Belen Jesuit Preparatory School

Building the Kingdom

Maria Virginia Deliz | Communications Specialist
A special assembly was held on December 17 to bid farewell to Brother Michael Martínez, S.J., '09 (a Jesuit scholastic of the Antilles Province) after serving the Belen Jesuit community for 2 ½ years. During his time at the school, Brother Mike shared his vocation story with students, faculty, and staff. He taught theology and collaborated with Campus Ministry to advise and create programs alongside director Dr. Edmund Newborn and the entire team. 
 
Newborn presented Martínez with a plaque that read: 
"For his untiring dedication to being an outstanding example of living Ignatian Spirituality, his love and devotion for Belen Jesuit, and for bringing everyone he meets close to Jesus Christ through the joyful expression of his many talents".
 
The Garrido Family Plaza would normally be teeming with students cheering, but today, students watched the live stream from their classrooms, with just his Junior Theology class present in the plaza. 
 
Martínez shared that the most important part of his mission was to build the Kingdom of God. He reminded students that "each of you have made me a better Jesuit. I go filled with all these names in my heart, and wherever I am, from Brazil, I will be praying for each of you. That you, too, may find the Kingdom of God."
 
Fr. Willie, S.J., ‘87 closed the assembly with a few words about his time at Belen, as a student and as a brother living in Villa Javier with the older priests. "From a young age he had an awareness of his faith, and the importance of his faith, which I credit some to Belen, but mostly to his mother, who has been a rock in his life." He also remarked that he has never seen the older Jesuits enjoy rap music so much as when Martínez would share his music and perform for them in the house. 
 
Martínez will continue his studies at the Faculdade Jesuíta de Filosofia e Teologia in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.  “This will be the last stage of his formation before being ordained a priest. Hopefully, that ordination will happen here in Miami and in our new chapel,” said Fr. Willie. 
 
Br. Mike is leaving us one last gift. He is excited to announce his new album, Worship Real will be released on Christmas Day on Apple Music and Spotify. Click here to listen to his music.

Click here to watch the live stream of the assembly. Click here to see the photo album. 
 
 
 
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BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain.  The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline.  In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty.  The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow.  Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.