By Blanca Morales - Florida Catholic
Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO
Members of the Robles family bring up the offertory at the Mass celebrating La Nueva Jerusalen's 30th anniversary at St Timothy parish.
MIAMI | The 1970s and 80s brought a wave of spiritual revival in the Christian world. The Catholic Church in Miami was no exception.
A resurgence of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit became known as the charismatic renewal. It called Christians to live out a life of deeper conversion and discipleship.
And so it was that a young architect, William �Bill� Brown, received the invitation to be a part of something new in Miami.
It was 1984, and Brown, a member of St. Timothy Parish in Miami, was a leader of the newly emerging charismatic movement, which would organize prayer meetings, conferences and retreats.
At the same time, a group of nine couples and two singles were meeting on a regular basis to study Scripture, pray together, and strive to be more faithful members of the Church.
Most of the individuals who met had, in one way or another, experienced the renewal in their lives, having attended prayer groups, Life in the Spirit seminars, or participated in one of the charismatic communities that were emerging throughout the Catholic world.
After discernment, the group felt called to establish a �covenant community.� They became known as Comunidad La Nueva Jerusal�n, or New Jerusalem Community, and in 1987 obtained designation as a private association of the faithful in the Archdiocese of Miami. Brown became the community's �principal coordinator.�
The goal of the community, according to their website, is �to tell others that God's love is real, authentic and that you have to experience it if you really want to know the fullness of life, if you really want to fill all the gaps in your life, if you want to be happy.�
On Feb. 15, at St. Timothy Church, members of New Jerusalem Community celebrated 30 years of community life during a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Thomas Wenski.
�For 30 years, while active in their respective parishes, they have striven to grow in friendship with Jesus. In doing so, they witness that to be a Christian is a great gift and not a burden. For them, and for each one of us, knowing Jesus Christ is our greatest joy,� Archbishop Wenski said.
Today, New Jerusalem Community has grown to include numerous families hailing from different parishes and cultural backgrounds who get together biweekly for prayer and Christian formation. Many of the community's families have come from sister communities in other parts of the U.S. and Latin America.
New Jerusalem is part of a worldwide network of communities that share the same vision and mission of Christian living, called Sword of the Spirit. These groups are active in countries such as the Philippines, Colombia, Poland and Nicaragua, as well as closer to home. The Brotherhood of Hope, for example, is a community of priests and consecrated brothers in Tallahassee, Fla.
The community emphasizes the call to live in unity, despite cultural differences.
Oscar Robles came to Miami as a high school student searching for the community life he had experienced in his youth, as a member of the Ciudad de Dios (City of God) community in Nicaragua.
He was one of the first to join the small prayer group that would become New Jerusalem. In time he made a public commitment to community life � that is, a promise to God and the community that he would serve both the Church and community members.
His wife, Lourdes Robles, came into the community while she was still a high school student. Though she participated in Encuentros Juveniles and St. Timothy�s youth group, she found something special in the youth program at New Jerusalem.
�It was fun, and (the youth) were always talking about prayer life, having a relationship with the Lord, and were often reading the Bible,� she said.
Over the years, Lourdes Robles made gradual commitments to the community, eventually making a �lifelong commitment,� in which she chooses to be a part of the community her entire life.
�It�s almost like a marriage covenant, except marriage is more drastic,� she said jokingly. �When you make a commitment you pray about it and keep going with God�s grace. (In one�s spiritual life), one cannot always be faithful, but He is always faithful.�
�Making a public commitment is a helpful expression,� Oscar Robles said. �It helps us be accountable to each other and responsible in our call as Christians.�
Members of New Jerusalem Community answer the call to be witnesses to the Gospel through active participation in the archdiocese. They serve as extraordinary ministers of holy Communion, as lectors and active members of their respective parishes.
The community also organizes marriage retreats, conferences and Bible summer camps for children. Members also hosted a radio program on the archdiocesan station, Radio Paz 830 AM, called Familias en Misi�n (Families on Mission).
Lourdes Robles said she is grateful to have met her husband through New Jerusalem Community.
�If I hadn�t gone and stayed (in community), I wouldn�t have met and married Oscar. I wouldn�t have the blessings I have now � to be a woman of God and to do what God has called me to do in this life.�
The Robleses have three children, ages 18, 21 and 24, which they have strived to raise with the support of, and insights gained, through the community. Their eldest son, who served as student president of the University of Miami's Catholic Campus Ministry, is finishing up his first year as a missionary for the Catholic university ministry, St. Paul's Outreach.
�My kids grew up in a Christian environment. They joined soccer teams with other community kids, their friends came from families that believe in the same principles we do,� Lourdes Robles said.
But Oscar Robles stresses that New Jerusalem is just one option among many in the Church.
�Every Christian is responsible to find a place. You can�t be a Christian by yourself,� he said, echoing the recent words of Pope Francis, shared via Twitter: �No one saves oneself. The community is essential."
