he said, including providing services to a greater number of visitors.

�I would hope over the course of the years that (people) will come visit,� he added. �Things will be in place,� such as self-guided tours and a display of pictures and artifacts depicting the history of �a remarkable place of faith.�

�It�s a responsibility that we will have to grow into,� Father Baker said. �It�s not done May 31. It begins big time.