A resurgence of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit became known as the charismatic renewal. It called Christians to live out a life of deeper conversion and discipleship.
And so it was that a young architect, William �Bill� Brown, received the invitation to be a part of something new in Miami.
Photographer: FILE PHOTO
The logo for La Nueva Jerusalen/New Jerusalem community.
At the same time, a group of nine couples and two singles were meeting on a regular basis to study Scripture, pray together, and strive to be more faithful members of the Church.
Most of the individuals who met had, in one way or another, experienced the renewal in their lives, having attended prayer groups, Life in the Spirit seminars, or participated in one of the charismatic communities that were emerging throughout the Catholic world.
After discernment, the group felt called to establish a �covenant community.� They became known as Comunidad La Nueva Jerusal�n, or New Jerusalem Community, and in 1987 obtained designation as a private association of the faithful in the Archdiocese of Miami. Brown became the community's �principal coordinator.�
The goal of the community, according to their website, is �to tell others that God's love is real, authentic and that you have to experience it if you really want to know the fullness of life, if you really want to fill all the gaps in your life, if you want to be happy.�
On Feb. 15, at St. Timothy Church, members of New Jerusalem Community celebrated 30 years of community life during a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Thomas Wenski.
�For 30 years, while active in their respective parishes, they have striven to grow in friendship with Jesus. In doing so, they witness that to be a Christian is a great gift and not a burden. For them, and for each one of us, knowing Jesus Christ is our greatest joy,� Archbishop Wenski said.
Today, New Jerusalem Community has grown to include numerous families hailing from different parishes and cultural backgrounds who get together biweekly for prayer and Christian formation. Many of the community's families have come from sister communities in other parts of the U.S. and Latin America.
Photographer: BLANCA MORALES | FC
La Nueva Jerusalen coordinator, Bill Brown, addresses the community after a Mass celebrating the group's 30th anniversary at St. Timothy Church in Miami Feb. 15.
The community emphasizes the call to live in unity, despite cultural differences.
Oscar Robles came to Miami as a high school student searching for the community life he had experienced in his youth, as a member of the Ciudad de Dios (City of God) community in Nicaragua.
He was one of the first to join the small prayer group that would become New Jerusalem. In time he made a public commitment to community life � that is, a promise to God and the community that he would serve both the Church and community members.
His wife, Lourdes Robles, came into the community while she was still a high school student. Though she participated in Encuentros Juveniles and St. Timothy�s youth group, she found something special in the youth program at New Jerusalem.
�It was fun, and (the youth) were always talking about prayer life, having a relationship with the Lord, and were often reading the Bible,� she said.
Over the years, Lourdes Robles made gradual commitments to the community, eventually making a �lifelong commitment,� in which she chooses to be a part of the community her entire life.
�It�s almost like a marriage covenant, except marriage is more drastic,� she said jokingly. �When you make a commitment you pray about it and keep going with God�s grace. (In one�s spiritual life), one cannot always be faithful, but He is always faithful.�
�Making a public commitment is a helpful expression,� Oscar Robles said. �It helps us be accountable to each other and responsible in our call as Christians.�
Members of New Jerusalem Community answer the call to be witnesses to the Gospel through active participation in the archdiocese. They serve as extraordinary ministers of holy Communion, as lectors and active members of their respective parishes.
The community also organizes marriage retreats, conferences and Bible summer camps for children. Members also hosted a radio program on the archdiocesan station, Radio Paz 830 AM, called Familias en Misi�n (Families on Mission).
Lourdes Robles said she is grateful to have met her husband through New Jerusalem Community.
�If I hadn�t gone and stayed (in community), I wouldn�t have met and married Oscar. I wouldn�t have the blessings I have now � to be a woman of God and to do what God has called me to do in this life.�
The Robleses have three children, ages 18, 21 and 24, which they have strived to raise with the support of, and insights gained, through the community. Their eldest son, who served as student president of the University of Miami's Catholic Campus Ministry, is finishing up his first year as a missionary for the Catholic university ministry, St. Paul's Outreach.
�My kids grew up in a Christian environment. They joined soccer teams with other community kids, their friends came from families that believe in the same principles we do,� Lourdes Robles said.
But Oscar Robles stresses that New Jerusalem is just one option among many in the Church.
�Every Christian is responsible to find a place. You can�t be a Christian by yourself,� he said, echoing the recent words of Pope Francis, shared via Twitter: �No one saves oneself. The community is essential."
Corrected March 6: The biweekly Refuge is no longer taking place; the Brotherhood of Hope is based in Tallahassee, not Jacksonville; the logo has been changed to an updated version.
Comments from readers
Deacon Rafael de los Reyes
Spiritual Director
Apostolate of Divine Mercy
of the Archdiocese of Miami